From Missouri to London

I Thought I’d Never Leave Missouri

I was 20 the first time I left the United States. Until then, my world was small — not in a bad way, just in the way that happens when you grow up in one place and expect to stay there. I figured I’d go to college, find a job, maybe raise a family in Missouri, and that would be enough.

And then, out of nowhere, I said yes to a study abroad program in London. I was curious about what life looked like beyond the borders I’d always known.

London Changed the Way I Saw Everything

I arrived in London not knowing what to expect. I had never been in a city so big, so old, or so fast. I got lost a lot. I missed home. I missed the way things made sense in Missouri. But then I started to adjust.

I learned to take the Tube. I spent long afternoons in museums and parks. I listened more than I talked. I realized how much I didn’t know — and instead of that scaring me, it motivated me.

Near the end of the semester, I took a trip to Greece. It was only a few days, but it flipped a switch in me. The history, stories, the views, the way people lived — it made me realize the world was full of lives so different from mine. And I wanted to see more of them.

35 Years and a Lot of Miles Later

Now I’m 55 living on the East Coast and have had the privilege to travel throughout my adult life, visiting a dozen or more countries and having some incredible experiences: from hiking in Nepal, sipping tea in Kyoto, to attending a beautiful wedding in India.

Travel is beautiful — and exhausting. It teaches you how to adjust, how to let go, how to ask for help.

Some days I miss the simplicity of my Missouri life. But I’m grateful I didn’t stay stuck in what I thought I was supposed to do. That first trip taught me that it’s okay not to have a plan — that saying “yes” to one unexpected opportunity can change the entire direction of your life.

Why I’m Writing Now

I’m not here to sell a dream version of travel. I’m here to share my experiences — the good, the hard, the funny, the lessons no guidebook tells you.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that no matter how far you go, you never stop growing. And you never know what’s around the corner unless you’re willing to take that first step.

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to see more of the world — it’s not. If you’ve ever felt like your life is too rooted to roam — it isn’t.

You just have to be willing to leave home long enough to find out.