Our travel philosophy

credit: Ytravelbolg.com

Do you follow nomadic travel bloggers and worldschoolers, knowing you really do want to return home after your journey?
Have you wondered how you can incorporate incredible life changing experiences into your vacations?
If you don't have time to plan enriching group journeys for your organization, family or customers let us do the work for you.
The change begins with you.  It starts small. One person at a time, we transform the world with the ripple effects of trans formative travel. Do something different, try something daring, meet  a new friend.
You don't have to jump into the deep end from day one.  I happen to love all inclusives and luxury hotels.  It doesn't stop us from experiencing authentic travel and adding adventure into our itineraries.  My husband happens to love his job and living in the suburbs, so we're not turning into nomads anytime soon. There is plenty of overlap between the tourist and traveler.  We are that space in between.
It's not my thing to find the cheapest hostel, Vegas hotel or way to backpack cross country.  I follow lots of these blogs for inspiration, but it's not the path for everyone. I am here to carve out the space of exploration for the everyday adventurers, the two week vacationers and lifelong learners on holiday. If you're looking to get more from your travel, then you've come to the right place.

It's my job to end racism one drink or swim at a time

If you follow any of my social media accounts you've probably seen I'm very passionate about racism and social justice issues.  In fact, I started as a sociology major in college.  I switched because i started to wonder now what exactly am I going to DO for a living with all this knowledge?  So I switched majors to make sure I had some skills that would actually  transfer to a job.  That is what our parents want at some point right?  Fast forward to today and I've been doing lots of soul searching on how those parts of my personality fit into my business and a moment of clarity hit me how it's all related.  I've been saying it for years on memes and blogs, but the knowing and understanding really just hit me like a brick.  Travel does end bigotry. I've been called to this to bring people together.
It's nearly impossible to hold on to ignorant beliefs when you have a real face and story to replace those stereotypes.  When you realize just how small and powerful you as an individual are in the world, how can you not want to improve it?

My first international experience was a high school trip to France.  Can you believe I studied French for 5 years?  So funny how I end up obsessed with travel to Latin American countries when I never formally studied Spanish.  On that 2 week trip, I connected with my classmates on a level we never had at home with our rigid high school social order.  We were cool, but most of these people never spoke to each other outside of class. I had a sense of accomplishment navigating a foreign country long before cell phones and realized the whole world does not feel the same way about Americans and Black people as what I've been told. Yes, 17 years old was the first time I felt at home in my own skin.  Some people may be shocked to hear that and others are nodding in agreement.  One of my vivid memories is talking to one of our host students, Nick, about that feeling and him telling me, 'Oh we don't have that problem here with Black people, but we don't like Arabs so much.'  (Looking back I realize the situation is much more nuanced, but you get the point) It's human nature to find some group to subjugate for some reason.  There isn't some innate deficiency in African-Americans that caused all the hatred back home.  The feeling of constantly having to prove myself as good enough was wrong and I've participated in it just as much as those who made assumptions about my abilities. I scored just under the native French speakers in my class on a national exam, yet this trip was the first time someone complimented my accent and language skills.  (Don't even think about asking me to dust off those rusty skills though!)  I didn't even own how good I was because I had internalized that feeling of not being enough.  Imagine being able to give that gift of knowing to kids today who are feeling marginalized by everything going on.
Years later when we were in our 'Freedom Fries' debacle I knew it's not true that French people hate us. Had I not made friends there, maybe I would've been more susceptible to those messages.  Recently when Charlie Hebdo happened I thought about the second part of Nick's statement.  Bigotry is a disease that will rot away the fabric of our society if left unchecked.  The best way for us to spread peace is to face our nature head on and evolve.  Some people are sick, demented assholes, but it's just that....an individual.  We won't learn to stop generalizing to a whole group until we realize that group is made up of real souls living their daily lives just like us.  It wasn't sports, work, forced integration or color blind thinking that bonded our group together on that trip.  It was the shared experience.
The benefits  are just so amazing I don't know why everyone isn't doing it! Over the years I have met some fantastic people traveling that I would never converse with at home.  Thank God for Facebook!  Exposing my son to other cultures, not as charity cases, but people with lives and families much like our own has shaped his world view.  It's totally different from mine and I even learn to be more open minded from him.
So to bring this all full circle, I'm challenging you to take a deeper look at your travels this year. Though it is a vacation to you, the ripple effects of this exposure will reach far and wide.  Your kids will gain valuable perspective that may even give them a competitive advantage at college time.  You will come away from your experience changed if you let it happen.

