I’m Tanya, a passionate and energetic 30 something, determined to enjoy life, see as much as possible along the way, and one day fulfill my lifelong dream to become a successful writer.
I lived in London for two years from 2012 until January of 2014, and in that time managed to travel and see so much of the world I’ve never seen – over 20 countries! Before and after London, I spent many years living in the New York City area. As of July 2015, I’m experiencing a new adventure – life in the South – my husband Jim and I (and our dog Barley) moved to Asheville, North Carolina, and as of November 2016, now live in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Before all of that, my roots were set in small town America, where I spent the first 23 years of my life living, going to school, and working in the state of Pennsylvania (hence the abbreviation “PA” in the website domain name).
WHY THIS BLOG EXISTS
Myth or Fact: American’s Don’t Travel.
Based on my case alone, I could have proved this was a fact…at least for the first twenty years of my life. During this period, my key travel experiences consisted of:
1) Disney World in Florida @ 10 years old
2) One time “out of the country” to visit Ontario, Canada when I was 19, where my main intention was to go to a bar and drink alcohol since I was still under the legal US age limit
3) Ocean City, Maryland – annual family beach vacations
4) Panama City Beach, Florida – spring break trip during university when I had just enough money to afford a discounted bus trip from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania down to Florida for a couple of days – only problem was that 50 hours of that time was spent in the bus instead of at the beach.
I grew up in small town Pennsylvania, in the town of Elizabethville in Dauphin County, a beautiful town surrounded by mountains where everyone knew your name, but I admit I was a little – no, that’s a lie, A LOT sheltered from the rest of the world. It was a community where the most typical road warning signs were for deer crossings or slow Amish buggies. Where the drive to the nearest shopping mall involved a road trip – only a “quick” 40 miles of driving through country roads and over the mountain and you were at your destination.
(picture source: author Pamela Wilson, http://www.copyblogger.com/amish-web-design/)
As a result, I was determined to see more, learn more, and understand more about people’s beliefs, attitudes, and ways of life. Figure out what really goes on outside of small town America….
Which brings me to today. I find it fascinating to get glimpses into life in other cities, towns and countries around the world.
If you’re excited to see and understand these things as well, then I encourage you to read further…
WHO SHOULD READ THIS BLOG:
This blog’s for you IF:
- You have a passion to travel – whether or not you’ve ever traveled, have traveled extensively, or are just starting to plan your next trip.
- You’re from a small town and you are determined (like I was and still am) to see more of the world – outside of your own community.
- You’re living abroad or about to move abroad (particularly in London), and you want to do it right, without getting frustrated over the little things. See some of my own living abroad experiences.
- You like craft beer! See the Beer and Breweries section.
