I’ve seen a third of the world’s countries, these are my 10 favorite…

Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes


When I think about how much beauty around the world I’ve been blessed to see across 60+ countries on 6 continents, I can’t help but have every destination flash before my eyes.

But it’s no secret that there are some places that tug at your heart just a little stronger than others.

This list might change by the year or even month, but as of January 2018, these are my current thoughts on the most-coveted question of which countries are my favorite.…

4th Anniversary of TheBlogAbroad.com + Advice to Aspiring Bloggers

Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes


I re-wrote the first sentence of this blog post at least 10x, only to have this lazy cop-out of an opener be what I ended up running with. *sigh* I suck.

But can you believe I’ve been blogging for a whole 16 [yes, SIXTEEN] years, and travel blogging for 4 of them?

And even after all these years, I still get slight anxiety every time I hit the PUBLISH button with my subpar intro sentences and sometimes debatable/clickbait[able] content.…

7 Interesting Ways Travel Turned Me Into an Introvert

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes


Extrovert turned introvert, for the love of travel.

No doubt travel is transformative, but I wasn’t prepared for all the subconscious ways it would change me for the better.

I’ve seen almost a third of the world now and what a blessing that has been. Because all those cultures, countries, and conversations I’ve seen and had in the last four years, without a doubt shape so much of who I am today.…

My 10 Biggest Mistakes As a Travel Blogger

Estimated Reading Time: 15+ minutes


Look at you guys — falling over yourselves to read about my biggest mistakes and failures. Screw you all, I know why you’re here. JK.

But really, I always try to write posts like this every now and then for the sake of rare transparency in this field, especially if you look at my life or any other travel bloggers’ and think it’s perfect.…

Johannesburg, South Africa – Conversations, Colors, and Culture

Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes


“First and foremost, my seestah, welcome home.” A black South African greets me with this as he learns I’m from the U.S.

I feel this familial aura in the air. This overwhelming sense of comfort. Of pride. Of belonging.

Everywhere I go, the people look like me. They walk like me. And they even talk like me with a hint of sass and character intonating their vowels, giving character to their speech.…

Why I’m Leaving America Indefinitely & What Happens Next…

Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes


I think I’m pretty (stop the sentence here, JK) overdue for a personal post with some life updates. Because a lot has happened and changed in a short amount of time, and I’m still trying to grasp and make sense of it all.

I’ve been a bit reclusive lately, finding sufficient company by the crowd of my own thoughts.…

Travel or a Relationship: Why Are Women Having to Choose?

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes


I’m not a man-hater most days, but I am fiercely independent. So when I get regular emails from aspiring female travelers feeling like they have to put their desire to travel on hold because their significant other isn’t comfortable with it, I cringe inside.

If you’ve ever felt like traveling the world and maintaining a relationship back home were mutually exclusive concepts, I’ve been sent here by the good Lord himself to deliver some breaking news — ’tis simply not the case.…

10 Things To Talk About When Your Friend Who Always Travels Comes Home

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes


Remember that one friend from college who went to go find love themselves in Thailand, and then ended up embarking on a crazy world adventure, and now 3 years later, they’re coming back home and want to meet up, and you have no idea where to even start with catching up?

Ahh, bless. Those glorious low-maintenance friendships where you can go months, even years, without talking and pick things up seamlessly once you reunite in person, are the best.…

The Best & Worst Things About Traveling While Black

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes


“Serena Williams!”

“Serena Williams, please! Sign for my kids!” I hear from the distance as a Serbian man runs towards me, seemingly starstruck.

I do a double-take his direction, amused by his claim, but obviously in complete denial that he could be referring to me.

Surely, he’s kidding. I mean, Serena Williams? Really?

Besides sharing the same global greatness (ha), our skin color and my hair on a good day bear just a few similarities.…

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