Africa - The Fearless Wanderess

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MOROCCO

TANZANIA

EGYPT

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It can be easy to spend most of our days living in

It can be easy to spend most of our days living in the darkness, in fear, and ignoring our weaknesses and blind spots 🙈⁣
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Although that might feel more comfortable at first, over time it will only bring us further into the darkness, keeping us from all that we know we can be and achieve 🌚⁣
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So instead we need to resist that temptation and look towards the sun instead, shed light on the reality of things, and pay attention to what we can be doing better! ☝⁣
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For example, I admit that I need to get better at asking questions, all the time ❓⁣
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Throughout my schooling I got too used to no time for questions and having to accept things the way they are, but that's not how life works! 🙅⁣
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We can't keep learning if we don't keep asking questions 💁⁣
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What are you working on getting better at? Let me know in the comments! 👇⁣
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🔹 Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess 🔹

Salty hair, don't care 👱‍♀️⁣ ⁣ I'm lo

Salty hair, don't care 👱‍♀️⁣
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I'm longing for the days where I can have views like this again 😍⁣
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I've got my eyes on the Philippines, the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, or Hawaii next for my tropical palm tree fix 🌴⁣
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What about you? Where do you want to travel to when this is all over? Let me know in the comments! 👇⁣
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🔹 Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess

How my very first travel experience has inspired r

How my very first travel experience has inspired rest and peace in me during these challenging times ✌⁣
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If you've been following me for a while, you know that the very first place I traveled to overseas was Salzburg, Austria to study abroad there after my freshman year of university 🇦🇹⁣
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I'm a little embarrassed to admit that my original inspiration to go there was because I absolutely adore 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤, which was filmed there, but I'm so glad that I let my passions guide my heart 💕⁣
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Even though my university didn't offer study abroad programs in Salzburg, I found @aifsabroad that did, and I did everything that I could to make my dream come true! 😍⁣
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In that summer I spent in Salzburg, I discovered more love, laughter, kindness, and natural beauty than I had ever experienced before ⛰⁣
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It was the starting point for everything that I've done since - and I've returned three more times since I studied there to revisit this city and locals that I hold so dear to my heart ♥⁣
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Now, whether I'm preparing for the GRE to apply to grad schools this fall or getting an MRI of my brain to rule out M.S. (true story), I take a deep breath in, imagine this exact meadow of Maria Plain looking out over Salzburg, and feel completely at peace once again 🕊⁣
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Where have you traveled that holds a very special place in your heart and brings you peace? Let me know in the comments below! 👇⁣
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🔹 Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess 🔹

Family has new meaning for me now since the pandem

Family has new meaning for me now since the pandemic began ♥⁣
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I've always been lucky to have a loving and trusting relationship with my Mom, Dad, and sisters, and I've only become more grateful for that as I've gotten older 🙏⁣
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When I was younger, I would have such a hard time being separated from my family, especially from my Mom, and sometimes it got in the way of me experiencing new things 😔⁣
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So when I discovered my love of solo travel 5 years ago and how right it felt for me, traveling around the world started to feel like it was at odds with my love for my family sometimes 🙅⁣
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I think because of that, I started distancing myself from them as well as any close friends in my head - relieving the cognitive dissonance - so that it would be easier to constantly be saying "hello" and "goodbye" as I went from one place to the next ✈⁣
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I've made an effort over the years to mentally distance and convince myself that I don't need them, probably to protect myself - if I don't depend on anyone for anything, then I can't be disappointed if someone fails to provide for me ☝⁣
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But after returning from 3 weeks back in Michigan with my family and visiting some college friends, the first opportunity I've had for real human contact in 3 months, I'm discovering a newfound appreciation for my family and all those who truly love and value me 💖⁣
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I think I'm finally starting to find a balance - I can learn to be self-sufficient while also leaning on my friends and family for a healthy level of support ✨⁣
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How do you balance your love for your family and friends with your love of travel? Let me know in the comments! 👇⁣
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🔹 Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess 🔹

Peek a boo! 👀⁣ ⁣ I miss my palm trees like

Peek a boo! 👀⁣
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I miss my palm trees like I know so many of you do! 🌴⁣
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The next time I see one, you bet I'm gonna give it a BIG ol' hug 🤗⁣
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What will you do the next time you see palm trees? Where do you want to see them next? Let me know in the comments! 👇⁣
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🔹 Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess 🔹

