Insightful Storyteller with Thirty Years of Amazing Travel Experiences?!

Let me set the scene for you. It is late March 2000 in Daegu, South Korea. I will include this post’s featured image below for those who did not see it.

On the dawn of a new millennium, spring is upon us, hence our rain jackets. The Korean peninsula’s springs bring much rain in preparation for the monsoon season in the coming summer.

Think of it as both a warning and a welcome gift.

The young lady in the picture is my older sister. She is just days away from her eleventh birthday and has the energy you would expect of any soon-to-be preteen. And the little gentleman in the yellow raincoat?

Well, that is me.

Yes, that is @ericgoingglobal at three and a half years old insistent on walking my favorite (only) sister to school, just footsteps away from our building.

Then there is the original photographer, our mother! She is also a soldier in the US Army, which is why we are even in South Korea to begin with.

She must document everything!

You understand how mothers are, so this is just her nature and one of our many photos. I introduce you to young ericgoingglobal, and his first two travel buddies.

Why am I sharing this with you?

When I share my travel stories, everyone always inquires about the how and is often surprised by my answer. I have been a traveler since birth.

I was born into a traveling family, which I discuss in my About Me section, but you may wonder where it all began.

The answer to this question is my date and place of birth: Wednesday, July 31, 1996, in Heidelberg, Germany.

As you can see from the above photo, I got my first passport less than three months after my birth, and we have not stopped traveling since.

This German-born American travel blogger has since seen six continents (Antarctica pending) and flown over 500,000 miles with over thirty airlines.

Moreover, the opportunity to grow and develop while calling countries other than the one of my citizenship home laid the foundation for me to be an adventurous storyteller and writer.

Let us quickly highlight the path to ericgoingglobal.

Germany is not the only country I have had the privilege of calling home!

South Korea was another one.

It was where I did all of my elementary school.

In fact, we lived in South Korea for so long that my sister and I had the same fourth-grade teacher. Keep in mind, she is nearly seven years older than me. Hello to Ms. Smith if you are reading!

South Korea is where my personality began to take form. From the minute I could walk, my adventurous spirit emerged from me like a butterfly out of a cocoon and has not departed.

Here is another quick story. It was the winter of 2001!

Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, had just opened earlier that year, and we were embarking on a trip to the Great Wall of China for the holidays. Five-year-old me was walking through one of the busiest airports in the world, looking at all the boards of flights to destinations worldwide.

“Mom, I want to hold my own passport,” I exclaim!

At that moment, it became apparent to her that she was in for a bumpy ride, as her son’s adventurous and independent attitude was not going to be easily contained.

The above picture is not in North Korea, albeit very close to the border. Trust me, several people have asked about it with concern.

However, I wanted to include it because it illustrates my fearless nature. If you think it dwindled as I got older, you may want to reconsider.

Our family has continued traveling like The Wild Thornberrys, and as I got older, I started traveling solo. How else do you think I get all these flight miles? Take a look at Eric’s six-continent journey over the years! 

So, to reiterate, where did it all begin? It began when I was born. I embody a true travel lifestyle, and I do not say this to brag! As my tips and tricks blog post explained, I want to illustrate why I am qualified to be a blogger!

Like HeyCiara, I have ditched the grind of corporate culture to help wanderers like me pursue an extraordinary life of freedom, exploration, and empowerment through travel.

Nevertheless, I understand that travel can seem expensive, dangerous, and sometimes out of reach. So, you want to get your travel tips and inspiration from someone with experience, which is why you are here.

What better person than an adventurous travel blogger who spent his entire 28 years (when writing this post) exploring and sharing the world with you all?

So consider this post like a resume or a cover letter for my platform.

I want you to feel comfortable, and rest assured that you are talking to an expert traveler, writer, and aviation enthusiast! Trust me, I know what I am doing regarding travel. You are in good hands!

Whether you have been here since this platform’s inception or are just now finding me, whether you are a seasoned traveler or have never been on a trip before, I want to build a sense of community where all are welcome.

I aspire to help you travel and tell your story. My favorite quote,

“Traveling – It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller!” – Ibn Battuta

My goal with this platform is to turn you into a storyteller like me!

And if this post has not yet inspired or convinced you, please click around! I am confident there is a story here for you; if not, stay tuned. I always travel the world, and the adventure will only stop once I am no longer here.

I have included two posts below that are great resources for familiarizing yourself with my platform and traveling.

– Travel Tips and Tricks
– Travel Status Guide

If you have any blog post requests, please comment at the end of this post or contact me. I always love hearing from you, answering your questions, and incorporating your feedback!

To my mother and sister, thank you so much for being my first travel buddies and forever cheerleaders! This platform would not exist without your unwavering support!

To my awesome readers, thank you! I, too, benefit from your unwavering support, as a story with no audience to share it with is just a thought, an idea! We tell stories for a much-needed purpose: impact and connectivity. As Maya Angelou says,

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

I am infinitely grateful that you all allow me the space to tell my story and continually show up and listen. Your support does not go unnoticed or unappreciated!

On THIS platform, it is not about me. It is about us!

So, in 2024, we will agree to leave behind all the doubt, worry, and fear and tell our stories unapologetically!

We will see the world, connect with others, and spread love along the way, just like I have been doing since I was born.

And if you are still afraid, that is okay! Do it scared! Take that leap of faith and just…

JUMP!

I cannot wait to read your stories, but thank you for reading mine for now!

As always, I will be back with plenty more, and you can click below for more of my stories to fuel your wanderlust in the meantime. I love you, and thank you!

Eric Williams

German-born American CPA & Travel Blogger

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