Every child is consistently asked this question starting at a young age. Some children have an answer such as a doctor or a chef, and this answer stays the same until they successfully begin their career. Others, like me, are all over the place. First, I wanted to be a doctor. Then a singer. A dentist. A physical therapist. Psychologist. Lawyer? The answers were ever-changing. And quite honestly, they still are; however, there is one thing, not necessarily a job, that I’ve always wanted to do: travel.

Growing up as a competitive cheerleader, every weekend was a new state. Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Florida. I always had something to look forward to: new destinations, new food, and new people. Then, I decided to stop cheerleading. And the thrill of traveling was gone. I knew something was missing, but I didn’t know what it was. Not yet.

For so long I wondered what I was missing, until spring break of 2022. A trip to Arizona cured me. 

As soon as I got off the plane, I felt free. The brisk air woke me up, and my eyes spotted the beauties in the nature around me. The little pops of lavender hidden among the red rocks. The fluffy, white clouds floating peacefully through the sky. Hiking through the state made me feel complete. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

I created a traveling bucket list in my notes app. The list consists of Nantucket, Washington, Oregon, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Tanzania, Iceland, and many more places so foreign to me. I look forward to seeing how clear the ocean can look and how green the grass is around the world. But what job will allow me to do this?

The obvious ideas have always lingered in my head: traveling nurse, flight attendant, au pair. Yet none of these sparked my interest. Until I found out about travel blogging. It’s not a typical job, but it’s one I can see myself enjoying. I love traveling. I enjoy writing. So being paid to write about traveling experiences sounds just perfect.

I’ll road trip through Washington and Oregon to give the west coast the highlight it deserves. I’ll rave about how I’ve never seen so much green in one place and how incredible the mountains look while I stand along the rocks of the North Cascades. I’ll journal of the cyan and indigo flower fields growing in the Westfjords and the blazing blue light created by the ice glaciers in Vatnajökull. I’ll make my way to Italy to inform others of the beautiful culture behind the pretty pictures online. I’ll write about the intricate architecture of the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums. I’ll cruise the Amalfi Coast to see how the pink and yellow homes pop above the turquoise water. I’ll stroll the lemon groves after I learn how to properly make risotto in the Tuscan Hills. And I’ll write about all my travels so whoever wants to can experience it with me.

This. This is my dream career.