Where it all started
For as long as I can remember, I felt an urge to do something different. At 17, I looked just like every other senior applying to colleges, pretending I knew what I wanted, while secretly feeling completely lost.
I sent out eight applications across the country, hoping clarity would magically appear. Instead, what changed everything wasn’t a college acceptance it was a backpack.
I took a three-month backpacking trip to Asia chasing curiosity with no real plan. Somewhere between long bus rides, conversations with strangers, and sunsets in places I’d never seen, my world cracked open. I discovered a version of life and of myself I didn’t know existed.
A Thank You to My Parents
I am endlessly grateful for my incredible parents two people brave enough to let their 17-year-old daughter board a plane alone to the other side of the world. Their trust, encouragement, and belief in me gave me the courage to chase a life I’d only dreamed about.
Because of their support, I get to wake up in new countries, follow my curiosity, and build a life shaped by adventure. Every step I take around the world is possible because they believed in me.
After returning from that first trip, I was instantly hooked on travel. I had the travel bug bad and nothing was going to stop me. I turned down all my university offers and chose to pursue an online degree instead, which has given me the freedom to explore the world while continuing my studies.
I’m currently in my second year of university, studying fully online. Next year, I’ll be moving to Spain to study at Saint Louis University Madrid for two years to finish my degree combining my love for education with my passion for seeing the world.
Why I Love It
Traveling ignites a part of me I never knew existed. Growing up in a Chicago suburb, I didn’t realize how much more there was to life until I stepped beyond it. I’ve become endlessly fascinated by the different cultures, traditions, and ways of living around the world how people can be so different, yet so deeply similar at the same time.
Through my travels, I’ve learned that the world is both vast and incredibly small. Everywhere I go, people are full of stories, warmth, and a kind of everyday magic. Meeting people from all corners of the globe has expanded my knowledge and perspectives in ways I never imagined possible.
CATS ADVENTURES 