I knew from a young age that traveling was extremely important to me. Some of my most cherished memories take place in York Beach, Maine, a lovely little coastal town my mom (a single mother of 2 at the time and a total badass) would take my sister and I to in the summer. I can still so clearly picture the ferris wheel we would ride on, the waves my sister and I would boogie board for hours, and the hole-in-the-wall hot dog shack where ordering the “Flo’s Special” was the only real option.

I took a cross country road trip in 2018 where I spent 3 months with a very dear friend, working on organic farms along the west coast. I will never forget the first time I dipped my toes in the Pacific Ocean, that time we hiked to our very first hot springs experience, or that vegan mac and cheese I devoured in Eugene, Oregon.

Seeing new places is how we gain new perspective. Meeting people, experiencing cultures and traditions that differ from our own are where connection and compassion can begin to cultivate.

And now the time is yours. To create memories. To see something new. To go explore the world.