When I returned from Morocco in 2014, I saw an article by Ramon Stoppelenburg titled "Date a Boy that Likes to Travel". I fell in love with it and thought it was so Me. So, I changed some words and made it about "A Girl Who Loves to Travel". Thank you, Ramon your words continue to be an inspiration.

Do you know a girl who treasures experiences over toys, a hand-woven bracelet over a Rolex? This girl scoffs when she hears the words "vacation", "all-inclusive" or "resort". She travels because she is not blinded by a single goal but is enlivened by many. You might find her browsing guides in an airport or bookstore - although she "only uses them for reference." You will know it's her because when you peek at her computer screen background it will be a scenic splendor of rolling hills, mountains, or prayer flags.

Once a traveler gets home, people rarely listen to their stories. So, listen to her. Allow her to paint a picture that brings you into her world. She might talk fast and miss small details because she is anxious to be heard. Bask in her enthusiasm. She will squeal like a toddler when the latest issue of National Geographic arrives in the mail. Then she'll grow quiet, engrossed until she finishes her analysis of every photo, every adventure. In her mind, she will insert herself in these pictures. She will talk of distant places. As she speaks, it is as if she is reliving it with you. You can almost hear her racing heart. You can feel the adrenaline ramped up by the moment.

Her hands have explored the stone relics of ancient civilizations. In her mind, she has imagined hands carving, chiseling, and painting the wonders of the world. A girl who lives out of a backpack because she lives happily with less. She has seen poverty and dined with those who live in small shacks, with no running water, and yet they welcome strangers with greater hospitality than the wealthy. She has experienced different ways of being and respects alternative religions.

The girl who loves to travel looks through the eyes of an eight-year-old, curious and hungry. This girl relishes home; the comfort of a duvet, the safety stirred in a home-cooked meal, the easy conversation of childhood friends, and the glory of the flush toilet. Although fiercely independent, she has had time to reflect on herself and her relationships. Despite her wanderlust, she knows and appreciates the ties to home. Travel with her. She will open your dreams to possibility and reality. She will calm your nerves when you're about to miss a flight because she knows it is part of the adventure. You may lose her a bit, but she will always come home bearing a new story and a souvenir she picked up because it reminded her of you and she missed you.

When the girl becomes a mother, she will teach her child the beauty of a single stone and the history of the Egyptians, Incas, and Moroccans. She will instill in her the bravery of possibility. She will explain to her, that every opportunity is masked by fear. She will teach her child how to conquer fear. When the woman grows old, she will sit with her grandchildren pouring over old photo albums, and a chest of worldly treasures. These children too, will insert themselves into the photographs sparked by our planet's beauty and inspired by her travels.
The girl who travels will show you a life of adventure and possibility. You too, deserve to live light and embrace simplicity. You deserve to look at life through the eyes of youth and with your arms and heart wide open.