Nine Countries, Nine Lessons:
My Round-the-World Journey

From February through April of 2024, while my husband was deployed, I set out on a 65-day journey that took me across nine countries and 22 cities. What started as a way to break up a hard year became one of the most transformative experiences of my life.

This series is my reflection on that journey—both the breathtaking places I visited and the lessons I carried home. Each post explores one country, one defining experience, and one life lesson that still shapes me today.

Travel teaches you twice: once in the moment, and again when you take time to reflect. These posts are my way of “unpacking” the second layer. My hope is that they invite you to pause, reflect, and discover lessons from your own life’s journey.

The Series

• Part 1: Home – Unpacking the Journey

• Part 2: Cambodia – Choosing Courage Over Excuses

• Part 3: Thailand – Letting Go of Nostalgia

• Part 4: Pakistan – The Power of Connection

• Part 5: Croatia – Breaking Boundaries, Finding Freedom

• Part 6: Germany – Storybook Charm & Forever Friendship

• Part 7: Luxembourg – Small Country, Big Lessons

• Part 8: France – Food as a Love Language

• Part 9: The Netherlands – Go Big or Go Home

• Part 10: Belgium – Leaving Room for More

• Part 11: Home, One Year Later – Carrying the Journey Forward

Looking back a year later, I realize the real souvenirs weren’t photos or trinkets, but lessons in courage, connection, curiosity, and gratitude.

And here’s what I’ve learned: those lessons aren’t reserved for faraway adventures. They’re waiting for us in our daily lives, too—if we make space for reflection.

As you read, I’d love to invite you to pause and ask yourself: What are the “souvenirs” you’re carrying from your own journey?

If you’d like to keep reflecting with me, you can subscribe to my newsletter. Together, let’s keep traveling—not just across the map, but deeper into our own growth.