For Women of Color Who Want to Travel

The last time I wrote an actual blog post…seems like forever ago.

If you’re new to this space, welcome! Glad that you are here. Get comfortable, relax…pull up a chair.

I first started this corner on the internet, back in 2013, during my senior year of college. I was running a 10k and I wanted to record my progress.

Getting my visa to go to Spain (2013)

I ran a 10k;
Watched the Ravens win the Superbowl;
I graduated from college;
Moved and worked in Spain and China;
Visited the Sahara Desert and walked on the Great Wall of China;
Worked in a study abroad office;
Became a Rangel fellow with the U.S. State Department;
Interned on Capitol Hill;
Entered grad school;
Took a solo trip to New Orleans;
Changed the title of this blog from Rookie Notes to Notes from Chelsea to Hey, Ms. Traveler!;
In 2018, I find myself interning with the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi as part of my fellowship.
Next year, I will graduate from grad school and, God willing, join the Foreign Service.

Do you see those bullets points above?

They look so neat… as if I planned it all out. When in fact, it was the opposite. Between 2013-2018, I did not have a set plan. Opportunities came along and I took them. I didn’t have the answers. I made a lot of mistakes but learned a lot along the way.

If you met me in 2013 and told me all of these life-altering changes would happen, I would have told you to shut the front door!

My first day of grad school

I miss it. Blogging and making videos were hobbies of mine and I’m happy to return.
I want to be a virtual mentor and resource to women who would like to travel overseas or pursue a career in international affairs.From my experiences, it is my goal to help whoever is reading and watching. I want to see others succeed on purpose too.

From this blog, you can expect to read and hear my thoughts about Foreign Service life, grad school in D.C., and living abroad. You can also tune in to get information, such as a list of international fellowships, tips to make your fellowship application strong…among other beneficial posts.

For those who have been around since 2013…thanks for sticking around. For my new readers, welcome.