Sarah Ivory - Round-the-World Traveler

1. When do you leave?
   September 2006

2. How long do you plan to be away?
   6-12 Months

3. How much have you saved?
   10000

4. How old are you?
   24

5. Nationality
   USA

6. Where do you live now?
   North Carolina, USA

7. Occupation
   refugee case manager

8. Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
   I'll come back if they'll have me

9. Have you traveled around the world before?
   No

10. What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
    Eastern Europe/Mediterranean -> India -> S.E. Asia ->Africa. Definitely including Turkey, Croatia, Greece, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Zambia, and Ethiopia. Possibly including other European countries, China, Vietnam, Kenya, New Zealand.

11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    There's nothing in the world I'd rather do with my time or money and it's always been a dream to do more extensive travelling. Plus I'm at a point in my life where I don't have any attachments that stop me from doing this. I work with refugees, have studies IR, and lived abroad, all of these experiences have influenced my decision.

12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    That we'll get caught in a traveller's circuit, doing touristy things or hanging out only with Americans. Also that my travel partner and I will have too many different ideas about what, where, how etc.

13. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
    Most are supportive though some believe it's irresponsible financially and career wise.

14. How much planning and preparing have you done?
    Just Enough

15. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    Don't know yet!

16. How do you think your round-the-world trip will change your life? How do you think it will affect and change you as a person?
    I hope that it will open my eyes more fully to the reality that we are apart of. I hope it will allow me to feel more connected to the world and more aware of the needs of my neighbors. I hope that it will also help prepare me better to contribute the best I can to ending severe global poverty.

17. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    Everything I've experienced has lead me to this moment, this is exactly what I am meant to be doing.

18. Why do you think people should go on round-the-world trips? Why not just take a regular old one- or two-week vacation instead?
    It is very difficult to really learn anything if you aren't able to put in the time to experience it. It is nearly impossible to have experiences that really stick with you in a one week tourist event (this is not to say that these aren't important in their own right, but they're for something different).

19. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    I think that many people think it's for those who are lost and trying to find themselves. I don't believe this is true. As Tolkein said "Not all that glitters is gold, not all those who wander are lost." (potentially misquoted).

20. Why do you like to travel?
    It reminds me how much I don't know and reinforces my committment to being a apart of our world. So many people are able to go through their lives never really feeling that.

21. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Ha, I'm still looking for other peoples' advice for me!