Brooke Schoenman - Round-the-World Traveler

1. When do you leave?
   January 2008

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

3. How much have you saved?
   $3500 and counting

4. How old are you?
   23

5. Nationality
   USA

6. Where do you live now?
   Peoria, IL, USA

7. Occupation
   IT Analyst

8. Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
   It's my career

9. Have you traveled around the world before?
   No

10. What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
    US to Brazil - S.Africa - Egypt - Western Europe - Eastern Europe - India - Nepal - Thailand - Taiwan - China - Fiji - Australia - 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?
    NOW OR NEVER! I feel like if I don't do this now I'll have a much more difficult time doing it in the future. I have always loved traveling and I studied in Italy for a semester in college (and that really changed me!). I cam back feeling different, more confident, patient, enlightened. Since I've been back, I feel like I've lost a little of that spice I gained and I miss it! I want to feel alive again :-)

12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    Getting sick. Getting malaria or having to go to a foreign hospital.

13. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
    Supportive. Understanding... I've been talking about this forever now!!!! My boyfriend is actually planning on going with me :-)

14. How much planning and preparing have you done?
    To the Nth Degree

15. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    underwear and camera

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'll have a different perspective on what is important in life.

17. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    I'm tired of talking about it and I'm ready to do it!

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?
    1-2 week vacations are expensive and superficial... you need time to examine the lifestyle and LIVE it.

19. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    Too expensive probably - You'd be surprised what you can do if you put your mind to it.

20. Why do you like to travel?
    It's invigorating, insightful, interesting... any other i words?

21. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    GO! Make a plan and do it!