Travel is often fun and relaxing – an escape from our everyday lives. But travel can also be an eye-opening experience – an opportunity to gain perspective and learn about the rest of the world. Sometimes the most meaningful travel experiences occur when you visit a place that teaches you something new and changes the […]
When Travel Makes You Think Read More »
By the end of my career break trip through the former Soviet Union, I had visited 38 countries. By contrast, I have been to only 22 states in the United States – in many cases, just to a single city for a weekend or less. So now that I am home, I thought I’d start
My All-American Bucket List Read More »
I haven’t always been a runner. To be honest, I still feel a little weird sometimes calling myself a runner. I feel even weirder calling myself a marathoner – even though I have completed five marathons. But as I heard the news of the bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday, I reacted not just
Before I left on my 13-month career break trip, my dad asked me if I was going to dye my hair. I laughed at the idea and immediately shot it down. His theory was likely that somehow as a brunette, I may not stand out as much while traveling in Central Asia. In my mind,
Myths About Americans Traveling Abroad Read More »
It is mid-March – time for St. Patrick’s Day, March Madness and, hopefully, the changing of the seasons as winter gives way to spring here in Chicago. It is also time for change here at Katie Going Global. One of the biggest things I have been trying to figure out over the last
Change is in the Air Read More »
Guidebooks seem to be the one travel accessory that everyone loves to hate. Self-proclaimed “travelers not tourists” bemoan the fact that the likes of Lonely Planet create a typical tourist trail through cities – bars, restaurants and hotels that are overrated and overrun with tourists. They insist on ignoring the guidebooks altogether, saying they don’t
Lonely Planet: Don’t Leave Home Without It Read More »
Apparently quitting my job to travel around the world for 13 months was stupid thing to do. Not because I left my job in a bad economy. Not because I drained my entire savings. Not because I strained relationships with friends and family. No, according to a majority of the 800+ people who commented on
No, It’s Not Stupid to Travel Solo Read More »
They often say hindsight is 20/20. That certainly has been the case with my career break trip – and there’s nothing like reading a book about how to take a career break to travel to make you reflect upon your own journey. Jeff Jung recently published The Career Break Traveler’s Handbook, one of the five
Book Review: The Career Break Traveler’s Handbook Read More »
My friend Ali at Ali’s Adventures has nominated me to participate in the Best Dozen Posts of 2012, a round-up of posts from last year. Then I’ll nominate five more people to participate so we can keep the fun going. While I looked back at some of the best places I visited in 2012, I
Twelve Top Posts of 2012 Read More »
My visit to Chernobyl and the surrounding area was one of the most fascinating experiences of my entire trip. In this photo, you can see Reactors 3 and 4 on the left (Reactor 4 is the one that exploded in 1986). To the right are Reactors 1 and 2. Amazingly, Reactor 1 continued to function
Saturday Scenes: Chernobyl Read More »
