In 2015, my husband and I chose a different path to fulfill a lifelong dream. We closed our successful business of 15 years, sold everything and served in the Peace Corps as Community Development Volunteers in Ukraine for 27 months. Living and working with the Ukrainian people had a profound effect on us. I was fully aware that our actions while serving had far reaching effects on the lives of others. There is a quote that deeply resonates with me,

“Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far reaching effects.” – Dalai Lama

Since our service ended in 2018, we’ve been hooked on traveling. We don’t only sight see or explore a different culture, we try to see how far our ripples can spread to have an impact.  During our expeditions, we’ve come to recognize our global awareness combined with self-discovery allows us to fully live life. Worldly wisdom has given us boundless empathy, something we value most. This lifestyle requires sacrifices—letting go of comforts many take for granted—but the rewards far outweigh the luxuries we’ve left behind.

Friends and family love following our journeys on social media, curious about “what we’re up to.” Inspired by their enthusiasm, I’ve decided to make our adventures publicly available through this blog: Ripples We Spread. Here, I’ll share lessons we’ve learned, recipes from our travels, stories of the incredible people we meet, unique ways to explore, and videos of our experiences. As an added bonus, my husband John’s stunning photography will fill the blog with visual treats for fellow travel enthusiasts.

I hope you’ll join us on this journey. Sign up for Ripples We Spread, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be inspired to drop a few pebbles of your own and see how far your ripples will spread.