I’ll admit it, I’ve probably been to a few more places than the average 19 year-old. I’ve been on three trips to Europe, on a cruise that included Cozumel, Mexico and Belize in its line-up, and traveled to over half of the 50 States. Being fortunate enough to explore the world is an amazing feat. I am so incredibly grateful for the 20-hour car rides to Texas, the sleepless hours spent in various airports, and yes, even the swells of motion sickness that I have for the most part grown out of. The interesting thing is, even though as a child my stomach did not seem to appreciate the drawn out hours in motion, I fell in love with the thought that I could see someplace new each time the car was in gear to drive.

The truth is, my itch to move might come from the history of movement in my family. Both of my parents grew up moving from place to place, with two grandfathers as veterans of the Military, this is to be expected. Their countless stories and photographs make me feel like I have an enormous amount of the world to see, and I do.

My most recent trip was to Yosemite National Park in California. Lake Tahoe, Horsetail Falls, the Hollywood Sign and San Luis Obispo were included in the adventure as well. The trip took us on the most beautiful (construction filled) course, the Pacific Highway or HWY 1. It is comprised of hours of coastline and insane views. The hiking at Yosemite was unbelievable, even in the dry season. This particular trip inspired me to research other National Parks and now, my Pinterest boards are full of “The Ultimate National Parks Road Trip” and “FREE Travel Apps.”

There are so many places I wish I could go, and I know someday I will make that happen. My goal is to eventually make a scrapbook or blog based on the lyrics of U2 songs, because those tunes are flooded with ideas of travel. These are my five ideal things to do/places to go in the (very) near future.

Maine.

Because I’m in love with lighthouses, and could always go for some good seafood.

Ireland.

For the longest time I told myself I was going to study abroad at the University of Limerick. Now, unfortunately my dream of studying there is a little far fetched BUT that doesn’t mean I can’t take what I’ve learned here and bring it there.

On an Alaskan Cruise.

I'll admit, I LOVE the cold, I also have only been on one cruise, but it was one of my all time favorite trips. This being said, an Alaskan cruise would be amazing, and I would like to see glaciers before we melt them.

Australia.

I have wanted to go to Australia since P Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney came into my life.

A Mission Trip to Africa

Throughout my life I have been involved in service and volunteering, and it has become a great source of Joy for me. One service group in particular holds a special place in my heart, a group formed at my church called J4Hope. The money that we make from selling our own handmade jewelry has gone to sponsor over 5 children through Compassion International. Going to Africa could mean finding a deeper understanding of what the sponsorship we gave meant.