The Transformative Power of Travel: Lessons from 15 Years Abroad

Reflections on transformation, culture, and why it’s never too late to explore.

Fifteen years ago, leaving my cat behind for a least a year with friends, I stepped onto a plane with no return ticket and a heart full of questions.

I was looking for something more — something beyond the daily routine, beyond what I’d been told I should want. I didn’t know then that those years abroad would become my greatest education — not in a classroom, but in kitchens, train stations, and park benches around the world.

I’ve lived in China, Switzerland, and Slovakia. I’ve navigated the emotional terrain of midlife, career changes, and solo reinvention. Over the past 15 years, I’ve learned that the transformative power of travel isn’t just about where you go — it’s about who you become along the way.

Here’s what over 15 years of travel have taught me — and what I hope it sparks in you.

1. The World Is Kinder Than We Think

It’s easy to believe the world is dangerous when all we see are headlines. But my travels have taught me that most people want to connect, to help, to share something of themselves — even with a stranger.

Like the young woman in China who literally took me arm-in-arm to guide me through the dark alleyways one night to find the Great Mosque of Xian. Or the French woman at a bus stop in Paris who commented on the flowers, and ended up telling me a story from her childhood in Algiers. Or the stranger in Kuala Lumpur who, after giving me directions, invited me for coffee and shared what it was like being a Chinese minority in Malaysia.

What I’ve come to realize is that we’re more alike than we are different. We all laugh, cry, worry, and love. What separates us isn’t culture — it’s fear. Fear of the unknown, the unfamiliar, the misunderstood. But when you move through the world with curiosity instead of fear, kindness meets you everywhere.

2. You’re Not Too Old — You’re Just Right On Time

When I first moved abroad in my 40s, I had doubts. Wasn’t I too old to start over? Was this kind of bold leap reserved for younger people? Would I be destroying my life instead of enriching it?

Turns out, age is an advantage. I brought life experience, emotional depth, and a sense of self I didn’t have in my 20s. I wasn’t looking to escape — I was looking to connect. I could travel slower. I could seek out meaning, not just moments.

For women 50 and beyond: you’re not late. You’re just now seasoned enough to soak it in. You’ve lived, you’ve learned, and now you get to travel on your own terms. And if no one has told you this yet — you don’t need permission. You just need a nudge.

3. Culture Isn’t Just Seen — It’s Shared

The most powerful travel moments for me haven’t been in museums or monuments — they’ve been in the quiet corners of everyday life.

Sharing a jug of white wine and cheese fondue in a Swiss kitchen. Listening to my Slovak colleagues recall their childhood under communism and their simple meals of bread and soup. Watching a street vendor in Asia fold dumplings by hand, the same way her grandmother did.

Culture lives in food, in conversation, in ritual. It lives in the rhythm of a place. It’s those unscripted moments — the shared meals, the unexpected kindness — where the transformative power of travel truly lives.

This is why I created Infinite Vagabonds: to offer immersive travel that moves beyond the surface. Because the real magic? It’s not in the itinerary — it’s in the exchange.

4. Solitude and Sisterhood Can Coexist

I’ve always enjoyed solo travel. There’s a freedom in moving at your own pace, in being present with yourself. But over time, I realized that something special happens when women come together in new places.

Walls come down. Laughter surfaces. We remember things about ourselves we forgot we’d forgotten.

As a woman 50+, I’ve experienced the double invisibility of being both older and foreign — especially in Western cultures. But in Asia, while I may have felt anonymous, I was never invisible. That visibility — and the self-trust that came with it — has been deeply empowering.

And now, I’m building a space for other women to feel seen, heard, and held on the road. Infinite Vagabonds isn’t just about travel — it’s about community.

What the Transformative Power of Travel Means to Me Now

Travel, for me, is no longer about escape. It’s about return — a return to curiosity, to connection, to the parts of myself that feel most alive.

It’s about surrendering control, embracing adaptability, and letting new landscapes reshape the way I see the world — and myself.

If you’re a woman in your 50s (or beyond), and you’ve felt the nudge to explore more deeply — I see you. There’s space for you here. You haven’t missed your chance. In fact, this might be the perfect moment to begin.

Let’s Travel Deeper, Together

If this resonated with you, here’s how we can stay connected:

📥 Download my free guide: 👉 Small Group Travel - 5 Essential Tips for Women Over 50 — a soulful and practical intro to culturally immersive travel.

💬 Join the conversation: What has travel taught you? I’d love to hear your reflections — in the comments, by DM, or over coffee on our next adventure.

📩 Follow the journey: Find me on Instagram or Facebook, and sign up for my newsletter for upcoming tours and stories from the road.