My name is Loralei (pronounced Lor-a-lie) and I am excited to be a part of this travel blog. The idea of writing for a blog has always been something that has been on my mind as I enjoy talking and telling others about things that I am passionate about. When Ally and Nathan created this travel blog- it came across as the perfect opportunity for me to contribute my travel experiences to help you start traveling (or continue!)

A little about me- I have my bachelors degree from UW-Eau Claire in Organizational Communication and Religious Studies. I fell in love with this combination because it allows me to connect to others in multiple ways and I am sure you can guess- travel has helped me be more open minded and continue my learning of others and cultures.

Once I graduated, I moved to Stevens Point (my hometown,) and started working in the Admissions and Recruitment Office at UW-Stevens Point. I am now an Admissions Counselor (which allows me to travel around Wisconsin!) I love my job and I love connecting to others- helping them discover their purpose. As I have a passion for learning, I also am working on my masters degree in Servant Leadership through Viterbo University. 

In my free time, I enjoy going on adventures anywhere and everywhere, sipping wine at wineries (or parks), working on my fitness, reading books, watching the Packers crush it and learning or trying something new. I would say that most days you will not see me sitting still- I am always doing something. 

Passion For Traveling:

Growing up I did not travel out of the state as much as I would have wanted to. My family typically stayed in the Wisconsin area- with a few excursions for camping or staying up North in a cabin with my extended family over the Summer. I have always had an adventurous heart, whether it was going on long walks, taking bike rides, exploring my woods to find something cool, or taking it upon myself to travel with church or school. 

Growing up I always knew I wanted to get out of the borders of Wisconsin and travel. As mentioned above I did quite a bit of traveling with church and school- going on mission trips to Tennessee and Guatemala and traveling to Kentucky or Indiana for nationals with FFA for school. Meeting new people during this time made me fall in love with the possibilities of learning new things and seeing the world. 

The trip that made me fall in love with travel and adventure more would be when I went to Senegal, Africa for an immersion trip while in college. This trip was a pilot trip, never taken before, so it was something new to everyone going. The adventure aspect of sitting in an airport for 8 hours during a layover, navigating Dakar (the capitol of Senegal) through staying at a hostel and communicating with people while there were language barriers, or the time spent trying different foods and hearing their culture- it inspired me to continue traveling and learning. (It is always important to plan trips, but there is always something said about a trip that is a little chaotic when trying to navigate a new city- I love the adventure of it!) 

After this trip I have had a major travel bug and have been many places throughout the U.S. including South Carolina, California, Colorado, and Michigan. I have also traveled internationally to Cancun, Mexico where I was able to relax on the beaches but also see some of the Cenotes (which was very cool!) Needless to say- I am not going to stop traveling anytime soon. 

Top Destinations

• Senegal, Africa
• Cancun, Mexico
• Winter Park, Colorado
• New Orleans, Louisiana 
• Eau Claire, Wisconsin 

10 Fun Facts About Me

• I have run a half marathon before
• One time I had 2 dogs, 2 rabbits, and a cat
• I met a U.S. Ambassador in Senegal
• My first-time flying on a plane solo was in June, 2020
• I played clarinet for 8 years (still play around with it a little bit)
• I once biked 40 miles
• My first job was at McDonalds (where I worked for three years)
• My right foot is smaller than my left foot
• I have never dyed or highlighted my hair
• I broke my pinky while brushing sand off my pants

My Travel Dreams:

• Hike my first 14er
• Backpack or travel throughout Europe
• Travel throughout Asia- specifically India, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar
• Kayak the Mississippi 
• Go to Mardi Gras