Me swimming with a whale shark. Nosy Be, Madagascar.
(Photo credit: Mikaela Cherry)

About Me

Welcome to A World Away! I’m Justin, a digital nomad who writes about travel and international living. I’m originally from the great state of Texas, but now spend the majority of each year traveling or living in various countries and cities around the world.

In 2014 I left my “real job” to serve in the Peace Corps in Madagascar and it was a life changing decision! My time away made me realize that I didn’t have to go back to a typical life; counting the days till the weekend and saving enough to retire in freedom. I could do what I love today!

My Peace Corps service was a life changer and opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunities. So, after my service ended, I hopped on a plane for Southeast Asia to pursue travel blogging and haven’t turned back since.

Travel isn’t always about just seeing tourist attractions. It’s also about experiencing the diversity and culture of the people and places that you travel to. Sometimes this means traveling to a new location and sometimes this means actually living and working there as well.

Why Do I Travel

I travel to grow as a person and to learn from and be inspired by others. To have my eyes, mind, heart, and soul opened to the beauty and diversity of this amazing world. Through travel I have learned that the world is not a scary place, that the majority of people everywhere are inherently kind. I am constantly amazed by the kindness and helpfulness of strangers.

I travel for freedom; to live life on my own terms and to take for myself life’s biggest luxury – Time. To use my time given in life to pursue my dreams and passions and live an unordinary life. Travel has changed my life, and I want to share what I’ve learned along the way to help others achieve its benefits, too.

About A World Away

Want to find the best places to travel to around the world, how to travel cheaply, or follow my adventures as I do just that?

If so, you have come to the right place!

A place for travelers, lovers of culture, knowledge seekers, fellow bloggers, and the curious and inquisitive. A World Away’s goal is to better empower and motivate all travelers with solid advice on how to travel the world. We all need the tools and experiences learned through travel, and A World Away is committed to motivating all travelers to expand their worldview through travel.

I originally launched A World Away in 2014 as a way to chronicle my experiencesas a Peace Corps Volunteer in Madagascar. It was initially a travelogue of my life and travels as a Volunteer and to share the life and culture of the Malagasy people. After completing my Peace Corp service, A World Away evolved into a resource point to motivate and encourage other travelers through advice, stories, and photography.

A World Away has been featured on Culture Trip, Lonely Planet, National Geographic, Blogging Abroad, and Mighty Goods and has spurred interviews/webinars with multiple universities.

If you are also interested in this blog then keep in touch by clicking the subscribe button below. If you have any suggestions/request for future blog topics or just want to say hello, feel free to send them my way by commenting below or reaching out in any of the ways on my Contact page.