Learning to surf is a masterclass in patience and

Learning to surf is a masterclass in patience and perseverance 🏄‍♀️⁣
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I've been loving reminiscing on my past travels while stuck at home, and my time learning to surf for 10 days in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica a year ago is one of my most cherished memories 💖⁣
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One of the reasons for that is because I never believed I would be able to learn how to surf - big ocean waves TERRIFIED me (I grew up on Lake Michigan) and I didn't know you could just dive under them to avoid them! 🌊⁣
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This was a major breakthrough for me, and once I got out into the water and caught my first wave, I was hooked 😍⁣
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Surfing requires that you're all there, totally in the moment and totally focused, and I think that's what makes it such a unique and fantastic sport, culture, and community ✨⁣
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Along with some other solo travelers who were staying at my hostel for a bit longer than most people, every morning we'd get up and go out surfing together, and every evening we'd go and catch more waves before coming back to shore and cracking open beers together while watching the sunset, followed by a bonfire on the beach cooking up some asado 🌅⁣
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I would do anything to go back to those days right now, and right now just makes me even more grateful I've gotten to have experiences like this 🙏⁣
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Have you ever been surfing? What did you think about it? Let me know in the comments! 👇⁣
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🔹 Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess 🔹

The summer weather is FINALLY starting around here

The summer weather is FINALLY starting around here in the northern U.S. and it makes me feel like I'm just a little bit closer to something like this tropical paradise 😅⁣
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Since it doesn't look like I'll be seeing real paradise anytime soon because of the pandemic though, I'm already anticipating making my balcony into a little oasis this summer, complete with a kiddy pool and a blowup palm tree 🌴⁣
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Have you tried vacationing inside during quarantine? I've been seeing some inspirational photos floating around social media, but I'm always looking for more ideas! Drop any you have in the comments below 👇⁣
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🔹 Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess 🔹

Flying into Venice last summer was a pretty neat e

Flying into Venice last summer was a pretty neat experience ✈⁣
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You end up circling the main island of Venice as you're about to land, and you can already see all of the beautiful, old, historic buildings and the various canals between them! 😍⁣
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However, to be honest, that was kind of where the redeeming qualities of Venice stopped for me 🙈⁣
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Don't get me wrong - there absolutely were beautiful parts of the city! But for the most part, it's just a bunch of tiny, dirty alleyways crammed full with too many impolite tourists and overpriced, cheap souvenirs with very little, if any, local, authentic culture and charm 😕⁣
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I know some people love it there, and I'm not criticizing these people! It just wasn't my type of destination (I prefer places with a lot more nature, anyway) 🤷⁣
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What's your opinion of Venice? Worth the expense and hoards of tourists, or is it too overpriced and overdone? Let me know in the comments! 👇⁣
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---- Follow my journey @thefearlesswanderess ----

What I wouldn't do to have this view again 😍⁣

What I wouldn't do to have this view again 😍⁣
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I was a dummy when I went to the Dominican Republic with my gal Tes in the fall of 2018 and didn't capture any photos with my DSLR, only my phone 🤦‍♀️⁣
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At the time I had a really stressful financial consulting job that was majorly overworking me only a month in, and I think I just wanted to get away from anything that could even remotely feel like work! 💁⁣
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Unfortunately that time really sucked away any creative energy I had - and now I vow not to pursue anything that takes that away from me, because it's really my true source of joy! 😄⁣
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It sucked to suddenly be let go just 2 months later with no warning or explanation, but it set the stage for everything that has happened since - including my decision to ship off to Central America for 3 months shortly after! 🌴⁣
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I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason, even if that reason isn't apparent in the moment 💖⁣
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And even if that isn't true, it certainly helps me to look at a 💩 situation through the most positive lens possible!⁣
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Have you ever been in this situation, or are you now, where your job takes away your ability to really enjoy what you love? I've been there, and it's tough! Let me know in the comments! 👇⁣
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🔹 Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess 🔹

🌴 My first beach in Costa Rica 🌴 When I arr

🌴 My first beach in Costa Rica 🌴 When I arrived in Tamarindo in Costa Rica with my newly-made backpacking friend Marie from Germany, it was the first time I was seeing the beach in this country I had dreamed of traveling to since I was 11 😍 The surf was amazing, the sunset was more vivid than I had ever seen, the palm trees were everywhere, and I was just digging the whole vibe completely ✨ So this is what I do when the nature surrounding me just makes me feel overjoyed and fills my heart with pure bliss and gratitude and love - I twirl 😄 I hope I get to go back to this amazing country one day - it will always have a special place in my heart as the place where I mended my own broken heart, rediscovered myself and what I want, and allowed me to move forward with newfound energy and passion for life 💖 Have you ever been to Costa Rica? What'd you think? Let me know in the comments! 👇 ----- Follow along my journey @thefearlesswanderess -----