I quit my job to TRAVEL!!

Why am I doing a seemingly crazy thing like quitting my job and setting out on my own across the world??  It's because I want to have new and unique experiences, grow through the encounters I have with people in different parts of the world, and see first-hand the wonders of the world.  I’ve always traveled, thanks to my parents, who whisked me off on my first international trip to England when I was 8 years old, and a number of places before and after that.  Travel became an integral part of my life and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.  I suppose I got bit by the travel bug in August of 2004 when my mom went on an Alaskan cruise for a writing seminar and I tagged along.  Who knew what a beautiful and eye-opening experience it would be.  The moment that stands out in my mind is how the temperature dropped drastically as we canoed up to a glacier, and how beautiful the untouched landscape was.  To think of how the entire area was previously covered in a sheet of ice one mile thick is almost too much to wrap your head around.  The height of the glaciers and mountains and depth of the fjord that we glided through was an awe-inspiring experience.  I think this was the moment that helped me to realize that there is so much more in the world than your own little universe in which you exist every day.  Or maybe it was the moment when I swam with stingrays in the Cayman Islands, saw a volcano erupt in Italy, or explored the fascinating ruins of Pompeii.  It all came to a head late last summer when I spent two weeks in Europe (Italy, Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, France and Monte Carlo).  I loved that my only responsibility each day was to do nothing more than discover the beauty and magnificence of these countries.  I wanted to see more, stay longer and fully experience the different countries.  This world is so diverse with so many different cultures and languages, and there are so many things to see and do!!  It’s just too much for me to let go idly by, unexplored by me.  Travel is where my passions lie and that is why I’m taking the next 6 months to see what this vast world has to offer!!