wan·der·lust

It takes one trip. One trip that changes your life and shows you how small you really are in the world. One trip that pushes you out of you comfort zone, stirs up fervor for adventure, and plants the unquenchable wanderlust within you…that is, if you do it. I urge you to become a traveler, an explorer, not a tourist – use the opportunity to meet new people, explore different traditions and cultures, and look beyond your own understanding (of what you think you know). Traveling has not only taught me a great deal about other people, cultures, and societies, but also about myself and the society that I live in.

While there are a great number of traveling resources, I have found that the best experiences (and ultimately the best stories) can be shared among other travelers. I imagine that you can walk into any Barnes & Noble or neighborhood bookstore and find a traveling guide for the destination of your choice, but I, myself would rather hear a first-hand encounter. Traveling books and manuals can be rather bland and dry, and I have found that experienced travelers (and locals of the area) offer great insight and often direct you to better sight-seeing spots, thus, providing you with a more authentic experience. I hope to offer that to you.

I have only begun to document my travels, adventures, and global experiences, as there will be plenty of traveling in the future. I hope this blog can provide you with some tricks and tips for traveling and offer you some points of interest; additionally, I hope to inspire you to travel often and explore more. I have also included unique experiences (such as piloting a helicopter, skydiving, and hang gliding).

Please mention or share my blog to other travelers if you found it helpful, and feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions about a city, country, or activity: Koziol.MelissaJ@gmail.com! Enjoy and Cheers!

BIO: I have lived in Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, Amarillo, Houston, and Baltimore; I currently live in Portland, Oregon with my husband and two rescue dogs. I work full-time as a Surgical PA and am so very privileged to be able to contribute to medicine in such a meaningful way.

PHOTOGRAPHY: I’m an amateur, hobbyist photographer and my style has evolved over the years as I’ve developed my own personal style and vision for how I see the world.

NOTE: All blog posts, articles, and photographs are the intellectual and creative property of Melissa J. Koziol. Thank you for reading and please subscribe to read future posts!