Globetrotter Writers Spotlight — Jodi Monroe
“The world looks brand-new! A day full of possibilities! Let’s go exploring!” — Calvin & Hobbes
Hi Globetrotters! My name is Jodi Monroe.
I love to travel because of the way it opens me up to new places, people, experiences, and cultures. Travel has shown me all the ways that there are to live and to be, and that my own small corner is only one way. Travel has also been a great reminder of how small my own struggles can really be; somehow, floating in that great ocean under an endless sky puts everything into perspective.
My number one travel activity revolves around food! Whether cooking in or dining out, I love love love to try new foods and drinks wherever I go.
I come from a small lumber town in the Pacific Northwest. I was born in Southern California, though, and lived there until second grade. As I travel there often for fun and family, I consider myself at heart a California girl.
I work as a struggling, fledgling, joyful writer. I can usually be found on the dock of our floating home typing away.
The best place I’ve been is anywhere I can go with my partner. Cheesy, right? He has taught me, though, that anywhere with the right person can be magical.
Vacation favorites so far include Puerto Vallarta, St. Thomas, Spain, and Florida.
In my spare time, I like to write fiction. I also read voraciously across a variety of genres, cook, bake, and work out. On the weekends, our days revolve around game times for our favorite football teams. I am also addicted to the water, whether it’s boating, swimming, kayaking, or just gazing at the waves.
My top travel tip is to expect the unexpected. As a bit of a type-A personality, this was a difficult lesson at first when flights were delayed or hotel reservations were lost. I have learned to take a deep breath and stay patient, as it usually works out in the end. This has also resulted in some amazing experiences too, such as when our flight was delayed by a day and we “had” to spend an extra night in Mexico!
If I could live somewhere else, I’d live in Florida. We visited there recently and were blown away by the beautiful scenery and temperate weather. We are ready to pursue a lifestyle with year-round access to the outdoors and this feels like a perfect fit.
My favorite way to travel is by airplane. After countless flights, I am still in awe that we can arrive in an entirely new location within a day. I love airports, the takeoff, the landing… sigh. Once I’ve arrived though, I try to walk everywhere I can to get to know the area.
Three lessons I’ve learned from traveling are (1) I always bring a travel journal to jot down those little highlights I know I’ll forget. This has been invaluable with writing too! (2) Global Entry was a worthwhile purchase as a US-based traveler. We have bypassed long lines and gotten home much quicker as a result. (3) I am newly committed to trying something new on every trip. This resolve has led to sampling octopus ceviche in Isla Mujeres, riding mules up a mountainous path in Puerto Vallarta, and snorkeling with a reef shark in Maui.
Thank you to JoAnn Ryan and the Globetrotters!
And thank you to you, for reading this to the end.
