Hi. Hello. Guten Tag. Let’s start from the beginning. I was blessed with hard-working parents who provided me with a childhood full of memories. Many of them included “traveling” for soccer or basketball games. We snuck in the occasional beach vacation, a Disney trip around Christmastime when I was nine and even a trip to England and Wales where my Dad grew up, meeting many family members for the first time. All of these left imprints in my traveling memory bank that set the foundation for my desire to travel. The trip that really opened my eyes to the big world we live in was a European adventure my German teacher led when I was 15.

The Beginning:

I had the opportunity to travel to Czech Republic, Austria and Germany through EF Tours, led by Frau Simpson in June of 2005. I don’t remember every detail of this trip that happened 19 years ago, but for someone who grew up in a very small, rural town, walking down cobblestone streets in Prague was nothing short of a dream. From there we traveled to Austria by bus; a beautiful country with majestic mountains that literally and figuratively took your breath away. I bought a handmade cuckoo clock and framed edelweiss for my mom in one of their picturesque towns; items we still cherish today. Any Sound of Music lovers? IYKYK.

Lastly, our journey finished in Germany. This is where I tasted my first beer, at the Haufbrauhaus in Munich. How many other people can say that? Full disclosure: I thought it was gross.

It’s where I walked through Dachau Concentration Camp with hundreds of other people but the only thing you could hear was the ground crunching underneath your feet. I can picture row upon row of tight living quarters where people slept, the gas chambers, the wired fencing, and the striped clothing. Traveling will change your perspective on life. This was the beginning for me.

Germany is also where I got to dip my toe in the Olympiapark München, visit Neuschwanstein “Cinderella” Castle, and had opportunities to practice the German I’d been learning the last two years. The memories that I collected on this trip not only provided me an enriching learning experience, but the start of my love of exploring the world; respecting the past while embracing the present.

The Gift That Keeps Giving:

There are hundreds of people out there that have similar stories to mine because of Frau Simpson. She continued for many years, leading both school and adult focused groups all around the world and I have enjoyed following her journey. Frau, your impact of showing us the world will last generations. Thank you!

Fast forward nearly two decades and I am married to the kindest pilot, enjoy traveling with (and without) our children when we can and am beginning a new adventure of my own by starting a travel and lifestyle blog that combines my love of writing and adventuring all into one space. My goal is to empower you to create memories, both locally and around the world, embracing the phase of life you are in, and sharing the tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way. I hope to show you that it won’t always go as you planned (that’s where coffee and concealer come in), but that’s part of the fun.

Thank you for being here and following along. Let’s make some memories!

Thanks for stopping in! Let’s stay connected and see the world together!