Following a sabbatical that took her back to the place where she was first struck by the travel bug , one of our favorite South America and Central America travel experts is back at Southern Explorations.
” I was working at Champlain College in Vermont, which was where I went to school, for the school year as a study abroad advisor,” explains Kaitlyn. “I was meeting with students and advising them on planning their semester abroad. I really enjoyed that role. Most of the students I worked with were just about to have their first real travel experience, so it was so great to see them get excited about that and see their motivation for traveling.”
She could easily identify with the students, since Kaitlyn herself was first inspired to travel while in college. It was after a big Euro trip that she decided to keep exploring the world, heading down to Buenos Aires to study at CEA Global to attend classes during the week and then explore outside the city every weekend.
Kaitlyn noted that one thing she found really interesting was being able to compare and contrast Southern Explorations’ typically seasoned travelers with the students embarking on their first big adventure.
“Southern Explorations guests are usually looking for a more off-the-beaten-path experience or destination, the kind of special things that Southern Explorations offers. The newer travelers, they’re just so excited to get out there. The act of getting out there can be the adventure in itself, so the destination is sometimes an afterthought almost for them. While for Southern Explorations guests, digging into the destination is usually their biggest reason for traveling.”
Kaitlyn returned to the Southern Explorations’ Vermont office earlier this summer and has been enjoying getting back into the team lifestyle once more.
“It’s been a really great few weeks just getting caught up on things that are new at Southern Explorations. Now I’m fully back in the swing of things. It’s such a special place to work and such a great group of people to work with, you really realize that even more when you’re away for a little while.”
Give Kaitlyn a call to further catch up on what she’s been up to or to chat about her favorite hikes in Patagonia , get her thoughts on what it takes to make the perfect Galapagos trip , or find out why she believes Ecuador is South America’s most underappreciated destination.
Kaitlyn works out of Southern Explorations’ Vermont office. You can call her at directly at 1-206-452-6733 or toll free at 1-877-784-5400.