20 Lessons from 5 Years Traveling Around the World

Five years ago today, I sat at Los Angeles International Airport watching the ground crew load the plane outside the window with baggage and fuel. Conflicting emotions warred inside of me; in two short hours I would board a one-way flight to Australia to start my year-long round the world trip. This moment was the culmination of five months of meticulous planning and the realization of my dream to see other places—to find a purpose for myself while traveling through the cultures and count…