Katie Diederichs

Traveling ethically is something I’m passionate about. I aspire to travel in a way that makes me proud in every single place I visit.

Traveling abroad and living overseas has given me insight to how others see my country and I’ve realized just how much of an effect the United States has on the rest of the globe.

That number doesn’t account for conversations with new friends. It doesn’t include the feeling of summiting a mountain in time for sunrise.

Travel has taught me that the world is full of beautiful, generous people who are worthy of my trust.

I’m still learning how to travel in a way that will leave the smallest footprint so that the world stays beautiful, people are treated with dignity, and animals live without harm.

The check mark is worth more than the experience. The problem I have lies not with the list itself, but rather that the focus lies on “ticking a box” and neglects the planning, the reflection, and taking in the moment.

I began to crave stamps in my brand new passport just like a smoker craves a cigarette on their lips. And now, countless international flights later, I am happily and unapologetically addicted to travel.

A lot of people have this idea that living in a foreign country is exotic and exciting. And it is. But not every day is Instagram-worthy.