In January 2018, after being denied entrance to veterinary college, I turned my summer backpacking trip plan into a year-long solo trip abroad. I wasn’t ready to commit to a life of studying and work, and thought I could delay it further. Somewhere deep down, even though I was too scared to admit, I knew that to continue pursuing the career in vet school wasn’t right.

I booked a one-way ticket to Sri Lanka, laced up my hiking boots, and threw on my big red backpack. I anticipated beautiful landscapes and interesting sites, but was surprised at quickly I learned to be tolerant and adaptable to all things new—weather, food, new cultural norms, and new people. Enduring being preyed on by volunteer hosts, and 3 weeks trekking with frozen fingers, paled in comparison to the fear of returning home.

My memoir recounts my humorous and sincere solo journey across Asia and Europe, as I live and work among locals. Solo travel is not always glamorous and joyful, but it’s always a fascinating adventure that offers us knowledge the average textbook doesn’t. My story showcases how tolerance and adaptivity to new experiences can broaden the mind to the many possible paths in life, and spark the courage required to pursue them.

**My book is in the revision and editing process** I will be posting blogs, videos, and posts with excerpts about the memoir until it is published.