What is your favorite travel memory?
It's so hard to choose just one, but I think I should go with a story from my first time backpacking since it obviously left an impression. Ultimately this story is what led me to continue traveling, to study ecotourism, and to have a career in the travel industry.
I finished high school a year early and I felt self conscious about heading straight to college and being younger than everyone else. Instead, I decided to enroll in a term at a Spanish language program in Costa Rica. It was wonderful, the program and other students were amazing and so was the homestay experience, I was in heaven.
A couple weeks into the program I decided to go to the beach for a weekend, and I stayed in a hostel for the first time. It blew me away, I couldn't believe people traveled like this for months at a time - basically I had no idea that backpackers existed. I loved the idea so much that I decided to become one - on the spot. I called my school to tell them I wouldn't be returning and I set out to see as much of Costa Rica as possible.
Turns out I had a pretty ambitious wanderlust and I ended up hitchhiking, busing, and walking through every country in Central America to return home over six months later, much to my parents relief.
That was eleven years ago (I feel so old saying that), and since that first impromptu backpacking adventure I've continued to travel (41 countries and counting!) and work in the tourism industry.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I'm the newest employee at Las Olas Travel as of July 2017 and I'm beyond excited to be a part of this team. I'm sure I'll soon have many stories about growth through my experiences at Las Olas.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
ALL OF THEM! Because they are all to die for and I cannot choose between volunteering with animals, people, and parks.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
Las Olas Travel is female owned and operated - and the funny thing is, that was not intentionally planned.
When I met our CEO and Co-Founder Rachel, she described how things fell into place and then started to take off for Las Olas. After the fact they realized that they have a professional team of passionate people who want to make a difference - who all happen to be women!
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
There are so many important factors! It really does come down to doing what we say we will. Las Olas Travel truly provides a unique experience that adheres to the principles of sustainable travel as well as providing a chance for travelers to leave a deeper positive impact on local communities.
All Las Olas trips give our travelers the opportunity to spend time volunteering in teaching English, reforestation, and/or exotic animal rehabilitation, as well as experience Spanish immersion, adventure excursions, and educational experiences.
It really is the best of everything, and it leaves our students with an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives - similar to my own favorite travel story. The one that started it all.
