Stephanie Chavez (My Travel Diaries)
- Elisabeth Caraballo
- Dec 19, 2018
- 4 min read
Hi, my name is Stephanie Chavez and I’m from Chicago, but currently living in Las Vegas. I’ve always had a passion for adventure and took my first trip across the pond to Madrid, where I chose to study abroad for 5 months. A year after that, I moved to Portsmouth England for 6 months, and during that time frame, I started to travel across Europe. Over the course of those 6 months, I had traveled to 11 different countries and over 30 cities. I have always traveled alone, and that experience really gave me the confidence to travel outside of Europe.
Since then, I’ve traveled to Asia, and South America, and have reached 27 different countries. Im having the time of my life! I’m hoping to reach 40 countries by the age of 40! (I’m 28) I’m always chasing the next big adventure! Catch me if you can!
EC: What kind of traveler are you?
SC: The spontaneous kind! I've always been very impulsive, and if I know there's a long weekend coming up, my mind instantly goes to planning a trip. When it comes to international travel, the more exotic and foreign it is, the better. I love experiencing life the way they do in other countries that are different from my own.
EC: I love your Instagram page! Why did you decide to start sharing your travel adventures on social media?
SC: I was pretty late to the Instagram game, and by the time I joined, I had already lived abroad and been to 16 different countries. It felt like the easiest and fun way to share my life and experiences with others.
EC: Where’s the one place you have been so far that has made the biggest impact on your life?
SC: Hands down, Spain! I was 20 years old when I studied abroad in Madrid. It was the first time I had gone overseas and was off to experience this new world on my own. I'm so in love with their customs and traditions, their festivals, their food, the people, and their passion for soccer. It's infectious! Spain is my first love.
But more importantly, because of the friendships I developed in Madrid, it paved the way to how I live my life today. The people around me know me as “the traveler” but what many don't know is that a lot of this wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the people I met in Spain. I know I wouldn't have traveled as often or as far, if it weren't for those friendships. Knowing and loving people all across the world has driven me to seek adventure, and the hopes of creating these new memories with the people I once shared this once in a lifetime experience abroad with. I owe them more than they'll ever know and for that, I am forever grateful.
EC: Where in the world is your favorite place to visit? Why?
SC: England! I lived in a small town in southern England, and made so many friends, who I still talk to today. It feels like a wonderful homecoming every time I'm back. It's where I've left my heart.
EC: How many countries/states have you visited?
SC: 13 states and 27 countries!
EC: What do you think is the biggest sacrifice you have made for the sake of traveling?
SC: I've been so fortunate in my life to have such supportive friends and family and that I don't think I've sacrificed much at all.
EC: Have you had any scary moments while on your travels?
SC: Not at all! I'm always asked if I ever feel afraid because I travel alone, but I'm smart enough to know where abouts to wander and how not to stand out.
EC: How has travel changed you?
SC: I've learned so much about myself and have really grown as a person. It's becoming a huge stress reliever when the hardships of life become overwhelming. But mostly, has kept me humble. Staying modest and humble is so important to me. I know how lucky I am to have experienced what I have.
EC: Who is your travel inspiration?
SC: Samantha Brown! I've met her a couple times and she is the absolute sweetest. I have luggage from her collection on HSN!
EC: What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about traveling and documenting their travel experiences on social media?
SC: Be authentic. I recently went on a rant about this on social media. There are so many travel pages out there showing off their travel photos, but many are overly filtered and overly photoshopped. Sure, that photo is beautiful! But what you see, isn't real. The 100 people who aren't pictured there can vouch for me. Don't feel the need to compete with so many Instagram account. Be real, tell us the stories behind the photo and the funny, or difficult things you encountered that day. That's what's relatable and makes us human. We'll adore you more for telling us your true story.
Follow Stephanie Chavez on Instagram!