Another big takeaway from this... I also realized wow I really am a nerd since that memory also involves some Get 27, a handsome Frenchman, no adult supervision, but only resulted in a conversation. Haha!

My New Friend in Chapala

Usually I'm the one striking up conversations with strangers on trips, but I got caught slipping trying to decide on my favorite ice cream flavor.  Strolling through the market along the malecon someone tapped me on the back and asked if I was American.  I laughed and said "How'd you guess?"  

La Buena Nieve de Garrafa in Chapala
I think I sampled nearly every flavor!

He replied, "Because there are around six Black people here and I know all them."  Just my kind of humor! He of course wanted to know what I was doing there with the motley crew of a group I was with.  When I told him we were travel professionals, he was surprised.  

"Great more people should come down. I love it here!"  Let's call my new buddy 'Charles'.  I chatted with him for the entire time it took me to finish my Nieve de garrafa ( a sorbet-y cup of deliciousness we got at the market).  

My inquisitive little buddy

It turns out 'Charles' has lived in Lake Chapala for 25 years.  He had retired to Mexico from Michigan 25 years ago and hasn't looked back.  After trying a few cities, he settled in Chapala because of the perfect climate and close-knit community of expats.  There are so many Americans and Canadians here and in nearby Ajijic that many of the signs and menus are in English. There was a free English newspaper, every other guest in our hotel spoke English and there was even mashed potatoes and chicken-fried steak on the menu there. Lake Chapala is a haven for American and Canadian retirees, just about an hour from Guadalajara. It's well known for retirees, but still off the beaten path for tourists.  I'm hoping to change that so next time 'Charles' will have a harder time picking me out of the crowd. =)

The End of Summer- Did you Actually Enjoy Yours?

The beginning of August marks the back to school frenzy and the sad realization summer is coming to an end.  The season summons so much childhood nostalgia for all of us.  Have you ever stopped to think what exactly makes that time seem so magical in retrospect?
I ran across an article from a teacher that has some great tips on how to Relax and lose yourself in the wonder of summer- 

 "I hear the comment about how lucky teachers are to have summers off, and I think I know what that person is really saying. I suspect the individual is wanting to get back the elusive feeling of “summer” —no responsibilities and no stress. "

So we can recreate that feeling anytime you make up your mind to do it. The hard part is making up your mind to JUST BE! Our culture has bought into the cult of busy so much that is induces all sorts of guilt and 'monkey mind' to try to relax without an agenda.  Even on vacation when it's time to recharge our mental batteries far too many are trying to pack days with endless activities that have no meaning to anyone other than checking off a box.  Before the end of the summer, try to take some time to bring back that feeling.  If you can't do it till winter, of course I have some places of eternal summer to send you.  =)

So 

Throwback Thursday Memories

Have you checked out Throwback Thursday or Flashback Friday? These are some of my 

favorite social media hashtags. Digging up old pictures to 

laugh and reminisce reminds me of how quickly time slides by.  (Also how much my hair changes!)  This week I posted this pic on Instagram of me in 2006 aboard the Norwegian Jewel.  Some people decorate nurseries and nest before the baby comes, we travel!  There's nothing like endless food to a pregnant lady.  There were lots of reasons not to take this trip though.  It really wasn't in the budget, I was a little past the cruise line cutoff and lots of other reasons...but wow did we have an incredible time!    I don't remember how much it cost and the room category, all the details that sometimes take over the planning convo, but  we have some indelible memories. (like me trying to get in and out of that bamboo raft in Jamaica!) Are you waiting for a milestone or occasion to take a trip?  Waiting for the kids to get older, work to slow  down, more money etc.?  Remember your journey is about collecting those dear memories.  Never miss an opportunity to seize those moments.  Perhaps it's time to begin where you are and just go!

