I may be a world traveler now, but I didn’t even leave the country until I was 19 years old! Traveling wasn’t really important or encouraged by my immediate family.

I grew up in a small town in the South and moved to the Atlanta suburbs in high school. I studied and worked hard to get into the University of Georgia. I always loved reading and writing but decided to get a degree in Nutrition Science and apply to PA school. The economy tanked when I was a senior in high school, and I wanted a clear path to success. Little did I know, life wasn’t so simple.

I started college in 2013 and decided to study abroad for a short summer semester in Australia. I traveled around for 3 weeks and got to study in the outback, near the Great Barrier Reef, and in a rainforest. I loved this adventure and researched another trip once I was back home. In 2012 I decided to spend two months studying in Innsbruck, Austria. On this trip, I also traveled to London, Munich, Amsterdam, Prague, and two small towns in Italy. It was one of the best summers of my life, and I will always cherish that summer.

I applied and interviewed at several graduate programs but wasn’t accepted due to my lack of clinical care hours. I started working as a nursing assistant and built my required hours as fast as possible. I was also working a second job on the side and quickly burnt out. I began dreaming of traveling the world but didn’t even have the money to buy a plane ticket.

I got the crazy idea to apply to the airlines because I knew their employees received free standby travel (hence the name of this blog!). My neighbor was a flight attendant and referred me once applications re-opened. I didn’t think I would seriously get the job but prepared diligently for my interviews. Surprisingly I was hired in October 2014 and began training in February 2015.

I started out in Boston and was assigned my first international trip to Amsterdam. For the first six months, I regularly flew to Amsterdam, London, and Paris with 24-hour layovers. I eventually transferred to my home base in Atlanta and then decided to put in a base transfer to Los Angeles. I moved to LA in February 2016 and have been here ever since.

Since starting my new career, I’ve been able to travel all over Europe, the Caribbean, and South America. I even took a solo trip to Thailand and Australia. Whether I’m lying on a beach in Jamaica or exploring ancient ruins in Egypt, I’m happiest in a foreign country taking in new sights and experiencing the local culture.

While I love the opportunities flying gives me, I wanted to start this blog to further express my creativity and share everything I’ve learned from years of travel. I also love photography, fashion, skincare, and food and love incorporating them into my travel content.

When I’m not traveling, I love reading, cycling, playing with my cats, and convincing my husband to come along on a new adventure.