Greenheart Travel’s 2016 Travel Resolutions
All of us at Greenheart Travel are getting excited for the new year ahead and have started to make our travel-related resolutions. In case you are needing some inspiration for your own travel bucket list for the next 12 months, check out a few of our goals in 2016.
From Surfing to Skiing
I gave myself the mission to get up on a surfboard and ride a wave this year. Check! So my goal of 2016 is to learn how to ski!! My first step in making it happen is to book a flight to Colorado. – Hope Pavich, Greenheart Travel Director of High School Programs
Exploring National Parks
It’s time I give the United States some attention and start checking national parks off my list. So, my goal for 2016 is to camp and hike in five US national parks that I’ve never visited. Top of the list at this point is Yosemite National Park! – Grant Bouwer, High School Programs Assistant
Reading Harry Potter in French
My goal for 2016 is to study French. I’m going to get back to the DuoLingo lesson I abandoned last year, watch French TV shows, and listen to a couple of language podcasts. By the end of 2016 I want to be able to get through a Harry Potter book in French! – Savannah McDermott, Teach & Work Abroad Program Assistant
Getting Back on the Bike
It’s been too damn long since I have done something epic on my bike. I’ve been in and out of mountain biking in western North Carolina, around Chicago where mountains don’t really exist, and even did a cool day trip in Colombia’s coffee region last February. But it has been an embarrassingly long while since I did anything that could be described as “epic.” Time to change that. In 2016 I pledge to hop on my awesome, fat-tired Salsa Fargo and go far. Whether it be looping around Lake Michigan under cover of autumn or conquering the UK over the 4th of July doing John o’ Groats to Land’s End, I’m going to be doing something I can call big. First step? Bike to work every day. Second step? Squats. Squats forever. Then more squats. – Kyle Trebotich, Director of Greenheart Travel
Finally Booking that Trip to Asia…Solo
In 2016, I am going to Asia, finally. You know how I know? Because I’ve already booked it! I think a lot of people never make it to where they want to go because they think the flight reservation will make itself. You have to consciously sit down, look at your calendar, find what you want, and book it. Additionally, you have to not be afraid to go alone, so my other travel goal is to get back in tune with what it feels like to travel solo. As I plan out my adventures for the next year, I am consciously mixing solo trips with family and friend trips so that I can broaden my experiences and continue to learn about how I enjoy exploring my world. – Amber Robbin, Outreach Coordinator
Exploring Myanmar
One of the regrets I have from my time in Thailand is not visiting Myanmar before I left. Thankfully, one of my friends that I met in Thailand, Stephanie, currently lives there and it has been on my bucket list to visit her since I left Thailand 2 years ago. I have taken two steps to make this happen in 2016: letting Stephanie know it will happen, and setting up a flight scanner to watch fares to Yangon and/or Bangkok. – Kara Menini, Teach and Work Programs Manager
Taking Travel Writing to the Next Level
My goal for 2016 isn’t necessarily a travel goal, but a travel writing goal. I have a personal travel & lifestyle blog that I keep throughout the year so my goal is to grow and develop my blog further than I did in 2015. I want to improve my writing and take my blog to the next level by creating more inspirational, creative and relevant content. I also want to launch the blog onto a self-hosted CSS platform so I can customize it exactly how I want. In order to achieve this, I plan to attend a few blogging conferences (including WITS & TBEX) where I can develop more technical skills and connections with fellow bloggers who inspire me. I also plan to dedicate more time on my weekends to writing so that I can try some new things. – Megan Arzbaecher, Short-Term Programs Manager
A Honeymoon Adventure
2016 is the year I’ll get married, so of course my goal will be to plan an unforgettable honeymoon adventure! It will be necessary to find time to relax, but it’s also always important for me experience the local culture (and FOOD), and to get some time in nature. Any destination suggestions are welcome! 🙂 – Lauren Bauer, Director of Teach & Work Abroad Programs
Dusting Off Those Spanish Speaking Skills
It’s embarrassing how many years of Spanish I have completed, yet I still have zero confidence when it comes to having conversational Spanish-speaking skills. My goal in 2016 is to get serious about learning and actually using Spanish as much as I can. With a trip booked to Spain at the start of the year, I’ll have no excuse to not jump in and start making a fool of myself. – Jill Robinson, Marketing Manager