Rebecca

The inspiration behind this life I’ve chosen started with my grandparents, Gordon and Priscilla.

Gordon, a man who was always two steps ahead of his opponent, who could find the silver lining in any unusual situation, and who littered my childhood with colorful, true stories that paralleled any fairytale, lived life. His spirit, wit, and sense of adventure are qualities I hope to emulate and if I can be as smart and cunning a businesswoman, as friendly and diplomatic a foreigner, as daring and open-minded a traveler, and at best, half the storyteller he was, I will have succeeded.

Priscilla, a woman who endured being abroad alone before the luxury of social media, who has the energy and enthusiasm of someone half her age, and whose beauty and charm made her universally loved, is the epitome of strength and dedication. Engaged after a week to my Granddad, her relationship may have started as young, naive love but it endured 3 children, 9 countries, and 60+ years, hugely in part to her ability to adapt. I respect her more than she knows.

Who am I? I am just a girl who loves to travel.

The love affair began two years ago when I took an impromptu trip to Europe with three of my best girlfriends. It was a trip I really couldn’t afford because at the time, I was working at a cupcake shop to pay my way through graduate school. I finally decided to dip into my savings and go, a decision I will never regret. Three weeks of hostels, sightseeing, crazy/incredible encounters with locals, and who knows how many bottles of wine, I was hooked.

Itching for my next trip, I decided to visit a friend from school who was working in Thailand. It was my first experience with travelling alone internationally, with street food exotics, and with how safe, beautiful, and hospitable the Asian culture can be.

Moral of the story: I never wanted to come home to Chicago. I wasn’t done seeing, doing, exploring. When an opportunity came along that allowed me to use my Marketing degree in China, I jumped on it.

Join me as I share insights, strange/interesting experiences, beautiful imagery, and well, sheer survival techniques as I enter a culturally, new world.

Special thanks to Mom, Dad, Chris, Eric, Clancy (and Foz!) for believing in the dream.

And to the Roudebush, Riess, Leaf, Ryan, and Johnson families, as well as amazing friends, for never-ending love and support.

Enjoy!