Davidson, NC, USA

Guatemala City, Guatemala

I was in the central Terai region of Nepal volunteering at a girls' house that was part of my uncle's NGO. While there, I was invited to attend several activities commemorating the International Day Against Child Labor. At one of the events, I was asked to address the crowd on the importance of education as a response to child labor. Despite assurances that I would have two good translators, neither could understand a word I was saying (and I barely spoke a word of Nepali). They insisted I continue, so I had no choice but to give a short speech in English while gazing out over a sea of blank faces.

Rather than rush through a dozen things a day, take some time to get to know your surroundings and the people you meet. In addition, let your travels surprise you. Some of my most amazing travel experiences have occurred when I least expected them.

Most of my traveling has occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean, although I've also had the opportunity to visit Australia, England, Wales, and Nepal. I have a soft spot for two places in particular: Argentina and Peru.

My next three planned destinations are Belize, Brazil, and South Africa.