Introducing The Wanderer
Hello World! My name is Kristen, and once upon a time I lived in NYC and led a fairly typical life. I grew up on a farm, went to college, graduated with a degree in business and started my career in the greatest city in the world, because as a wise man once said, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere!”. I did the whole 9 to 5, or more like 8:30 to 9 corporate job, working my way from the bottom to a very comfortable middle-management position at one of the top advertising agencies in the country. I made a decent wage, but could still barely afford my shoe box sized apartment on the upper east side of Manhattan. Not a bad life per say, but a life I was growing more and more restless and unhappy living. In my drive to be successful and live the life everyone expected of me I forgot to prioritize the things I loved the most. I found myself in a quarter-life rut, with little time or resources to do what I truly loved, travel and writing.
So, in 2012, no longer satisfied with the mundane, typical life I was leading, I decided to do something about it. I bought a one-way ticket to Nepal. 10 months later, I found myself cruising several thousands of feet above the ground, at the precipice of a journey of a lifetime, wondering how a girl from Pittsgrove, NJ, with very little experience traveling internationally, and no experience traveling solo, ended up here. 8-months of traveling would take me over 3 continents, to 16 countries, and countless cities. I trekked the Himalaya Mountains, rode bare back on an elephant through the jungles of Thailand, got scuba certified, jumped off of a waterfall in Laos, explored the temples of Angkor Wat, got a wild reading from a medicine woman in Bali, explored the entire east coast of Australia, spent my 30th birthday on the Amalfi Coast, stayed in a cozy farm house in the hills of Tuscany, celebrated Oktoberfest in Munich, and, well, there were far too many more experiences to mention. Basically, I wanted experiences, stories, pitfalls and triumphs, and that's exactly what I got.
My life has dramatically changed, and I will never stop following my passions for travel, writing, history and cultural understanding. I am putting my happiness and health first. I am spending less time wondering, and more time wandering. I desire an exceptional life, and that is exactly what I am giving myself. I will continue to evolve to become the very best version of myself.
My story of self discovery and world discovery is here, in the pages of my blog. Maybe they will be just for me, or my future children or grandchildren, or maybe they will reach far beyond that, and inspire someone else I have never met. And wouldn't that be wanderful!
Update: I have found my passion in scuba diving and marine conservation and am now working as a dive instructor in St. Croix, USVI. With every new person I meet, and with every new scuba diver I certify I am spreading my love of the ocean and the importance of conserving its beauty for generations to come. I still have itchy feet and a desire to travel the world as I slowly check off and add to my bucket list.
So, in 2012, no longer satisfied with the mundane, typical life I was leading, I decided to do something about it. I bought a one-way ticket to Nepal. 10 months later, I found myself cruising several thousands of feet above the ground, at the precipice of a journey of a lifetime, wondering how a girl from Pittsgrove, NJ, with very little experience traveling internationally, and no experience traveling solo, ended up here. 8-months of traveling would take me over 3 continents, to 16 countries, and countless cities. I trekked the Himalaya Mountains, rode bare back on an elephant through the jungles of Thailand, got scuba certified, jumped off of a waterfall in Laos, explored the temples of Angkor Wat, got a wild reading from a medicine woman in Bali, explored the entire east coast of Australia, spent my 30th birthday on the Amalfi Coast, stayed in a cozy farm house in the hills of Tuscany, celebrated Oktoberfest in Munich, and, well, there were far too many more experiences to mention. Basically, I wanted experiences, stories, pitfalls and triumphs, and that's exactly what I got.
My life has dramatically changed, and I will never stop following my passions for travel, writing, history and cultural understanding. I am putting my happiness and health first. I am spending less time wondering, and more time wandering. I desire an exceptional life, and that is exactly what I am giving myself. I will continue to evolve to become the very best version of myself.
My story of self discovery and world discovery is here, in the pages of my blog. Maybe they will be just for me, or my future children or grandchildren, or maybe they will reach far beyond that, and inspire someone else I have never met. And wouldn't that be wanderful!
Update: I have found my passion in scuba diving and marine conservation and am now working as a dive instructor in St. Croix, USVI. With every new person I meet, and with every new scuba diver I certify I am spreading my love of the ocean and the importance of conserving its beauty for generations to come. I still have itchy feet and a desire to travel the world as I slowly check off and add to my bucket list.