top of page
Writer's pictureCharli Elliott

Where I've Been, Where I'm Going

Updated: Sep 7, 2020

I began my career as an international traveler at age three when my family flew to Austria to attend a family wedding. A lot of my travel experience is thanks to my parents who have spent my childhood trying to give my brother and I a taste of the world. Austria, Mexico, New York, Los Angeles, Croatia, Italy, China. I'm lucky to have had the joy of traveling.


Hiking up a river in Zion National Park


However, it wasn't until I discovered languages that I really began to crave these experiences. I started studying Chinese in middle school and fell in love. I went to China in high school and despite finding the country dirty, crowded and overwhelming, I knew I wanted to go back. I relished the opportunity to experience a culture so different from my own. I was drawn in by the street markets, the steaming dumplings, the ornate temples and the people.


I returned to China my junior year of college for three and a half months of immersive study. I was based in Nanjing but also visited Sichuan, Chengdu, Suzhou, Shanghai and Xishuangbanna. Unlike the previous trip, this time I had enough Chinese to navigate by myself. It was an amazing adventure, and one of the toughest things I have done. But it confirmed my desire to continue traveling


Hiking a billion stairs to see the Leshan Buddha

Upon returning, I decided on my next step. Teaching English in Taiwan. At the same time I was concerned about what the rest of my life would look like. I sat down with a career counselor at my school and she suggested a 100 Dreams list. Basically, as the name suggests, a list of 100 things that I want to do, big or small, over the rest of my life. I started a word document and the first thirty entries were travel related. New Zealand, Tibet, Machu Pichu, Canada, the Pyramids, the Berlin Wall, the Taj Mahal. A whole world full of potential adventures.


Right now the next step for me is Taiwan. After that, who knows? The world is waiting.

16 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Комментарии


bottom of page