Why Travel Beyond

I have always wanted to learn more about travel and the experiences that come with it. I also wanted a job where I could help create something for others that would really bring them happiness and lifelong memories. When I learned about Travel Beyond, what really spoke to me was that employees aren’t motivated by commissions, but rather by the desire to help create an amazing experience for their clients, for the sake of helping. I hope to provide the same amazing experiences for future clients.

Destinations Visited

Africa: Botswana and Zimbabwe

Education

BS in Early Childhood Education, Minnesota State University – Moorhead

Career History

I started out as a part-time substitute teacher and house cleaner. When the pandemic hit, I became a distance learning teacher and taught summer school until I became a lead teacher of a Pre-K classroom in Chanhassen. After some time, I found that I wanted to move in another direction and while searching for a new way to help people, I discovered Travel Beyond. I am so excited to learn the business and be helpful in my new role!

Most Memorable Travel Experience

There were many exciting things to remember about my first trip to Africa, but one of the most memorable experiences was one of simple solitude during my time in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans of Botswana. During a game drive, our guide took us far out onto the salt pans and stopped the vehicle sometime close to sunset. He then instructed us to each pick a direction and walk 350 footsteps away from the vehicle, lay down, and enjoy the complete silence. There were no planes overhead or buildings to obstruct my view and not a single thing to see for miles except for the distant silhouette of our safari vehicle in front of the setting sun.  There was something breathtaking about the deafening silence and true isolation of this experience that is now a memory I will cherish forever.

My Most Recent Trip

I recently visited Botswana and Zimbabwe for my first international journey ever. I spent time in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and Okavango Delta of Botswana as well as the Victoria Falls area and Hwange National Park within Zimbabwe. Unique and engaging activities were offered to us on the salt pans including walking with bushmen, riding quad bikes, and even closely interacting with habituated meerkats! The Okavango Delta had some of the best game viewing from my time in Africa, and I was thoroughly impressed with the diversity of the animals I saw there (my favorite was the beautiful leopard we found up in a sausage tree!) In Zimbabwe, I took in the magnitude of Victoria Falls for the very first time and it will surely not be the last. There were various animal sightings I enjoyed here as well, including warthogs walking next to us on paths at Victoria Falls and seeing elephants mating in the Zambezi River. We ended our safari in Hwange National Park, where we walked 10K through the African bush and spent time in a sunken hide where elephants and cheetahs were close enough for us to capture incredible photos.