Discovering Life Lessons Through Global Travel Experiences

I am deeply aware of how fortunate I’ve been to see so much of the world.

Over the years, I’ve traveled through 40 of the 50 United States, 10 Western European countries, and two Asian countries. Some of those trips were quick—tourist snapshots and postcards—but others shaped my life in quieter, longer-lasting ways.

I didn’t just visit Taiwan or Germany. I lived there.

During the ten months I lived in Taiwan, besides daily life, I learned how to scuba dive.

During the five years I lived in Germany, besides all the magnificent sites, I learned to Alpine ski. Oh, and I had my wonderful daughter there.

Yes, that all happened because I was an Air Force wife, and I won’t pretend otherwise. That role opened doors I might never have walked through on my own. But once I was there, I accomplished more than merely occupying space near a base.

I learned how to navigate daily life where I was the outsider.
I learned how food, customs, silence, and small gestures matter.
I learned that “living somewhere” changes you in ways tourism never can.

Those experiences didn’t just give me memories. They gave me perspective. I gained a deep respect for how people live lives that look nothing like mine.

Looking back, I realize how rare that kind of life education is. Much of what I write, teach, and imagine now traces directly back to those years.

Germany also introduced me to something that became a major part of my life. It took over my spare time, closet space, and bookshelf: the Society for Creative Anachronism.

What caught my attention wasn’t fighting or finery. It was a week of people talking—one skill per day—about things they had actually learned to do. Hands-on history, with footnotes and opinions. Apparently, this was my gateway.

I didn’t know then how deeply that idea would shape my life.

With Armed Forces Day coming up, this feels like a good moment to acknowledge where those opportunities came from. Military life asks a lot of families—sometimes quietly, sometimes at great cost.

What I gained from those years wasn’t just travel. It was perspective, humility, and a lifelong curiosity about how other people live their lives. I carry that forward with gratitude.