We Aim To Slay

Now that spring is well and truly underway it’s once again time for spring break! Whether you’re going camping or jetting off for a tropical getaway, we can all agree that a vacation feels like the soul-deep remedy to all of life’s problems

While it would be financially irresponsible for me to travel for spring break this year, I am no stranger to the world of traveling. In fact, you might be shocked to know that I actually love to travel – despite being the world’s worst packer – and have been doing so for my entire life!

My Life Long Wanderlust

I’ll admit it off the bat: I was blessed to have been born into a family with the means to travel well and often throughout my life. I can also freely admit that as an adult, I do not have the means to travel well or often, despite still loving the thrill of adventure.

During 2020, I started road tripping either by myself or with a friend, and that shared passion led to the summer of 2025 when my best friend (and mom!) Stacey, bought a Coleman 13B camper. Now we’re able to travel the way we like, and bring our fur babies!

International Jet Setter

In the process of writing this article I tried to create a comprehensive list of every country I’ve been to – a Herculean task that ended with this statement: I’ve been to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Some of these travels happened so long ago that they’re marked as mere memories; like when we were in Morocco and people in the market place kept patting my head. To this day, I still hate when people touch my head or hair!

And some trips – as fellow travelers can attest – ignite something in your soul as if you’re coming home. I felt this way the moment I touched down in Greece (the photos above), I feel it every time we visit my godfather’s family in Colombia, and I felt it sitting on a surfboard in the Pacific ocean off the coast of Costa Rica (the photos below).

I happen to believe in reincarnation, and I think these moments truly are our souls returning home. But no matter what you believe, there’s no denying how magical it can feel to travel.

Travel…But Keep it Domestic

And sometimes you don’t have to go very far to invoke that feeling. As I said above, I started roadtripping during 2020, but I’d seen my fair share of my homeland prior to that time.

Despite what you may see on the news, I’ve always felt that magical connection to the state of Florida – I’ve shared before that I spent a month there in 2020 and had an amazing experience! – and in Ocean City, Maryland, where my mom and I frequently go surfing – like, drove from Connecticut to Maryland and back in a day (about 12 to 14 hours round trip), to go surfing.

The Sights! The Culture! The Cuisine!

One of my – and my family’s – favorite parts of traveling is experiencing the culture via historical landmarks and the cuisine!

Those two concepts unified my “home coming” feelings in Greece; if one thing is certain, I will always prefer Mediterranean style foods and cooking! I’ll never forget being 18-years-old, visiting Athens with my grandparents for the first time, and telling my grandfather to “just trust me” as we made our way to the Acropolis. When I tell you that I could feel the correct path I’m not joking – and I was just as surprised as my grandfather when, after traversing back alleys in a foreign city, we arrived at the “back entrance” to the old agora at the base of the Acropolis.

Although we should not have been shocked, as we’ve done similar things on our walks through Cartagena, Colombia – my favorite South American city!

And in a similar fashion, I have a soul-deep love of South American and Latin cuisine! I’ve shared my life-long love of Zach’s Taco Shack in Tannersville, PA; and I shared how many times Stacey and I visited the same taco truck on our camping trip in Florida last summer, when she wasn’t cooking gourmet style meals over a campfire!

Luckily, because so many people throughout history have also loved to travel, we can enjoy all of our favorite international cuisines from the comfort of home – like my recent discovery of Mexcla Restaurant and Bar in Newtown, CT!

And maybe the most important aspect, traveling is the reminder to celebrate the things that make us different while acknowledging the things that unify us as human beings. 

Growing up as a mixed race person in a predominantly white town, I was aware of the things that made me different. But traveling has always reminded me how similar the human experience is across the world: we all want to ensure that we and our loved ones are happy and healthy. It’s with that mindset that I’m holding onto during these chaotic and frankly, scary. times.

What Do You Think?

Will you be traveling at all this year? Share your destinations & packing essentials in the comments! And if like me, you’re saving up for your next trip, where are you headed?! Give us some #TravelInspo below!

I’ll be back next week with inspiration for festival season!

Have a great rest of your week, and remember to SLAY!