Travel Professionals, Peacekeepers in Consultant Clothing

The President of Costa Rica mentioned during a recent conference that those of us in the travel industry are the peacekeepers of the world.  When I saw a friend post that to Facebook it made a big light bulb go off above my head.  That makes so much sense!  No, I don't have diplomatic responsibilities for the State Department or put myself in harm's way on the battle field, but we do send millions of people each year to foreign lands on journeys of discovery.
Whether it is for relaxation, adventure, or a celebration travel can lead people to question their assumptions about other cultures, recognize the common thread of humanity in people around the world and appreciate home a bit more. Once you have taken the chance to fully immerse yourself in conversation with someone new you're bound to take away some new knowledge.  Armed with that knowledge, I'd like to believe people are more likely to think before disparaging another group or question how a family might be dealing with the ravages of a natural disaster that they may have glossed over before meeting someone from there.
If you've read my blog or known me any amount of time you'll know one of my passions is talking to people just about everywhere I go on a trip.  I still remember the dining room waiter from India on my first cruise and the taxi driver who engaged in deep discussions about economic policy and racism driving from hotel to hotel in Riviera Maya.  Whether on vacation or business, each one of these strangers made an impression.
I'd been doing lots of deep thinking about how to use my talents in a way that impact the world in a more meaningful way.  What a revelation, I already do!  Every time one of you pulls out that passport, heads out on a cool excursion or lingers at the lido buffet talking to the cook, I am spreading a little peace.
My challenge going forward is to remind you that your trips are about way more than budgets and room categories; it's about expanding your mind in the way that best suits you and spreads that spark around the world.
 I went through some of my recent pics to see where I looked the most alive.  It looks like it really is when I'm traveling and spending time with family. Whether we were in another country or just down the Georgia coast, we were learning something about the world around us and the impact of the unique people around us. So here are a few of my favorite memories.  I'd love to hear about yours!

From top left:
1. In Veracruz with the shaman who evidently thinks I'm squeezably soft.  Talk of Brujas (witch)  would definitely not happen in my everyday life, but  it was fascinating to see the mingling of strong Catholic faith with Pagan beliefs.  The discussion with colleagues that followed about the experience sparked a discussion about the benefits of meditation that made me seek out some classes back in Atlanta.  (Actually, it's the same person whose post inspired this topic!)

2 & 5. At Sea World with my son.  Even in the land of theme parks (Orlando), we still found some consciousness expanding activities.  My son loves anything to do with animals, but has definitely thought critically about the balance of educational value and fun versus questionable practices of zoos.  (Have you seen Blackfish on Netflix? If you're curious about the back lash against Sea World it's a good conversation starter.)

3. Cruising - With crew from dozens of countries and a good passenger mix you're bound to interact with folks with a different background.  I've become Facebook friends with a few people I've found I have more in common with than anyone at home.  The kids also meet new friends in the kid's club away from the social pressures of school.

4. In Nassau with my host in the People to People program. Instead of another beach trip, we opted to see the island  through the eyes of a local we were matched with through the Bahamas tourism office free program. My son seemed quite disappointed to realize kids who live on an island aren't really on vacation every day.  Our host's friends even welcomed us into their home where we discussed their affection for Duck Dynasty.  Can you imagine how other people are judging us by these reality shows? LOL

6. On a shrimp boat in south Georgia.  One of the crew members could tell you anything about the health of the coastal region and the price trends of local shrimp with the acumen of a stock trader though he had a basic education by most standards.

Real Housewives Head to Riviera Maya

Big confession for those who don't know me well.  I am a reality TV junkie.  It's mindless, degrading, negative and my biggest guilty pleasure.  So this month I have been like a kid at Christmas watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta in Mexico.  The ladies headed to El Dorado Royale in Riviera Maya for some more fighting R&R.  Inspired by the ladies squeamish behavior at the cenote and Kenya's ignorance of mariachi I came up with a few side trips I would have scheduled for them and posted them to Facebook.  They did an excellent job of showcasing the wonders of Riviera Maya outside of the stereotypical Cancun binge drinking, but we could definitely use some more positive exposure for this destination.
Rio Secreto - Close to the resorts and an easy cruise ship excursion if you're in Cozumel for the day.  This underground river is an experience you won't find many places.

Isla Holbox - An slice of paradise with few cars so people get around the sandy streets on golf carts.  This is the jumping off point for wildlife excursions like whale shark swimming and bird watching.

Mayan Ruins - Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza and several smaller archaeological sites are a short drive from the glitz of the resorts.

Xcaret- An eco theme park that combines native wildlife, culture, history and water activities in a family friendly attraction.

Dos Ojos Cenote - I've written about the cenotes before tight after my introduction to these natural wonders.  They can be found all over Quintana Roo and Yucatan states.