I thrive on new and challenging experiences, meeting fascinating people, and seeing exotic places. Born and raised in the land of corn, I was happy to be a Hoosier but never content to stay put. Ever since I could remember I had wanted to travel the globe and at the age of 20, I finally got my chance. It was then that I took off on my first of many adventures... and headed for the great city of Atlanta. Being a melting pot of nearly every existing ethnicity, Atlanta became my gateway to the world. It was here that I joined a group of young adventurers like myself on a journey that would change my life forever. Led by a fiery and passionate 21-year-old, we set out to conquer our fears and become history makers.
From the great white frozen tundra of Russia...
To the warm & friendly tropical Philippine islands...
And finally to the majestic & mysterious country of China...
We braved the bitter cold -- the kind that requires you to wear 3 layers of clothing; the kind that gives you the tingling sensation of your nose hairs freezing. We trekked through piles of knee-deep snow and drove across frozen lakes, determined to share our good news with anyone we came across. We endured humidity-filled days with no A/C, 19 hours of riding in a Filipino bus packed like Sardines, an overnight cockroach-infested ferry ride, and hours upon hours of washing our own clothes. We were treated to fine caviar by wealthy Russians on the train (mobsters perhaps?), walked upon the Great Wall of China, ate the choicest of tropical fruits, stood on the North Korean border, and stopped and questioned by Chinese police.
It was the time of our lives.
It was the time of our lives.
For 2 1/2 years I ate, slept and breathed in the adventure. Like the most perfect of Springtime afternoons, I eagerly drank in its intoxicating aroma day after day -- seeing, doing, and growing. I was living on the edge, living on faith. Never before, nor since has there been a time where I felt so alive -- so assured of what it was I was made to do. These truly were the happiest years of my life.
Much of the traveling ceased after my 4-month residence in China came to a close. I headed back to Indiana long enough to secure a Bachelors in Linguistics, then was off again. This time my instincts took me to the West coast...and to the great city of Phoenix, where I lived for nearly 5 years. I worked steadily with the best company ever -- Chick-fil-A -- and while the life I'd built for myself in Arizona was amazing, I realized it was time to be closer to family once more. So I uprooted yet again and made the cross-country move back East -- this time settling in North Carolina.
So that is me to date. The next chapter has yet to be written... But stay tuned -- I have a feeling it won't be long :-)
So that is me to date. The next chapter has yet to be written... But stay tuned -- I have a feeling it won't be long :-)
