In 2019, I took a trip I’d been dreaming about for years. I knew even before graduating university that I wanted to travel a lot. So from 2017-2019, I focused on saving money, paying off my loan, accumulating airline miles, and creating a minimalist lifestyle.

I thought I would work in the UK as a travel nurse and travel throughout Europe on my days off. However, right when I started applying for jobs, Brexit happened and closed down international applications for nurses. I had already prepared to quit my job in the summer of 2019 and I really didn’t want to wait around for UK nursing jobs to open back up. So I shifted gears and decided to take a career break/ gap year/ sabbatical (whatever you want to call it). I’d saved up money for my move to the UK and decided to use that to take a 4 month trip around Europe and Asia.

I was nervous about everything. Would I be wasting my nursing degree? How would friends and family react? What should I do with my belongings? Would I be safe? Would I run out of money? I researched for months about how to pack, the best way to deal with money, and where to go. Quitting my staff nursing job was emotional as was moving out of my studio apartment. I had built a life I was proud of in the two years following graduation. In the months leading up to August, I got rid of most of my stuff and moved everything else to my grandmother’s house. I made a point of seeing friends and doing my favorite things.

Then it was the end of the summer and time to fly to Europe. Sentimental me decided to fly into Madrid, Spain, at the start of the new school year. I visited my old school, talked with professors, and even managed to run into an old friend. After a few days of enjoying one of my favorite cities, I took the train north to start El Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James.

The pilgrimage was the perfect way to start my trip. I was able to reflect and settle myself before embarking on this new chapter. I backpacked around Europe for a month. I sunbathed on the beaches in Croatia, hiked in Slovenia, was sick in Venice, drank beer at Oktoberfest, explored fairy-tale towns in Czechia, ate so many pierogi in Poland, attended mass with animals in Lithuania, went back in time in Estonia, froze in Finland, and learned about oil in Norway.

After backpacking around Europe for a month, I was tired of moving every few days. Plus, northern Europe was getting cold. To fix both of these, I attended Spanish School for two weeks in Cadiz. Cadiz is on the southern tip of Spain. It is right on the Mediterranean. This break was just what I needed. I stayed with a local family, ate delicious home-cooked meals, attended classes in the morning, and relaxed in the afternoon. My classmates were really friendly and I had a wonderful time.

My first group tour was in Turkey. So I finished my Europe exploration with a visit to Malta and Greece before flying into Istanbul. This tour with Intrepid opened my eyes to the wonders of group travel. A local tour guide plus a group of 10-15 like-minded travelers can make the experience so much more valuable than going by yourself. We traveled all around the country. Highlights were a 2 night cruise around the southern coast and Cappadocia.

Over 2.5 months had passed and I was still enjoying myself! Time to get into Asia proper. I snagged a cheap flight to the Maldives before flying to Thailand. I’d been nervous to travel in South East Asia because it was new to me. To help with that I booked a One Week in Northern Thailand tour with Intrepid to help me get my bearings. I felt very confident traveling through northern Vietnam solo once the tour ended.

I finished the trip in Japan. I did have a few days in South Korea where I tried the jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouse) and did a food tour. Japan was a country I’d been looking forward to the most. I spent time in Kyoto, Tokyo, and a few small towns. My highlights were the food and the onsens (hot-springs) in the mountains.

My first extended backpacking trip ended in Japan. I flew home for the holidays and started my first travel nurse contract. The plan had been to work 3 months and replenish my travel fund before taking off again to explore more of the world, but COVID paused those plans.

By taking this trip, I’ve changed the direction of my life. I’ve been working as a travel nurse ever since, and I can’t imagine giving up the freedoms travel nursing grants me. I’m about to start another 4 month round-the-world trip, which wouldn’t be possible if I went back to a normal nursing job. This trip showed me so much good in people and reinforced that we are more similar than different. Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way, from giving me directions, to the friends made in hostels, to the tour guides sharing their country. Cheers! I’m leaving the USA tomorrow to fly to South Africa. Let the new adventure begin 🙂