Travel is what makes my world go round. I am thankful to my family who have given me opportunities and inspiration to visit so many great places. From my grandpa who moved his family to Egypt in the '70s, to my mom who teaches abroad, they have taught me how accessible travel can be.

My first time out of the country was for a music camp in Quebec, CA when I was twelve. And I have been able to visit 7 other countries since. The photos and descriptions below provide a snapshot of the places I have been throughout my life so far, and I can't wait to see more!

Toledo, Spain - My mom and I took a three week trip to Spain during the summer of 2006. We explored many cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville. Toledo is in central Spain, on a mountaintop surrounded by the Tagus River. The youth hostel we stayed in, Albergue San Servando, is housed in a medieval castle. I loved the historical factor of this city. And I loved the whole culture of Spain. They work hard, but know how to relaxed and enjoy their time with people. Most of Europe seems to be this way.

Sydney, Australia - I lived in Sydney for a year from July 2007 - July 2008, where I studied at Hillsong College. This experience is dear to my heart and was fairly different from my other traveling experiences. It was a time of getting away from familiarity, and learning in a completely different environment. We were all away from our family and comfort zones, so we had to rely on each other, which created tight bonds quickly. I love how I met someone from just about every country during this gap year. And that I am still close to many of them after all these years (even if we don't get to speak often).

Forster, Australia - Forster is about two or so hours north of Sydney. I was able to stay there for about a week with friends to relax during our school holiday. We mainly went to the beach everyday, took walks, and prepared small meals. It is a quaint town, but also very beautiful.

Egypt - I traveled to Egypt for five weeks during the summer of 2008. My mom was living in Cairo at the time, and my grandma and aunt were able to join in on the excursion as well! The photo above is from the Mena House hotel, where we stayed for one night before taking a tour of the Giza pyramid complex the next day. We saw amazing sites throughout our trip. After a few days of getting somewhat settled, we went on a nile cruise which started in Luxor, Egypt. This particular experience would be noted as the most interesting of all. We toured many ancient tombs and temples, and became familiar with the very dry heat!

Paris, France - oh la la! During the summer of 2011 I studied abroad in Paris through ULL. I started the trip not knowing any of the fellow students - a whole new adventure! I grew up taking french immersion courses, which formed my desire to travel to France. Just as expected, I felt at home in Paris. My grandma explained that she felt similar when she visited Germany, because she has heritage there. I plan on going back!

Épernay, France - Also known as 'champaign country.' Our day trip to Épernay was part of our study abroad course, where we took a tour of the Moët & Chandon factory, and a local family owned vineyard. At Moët & Chandon, we went into the cold basement where all of the champaign is stored and learned about their history and process. The best part was sampling the champagne after both tours!

Portugal - After being in Paris for six weeks, I flew to Portugal to visit my mom who was teaching at an American school in Estoril. Such a beautiful city on the coast, not far from Lisbon. We took a trip to Porto, Portugal as well where port wine is made.

On my way back to Paris from Portugal, I had a not so great experience. The airport security confiscated my mace (which I completely forgot I had). Apparently mace is illegal in Portugal, along with some other European countries. I signed police papers, payed 100 euros and still made my flight! When I made it back to Paris, the turmoil didn't end there. They called me on the intercom and notified me that my luggage was taken off of my flight and I had to wait for the next flight for my luggage to arrive. Lesson learned: do not bring mace on your travels!

Other places I have traveled to in the past, but not pictured here are Vancouver, Quebec, Oaxaca, and Santa Cruz, Bolivia. All of those photos are in a box somewhere because they were taken before the expansion of the digital camera.

I often get nostalgic about these places. I enjoy looking through old photos and reliving the memories. It's time to make new ones I believe!

Where do you dream of traveling to?