If you know me in real life, you might be thinking “about time” or “finally!” I’ve built quite a reputation in the past (almost) decade of my life. People know and refer to me as many things now: a traveler, vagabond, nomad, adventurer, travel agent (lol), and sometimes even Dora (us Hispanic girls all used to have the Dora haircut – I think it was a bit of foreshadowing for me!). What’s missing from those adjectives and important to note are the words: solo female.
As of today, I’ve visited 25% of the world, most of it as a solo female traveler. This was never something I intended on doing or specifically sought out. Instead – and I know I might get eye rolls here – the Universe guided me on this path (more on that in a bit). Now, I’m writing this in 2023 at 33-years-old, because I felt that same Universal guidance that I experienced years ago: that this was my time to start a travel blog.
How did I end up here? Like many people reading this, I started off playing life by the book. I went to college, graduated, entered the work force, worked a few years, decided to go back for my Master’s, went to graduate school, graduated, went back to the work force full-time. Everything was as it should be. I was doing everything that was expected from a contributing member of society. During that time yes, I traveled, but it was more so the once-a-year trip to Cabo for a few days, or spring break in Punta Cana. I was traveling the world, but not exploring it. The difference matters.
Then the year 2016 comes around. That summer, I graduated with my Master’s degree from NYU. My boyfriend at the time was about to start medical school, so we both had a free summer. We decided to go backpacking throughout Europe with what little money we had.
We booked it and two weeks later we went. Nine countries. Eleven cities. It was … magical. That’s truly what it felt like, just magic. I have a vivid memory of being at the train station in Lucerne, Switzerland: we were waiting for the train, and I was sitting on an outside bench, looking up at the mountains and breathing the fresh air. Something inside me was trying to tell me I was meant for so much more than what I was going home to. I felt this itch, something gnawing inside me, saying, “Keep traveling. Don’t go home. There is more to life!!”
But I went home. I “had” to. I had to start looking for a job now, get back to the work force. It took me a month to find a job in my field. I started in October 2016.
If you know me in real life, then you know what comes next.
December 6th, 2016, I lost my Dad suddenly and unexpectedly.
That was the end of my old life – what came next was a rebirth.
