Erica Gordon

Hi, my name is Erica Gordon. I'm a sophmore at UMass Amherst, and currently an accounting major.

Growing up my family traveled, a lot. From camping in New Hampshire, RVing in New Zealand, to relaxing on the beach in Jamaica. Granted I was very young when my parents took me on these vacations but I do remember most of it. Eventually the traveling slowed down since I had school and grades to worry about, but, man, I loved all those vacations.

So, I've been to some places and want to go to so many more. Theres so many places I have yet to see that I absolutely cannot wait to go and explore. That is why traveling is my passion. As a kid I loved going places, it started out when I was four my parents moved us out to Kwajalein, part of the Marshall Islands. Basically as if we were living in a tropical paradise, minus the bugs flying everywhere, the weather was gorgeous, the island was only 1/2 mile wide by 2 1/2 miles long, so we had to ride our bikes everywhere. This was something that most people will never get to experience and thinking about it as I was growing up, I realized I'm very fortunate I've gotten to, but I want to experience even more. Unfortunately, I am a poor college student now, but I have dreams to go to Europe and explore everywhere. I want to take the corny picture pretending to hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I want to eat a spaghetti dinner while looking out to the Eiffel Tower, I want to go to England and drink tea. And its not just Europe I would like to visit, its everywhere and anywhere. I want to explore and see all these beautiful places in the world I haven't gotten to see.

I want to go to Africa and go on a wild safari ride and see a lion, and elephant, and Australia to surf and see a kangaroo with its joey. Theres just so many amazing places I've yet to see and I can't wait till I can see them all. I've lived in Massachusetts most of my life but there is so much more than just this. So many beautiful places people dream of visiting, and I cannot wait to make that happen.

I cannot wait to grow up and be able to do all these things, but at the same time, I'm only a kid. I just want to have fun while I can. For now, I can be a kid, then I want to work hard, make a career, have a family and be able to see all these beautiful places and experience different culture.

For now traveling is on hold, but as soon as I have the chance, I'm going somewhere extraordinary.