The courage it takes to share the truth, to share your perspective, to share your experience is one of the most empowering steps a woman can take. Here is my story and how I began my travel journey.

It was 2020, the midst of the global pandemic, and I found myself thrust into the completely unexpected position of being the sole caretaker, provider, and breadwinner for my daughters.  My life was unrecognizable, my insides were molten. I was burning to ash. 

The enormous pressure and undertaking of motherhood on my own was beyond comprehension. My world was forever altered and so it was for my children. I carried this invisible weight on my shoulders. My feelings and thoughts were all-consuming; they smothered me. I was humiliated, embarrassed, and ashamed. I was surprisingly furious and it raged within me. 

My inner fire made my hands curl into fists as I screamed up at the sky. This wasn’t fair, this wasn’t my plan, this wasn’t how life was supposed to be.  I cried, I mourned, and yet ever so slowly my burns began to heal. 

The only way out of this blaze was through it. Life slowly began to speak in whispers, small moments of triumphs and wins. I quickly learned the world was not ready for single mothers, and yet here I was. 

Throughout my childhood and young adulthood the seeds for my travel passion were first planted. Family vacations spent at the beach were some of my happiest memories. I could not rationalize how I would ever be able to provide the same experiences for my children. This realization haunted me.