Personal Posts

Since 2020, we’ve written an annual end-of-the-year recap to take stock of the year’s adventures and the highs and lows of traveling whilst running our little corner of the internet. I look forward to writing these recaps, as they force me to evaluate our successes and shortcomings over the past year and dream about what we want to accomplish in the year ahead. 2024 was a BIG year for us—our first complete 365 days as self-employed content creators and full-time travelers, with lots of incredible adventures and some really hard challenges along the way. 

For the past three years, we’ve written end-of-the-year recaps here at Uprooted Traveler, documenting the highest highs and the lowest lows of our adventures around the world and running this business. I actually really look forward to writing these annual recaps as a means to reflect on the year past and our hopes and dreams for the upcoming year—and, man oh man, 2023 was an absolute DOOZY of a year. 

I’ve been thinking about typing out these incredibly exciting, yet seriously terrifying words for literally YEARS now, so here goes- my husband, Justin, and I have officially quit our six-figure corporate jobs to travel the world. Well, more specifically, we quit our corporate jobs to be digital nomads and focus our time and energy on growing our business full-time. Years of planning, saving, and working on our website until the wee hours of each morning have gone into making this decision and yet, it’s still the scariest thing I’ve ever done by SEVERAL factors. Nevertheless, I truly couldn’t be more giddy for the road ahead.

2022 has come and gone, leaving behind a flurry of memories and some big personal changes. Each year, I write an end-of-the-year recap, all about our highest highs and lowest lows with our adventures. I really enjoy putting these recaps together, as a reflection on the past year as well as a means of evaluating my hopes and goals for the year ahead. So, without further adieu, here’s our 2022 travel recap.

2021 has come to a close- from the highest highs (getting a COVID vaccine, hallelujah!) to the lowest lows (so… turns out that vaccines didn’t end the pandemic quite like I hoped), 2021 was a roller coaster. Last year, I started the tradition of recapping my husband, Justin’s and my past year in travel. And since I’m a lady who loves her traditions, I’m sticking to it- here’s my 2021 recap.

2020 came in like a wrecking ball, the year that no one anticipated. This year has felt like a blur- somehow dragging on forever and also whirring by incredibly fast. I have changed a LOT this year, in a variety of ways, and while parts of 2020 have been extraordinarily painful and sad, I don’t want to forget my experiences any time soon. Here’s my 2020 recap.

In 2020, I think we all need a reason, more than ever, to rally around some central positive idea. So, while Thanksgiving may have problematic historical origins, I’m all about focusing on gratitude, on spending times with friends and family (albeit mostly virtually this year), and on consuming just mass amounts of carbs. In the spirit of the day, here’s five things I’m grateful for in 2020…