It all started when I was a young girl—my father loved to travel to new places, and his bucket list included visiting all 50 states of the U.S. As far back as I can remember, I have been traveling. Some of the oldest memories I still have include standing in front of Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota when I was only five years old and seeing the Space Needle in Seattle, WA when I was eight. Being from West Virginia, I was also not exposed to big cities much as a kid, so I also went to New York City on several trips growing up, both with family and with school. I fell in love with the city life, but I also appreciate my rural, mountainous, small-town roots. I have been very fortunate throughout my life to have many travel opportunities to new places at just 21 years old. My love and yearning to go to new places, combined with parents who fed that adventuring spirit and helped me travel, made me look at life with a much broader view.
Whether it’s flying to Vancouver, CA and cruising on a giant ship through Alaska or simply driving to a nearby state park and hiking with friends, I am always excited and enthused to go explore somewhere unknown, unseen, or unfamiliar to myself. Meeting new people, exploring other cultures, seeing different animals, and simply going somewhere I am not normally, excites me.
Through traveling to 31 of the 50 United States and 9 countries and living parts of my life across two states, I have grown. I am eager to see where my next travels and adventures take me. My passion for travel and adventure continues to spark inside of me as I grow, and it encourages me to continue exploring the world. This passion motivates me to work hard, take care of myself, and live a life that I enjoy living.