Lauren Left a Cushy Job to Travel the World

By
Chris L
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Lauren never planned to travel for a living. In fact, at 20, she had never been abroad and didn’t have a passport. Then, one semester of studying abroad changed everything.

Lauren was working towards a degree in English and Psychology when she decided to spend a semester in Sydney, Australia. It was her first trip abroad, and these four months changed her completely. She was in a foreign country, with no friends or family, and she was the happiest she’d ever been.

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Any stroll down memory lane should be taken with a glass (or bottle?) of wine. So here’s to you, 2019. We did 12 countries in 12 months. And as with every year, and every other person reading this no doubt, there were a few ups and downs. . I started 2019 surrounded by friends on a beach in Rio de Janeiro and will be closing it out in London. In between, there were 5 new countries, and repeat visits to many of my favorites. When I look back, I’m amazed at all of the amazing people I met and the amount of places I was able to see. Of course there were the inevitable injuries, technology disasters, and heartbreaks along the way, but with those come lessons and growth. Maybe a depleted bank account and a few colorful scars, too. But it’s the highs and the lows of this crazy lifestyle I’ve chosen that will make it all the more memorable someday. Choosing only 10 photos to represent 2019 was a task and a half, but here are some favorites you’ve already seen and some you haven’t from: 1. Marseille, France 2. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3. Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay 4. Buenos Aires, Argentina 5. Joshua Tree, California 6. Banff National Park, Canada 7. Brighton, England 8. Edinburgh, Scotland 9. Dolomites, Italy 10. Lefkada, Greece . Happy New Year everyone ♥️ . 📷 @christabellatravels @petitevagabond @brunonigro7 @indiadventures

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Then the semester ended. Lauren went back home, to the States, to finish her degree and find a job. After college, she started working a 9-5 job, supposedly living the dream of so many young professionals, but it just wasn’t enough. She would spend her days off traveling the world, and kept dreaming about leaving her job and traveling full-time.

Eventually, that’s what she did. With the love and support of her family and friends, she quit her job and applied for a teaching position in Thailand. After teaching for a semester, she again found an office job – which made her unhappy once again. So she left that too and started traveling full time, this time traveling to Europe, South America, and Africa.

Today, Lauren is living her dream, not giving in to others’ expectations or her own fears.    

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I did not expect to like Athens. I thought of it as nothing more than a gateway to the islands. You can imagine my surprise when I fell head over heels. . On my last night in Greece I wrote a list of all the things I loved about the capital city, which I’ll paste here: . Beautiful, diverse landscapes. The abundance of cats. Reliable Wifi. A general air of safety. The friendliest people (I finished typing this bullet point and no joke, my waitress stopped at my table just to tell me I had beautiful eyes). They always have tea, and even ask if I want milk with it. Amazing cafes, restaurants, and rooftop bars. Feta cheese. Affordable, modern accommodation. Minimal language barriers. Fantastic weather. History. So much history. . So give Athens a chance. Kick off your shoes and stay awhile. Get up at dawn and watch the sun rise up over the Acropolis, and thennn tell me if you don’t fall hopelessly in love.

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