Skip to main content

Wanderlust


#BreakingFree2023

“Somewhere on your journey, don’t forget to take a moment to enjoy the view.”

Ever since I began teaching, I developed an evident interest for travelling and learning about various countries and cultures. The students in my very first school came from various backgrounds, and as I got to know each of them, I became more and more curious about the World, beyond the North American borders.

Over the last 15 years, I have had the opportunity to live abroad and to travel to over 35 countries. I must admit that with every trip, my desire to explore has increased. From participating in humanitarian trips, to chasing some of the worlds’ wonders, to going on fitness holidays, to adventuring with friends, to spending quality time with family and to seeking reflective time alone; each trip has provided me with a very unique and unforgettable experience.


After COVID hit in 2020, I became quite anxious to travel again; not so much because I was worried to get ill, but more so because there seemed to be so many steps I had to take to get anywhere, and there was always a slim chance I could get stuck in another place (which may not sound so bad when travelling somewhere exotic). At one point, even getting into my home country of Canada had a number of, what seemed like, outrageous requirements.

Luckily, as time passed, the conditions improved. Over the last year, I have been able to get back to my very long list of highly wished for travel spots. Over summer, I made it to Costa Rica and Panama for some solo travelling. Over Christmas I reached Germany (for a second time) to visit with family. And, most recently, I returned to Bali, Indonesia (for a third time) with some friends, then I stopped by Singapore for a few days (which had been on my list for a while).


I’m incredibly grateful to have had the chance to wander around the World. For me personally, my voyages have had so many benefits. They’ve allowed me to ‘escape’ my day to day routine for a short time, but also they’ve led me to ‘experience’ a variety of incredible things; activities, foods, languages, nature’s beauty…Additinally, travelling has taught me so much about people from different walks of life and it’s made me appreciate many aspects of my own life. To top it all off, through my journey, I have learned an abundance about myself and I have felt growth within me after every single trip I’ve taken; mostly due to the fact that I have been pushed outside my comfort zone on multiple occasions.


“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Living Outside The Box

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I believe I’m on the path I’m meant to be." As we get older, it’s easy to get trapped in society’s idea of what life "should" look like. By the time we hit 40, there’s a well-defined picture of success: owning a home, starting a family, climbing the career ladder. But as I approach this milestone, I’m choosing to remind myself that true happiness isn’t found in checking off someone else’s list. It’s found in stepping outside the box, embracing the unexpected, and allowing life to unfold in its own unique way. Sure, my path hasn’t always been conventional, and I’ve often found myself comparing my journey to others, wondering why I’m not where they are. But when I take a step back and reflect, I see how much I’ve gained by stepping off the well-worn road. Life may not have gone according to plan, but I’m proud of the unexpected milestones I’ve reached along the way. I’ve traveled to over 40 countries, lived in three (ye...

Mirror, Mirror

  “I could try to be just like you, but I wanna be like me - the girl in the mirror.” Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself and thought “YIKES!”? Of course you have! We all have! We can all get a little self-critical from time to time, can’t we? I’ll be honest, I don’t often love seeing pictures of myself, especially those really close up, like selfies. Every image seems to amplify my insecurities and highlight “ flaws ” that I wish would disappear. I’m a pretty simple girl—no make-up, no heels, just me as I am, and I find that the world often holds up a different standard of beauty for females, one that's heavily curated and polished. My negative thoughts can weigh heavily at times, and social media ( with all its’ filters ) only magnifies those feelings of self-doubt. Over the last year, I’ve taken a number of selfies or mirror pictures. Some were taken to capture moments during my solo trips, some were taken to track physical changes influenced by diet, training and r...

Fly Away

  “Until you spread your wings, you’ll never know how far you can fly.” For as long as I can remember, there has been a relentless pull within me; a desire to fly away, to explore beyond the boundaries of familiarity, and to immerse myself in the cultural richness of our world. It all started over 15 years ago with a pivotal moment: my first international trip to the Dominican Republic for humanitarian purposes. Little did I know then that this remarkable trip ( *along with teaching in a challenging multicultural school ) would set the stage for a life defined by adventure, discovery, and personal growth. Since that transformative experience, my life has been a whirlwind of movement and exploration. I've been blessed with the opportunity to experience living and working abroad, both in the UAE and in Vietnam, and along the way, I've had the privilege to traverse more than 40 countries, each offering its own unique blend of culture, history, landscape and perspective. Looking ...