About Hilary

Two years ago I had it all going on.

I was on a full academic ride at my local university. I’d grown up in a production family so I spent my time after school on sets with celebrities and posing for Italian fashion magazines. I called the entertainment capital of the world home, all the while looking forward to my very bright and clear future.

 

I graduated with my BA in Psychology in 2010 with so many accomplishments, I was named The Outstanding Graduate of my class.

 

If there was a fantasy football league for graduate school candidates, I was a first draft pick. I was bright-eyed and bushy tailed, ready to join the doctoral program of my choosing and continue to school the crap out of school.

But you’d think after growing up in Vegas, I’d know the odds are never in my favor.

I was rejected. Hardcore. From ever doctoral program I applied to (fail). Suddenly my future was blurry, my confidence shaken, and my anxiety high. I had no idea how to be successful without more letters behind my name.

Now, I spend my time living with locales, searching for unique opportunities and once-in-a-lifetime adventures. I’ve been volcano boarding with a pro-surfing legend, lived in a prestigious Fijian village, and  working ridiculous and random jobs to pay for my travels. You can find me moonlighting as a disco ninja and Muppeteer Assistant in Las Vegas, and consulting for The Lion Habitat Ranch. I share all of my experiences, highlights, failures, and insecurities on this site.

I hope you’ll join my adventure and share with me your own. =)

285 thoughts on “About Hilary

  1. Loved your bio. I too am after college (its been 5 years now!), inbetween the cameras, and grad school, Lalaland, and travels…none of anything I did made sense at the time, but the path I’ve been led on, now that I’m full circle (in Ventura) is exactly because of my modeling, travels, and struggles, oh and NOT going to grad school right after UCSD!! Excited to see where life takes you, Hilary.

    • Thank you so much, Elisa! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. It sounds like you’ve had QUITE the experience yourself!

      What are you working on now? I hope we get the chance to meet somewhere along the road! Would love to share in the adventure together. =)

  2. G’Day, soon to be my ‘little Aussie Battler’, (on $100,000)
    I have seen your Blog and details and think you will make a great Aussie Ranger. Your blog does come across to us Australians as VERY Americanised, you will need to learn how to write about Australia … like an Australian.

    Regardless of if you get the dream job or not you should come and live in Australia for a year and meet some big bronzed Aussie blokes and stay here. With your Degree you can get a job here in Canberra immediately.

    • G’Day, Kerry! Thanks so much for commenting! I have all my heart and soul and prayers and crossed fingers and toes into this contest. But if for some reason it’s not meant to be, I would still LOVE to come live in Australia. I’ve heard it’s tough finding work though? It sounds like that’s not the case?

  3. Hi, Hilary! We received your press release at KSNV NEWS 3 about your adventures and I just had to look at your website. Very nice! I pitched you to our weekend news team as I think you would be awesome on Krystal Allan’s show on Saturday. I was wondering what happened to your friend, Talei? Perhaps, you mention it in another story. Of course, my first place to go on your website was to the Firewalker’s story. Hope you will stay in touch. My email at NEWS 3 is dgibbons@mynews3.com
    Thanks for sharing your adventures. I hope to be able to read more very soon!
    Always impressed with such an independent and competent young person! You are definitely that and much more!
    Dawn Gibbons

    • Hi Dawn! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I am so appreciative of your kind words and encouragement. I hope we get the chance to meet very soon!

      I greatly appreciate your willingness to pass along my story. Yes, I would love to be on Krystal Allan’s Saturday show!

      As far as Talei, unfortunately, she was killed in a car accident in Jamaica. Her passing was the reason I went to Fiji in the first place, to pay my condolences to her family. And what I got out of that experience was so much more than I ever expected. I owe so much to that inspirational young woman who left this world all too soon.

      Thanks again for all of your support! Looking forward to staying in touch!

    • Haha! Wow, what a compliment! Thanks so much for your confidence in me and my bloodlines. =)

      But I agree with you… strong and powerful woman can be intimidating! Let’s show them how awesome we are!

  4. Hey Hilary!
    So, this morning I woke up on my last day of spring break of my last year in high school, and I asked myself if I really want to spend my college fund on college, plus have another $25,000 in loans. I hate this idea of money measuring one’s success and working a 9-5 job only to come home and do it all again the next day. I am greatly considering the nomadic lifestyle, I’m just terrified at the thought of not getting college over with since it’s so close to starting. If you could do it all over again, would you save the money you spent on college and put it toward the fulfillment of your dreams? I know that it will open doors for me, but I don’t want to chunk my $60,000 at it when I could stretch that out and start living.

    • Hi Noah!

      Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and ask your questions. Yeah, that’s a big life decision you’re about to make. I understand your concerns. I have asked a few other travel bloggers about your question to get some additional insight. After talking with them and considering my own thoughts, here’s my advice. =)

      Yes, there are a lot of risks and uncertainties in life. And determining whether or not your college ‘degree’ will pan out is definitely one of those. But I am a great advocate of college. Why? Because the paper you get at the end is only a small part of the experience. College (like anything in life, really) is what you make it. Take the classes and do the best you can. But the people you will meet, the life experiences you will have, the clubs/organizations you will join, the extracurriculars you will have. It’s about being part of something that’s bigger than you, learning how to work with others, getting into the nitty gritty of a particular field and learning how to do it ALL competently. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you study. But what you study and what you do with your time will help shape you to be a better candidate for a job, for owning your own business, or for traveling. You can study abroad if you want, or do volunteer programs on your summers and breaks. I graduated debt free but I worked incredibly hard and had a 4.0. Graduating without debt was one of my top priorities and I took the necessary steps to make it happen. You can too.

      While I’m not in a ‘job’ that’s paying me for my degree knowledge, I use it everyday while traveling, trying to relate to people, and understand myself. But this isn’t to say that all people with a psychology degree could do that. I’m sure you can attest that among your high-school graduating class, there are some that DID things in school and others that didn’t. And yet all of you will get your diploma this May. The same applies to college. Or a promotion. Take whatever it is you want to do and really DO it. Don’t just expect the degree or the experience itself to take you somewhere. ENSURE that it does with your actions.

      Whatever you decide, just do it with all of your heart. And know that it’s not necessarily what you do, it’s making sure you’re milking the experience for all its worth and understanding that it’s not about a degree or a destination. It’s about taking the action. Because at the end of the day, you could travel the world or graduate from Harvard and have nothing to show for it except being able to say you did those things. Allow them to grow you.

      If you’d like to discuss this more, please feel free to e-mail me or message me on my Facebook Fan Page. And if not, I wish you all the best of luck in life and with your decision! Please let me know what you decide. =)

  5. What DO you do with a BA in Psychology?! I am soon to be in the same position as you when I graduate in July and have already decided that to get out of the country is definitely the best option! So any tips?

    • Hey lady! My apologies for just seeing this!

      I guess it all depends on what it is you’re looking to do… Do you want a career or just to travel? Are you interested in a career in mental health? Or do you have another field of interest? I can help you more if I have more specifics =).

  6. Hi Hilary! Thanks for stopping in at my blog. I must say I really have enjoyed what I’ve seen of yours so far! Travel is a wonderful way of becoming a fuller, more complete person. I only wish I had the money to travel more! Last year in October and November my then fiancée and I spent seven weeks travelling to South Africa, Portugal, England, Paris (just a one-night stop!) and Holland. It was wonderful to travel again and we came back to Sydney with heavy hearts, as we would have loved to see more places and experience more things!

    • Hey there! You’re so welcome! Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by mine as well. =)

      It sounds like you guys had quite the adventure! You must have some very fond memories. Sydney is one of my favorite cities in the world. If only I could afford to live there full-time!

      Did you have a favorite moment or memory from your trip?

      Happy adventuring!

    • Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! Congratulations on finishing your masters! That’s quite an accomplishment. What do you want to do next?

      I greatly appreciate your kind words. I’m working it out as best I can. It’s always nice to have others rooting you on! =)

  7. Hey Hilary,

    I can see you have strong reason to write this blog. Although it’s not uplifting to have face obstacles, such as rejections, they have made you stronger, which shines through what you’re doing.

    In a way your story is similar to mine, hence I feel connected to your blog. After graduating with first class degree I couldn’t get a job a dreamed about and after less than two years I left everything behind to travel the world. Great thing is that finally I feel this is it. I travel, I do photography, I write blog, and I get paid for it!

    The future is bright for you so keep it up!

    Good luck and safe travels,
    Cez

    • Hi Cez!

      Thanks so much for taking the time to write this. I completely agree; it’s the failures and challenges in life that make us stronger and better people.

      I’m so happy to hear that you’ve found a way to make it work! Definitely gives me hope that I too will figure it out. In the meantime, I’m certainly enjoying the ride!

      Looking forward to staying in touch! I’m a big fan of ETramping. Take care!

  8. Oh my gosh! Perusing so many blogs on this site makes me realize that I’m not the only one lost on my journey to discover what truly motivates me and makes me grow and mature. My story is very similar, only with a different twist:

    I’m eighteen years old and I’ve always known what I wanted in my life, to the point of obsessiveness. I got accepted to every college I wanted to go to and had scholarships to boot but my entire family ganged up on me and told me that they didn’t want the little hummingbird (my affectionate name) leaving the nest. Once that was approached to me, I decided that I would take a year off for a conquest to discover myself and see where my passion truly lies. (I’m blogging about everything because at current, I have no direction).

    Needless to say, you have yourself a new follower and perhaps we’ll cross paths one day, who knows? :]

    • Hi there!

      First of all, thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I am always so grateful to hear that my blog can help others who are going through similar situations.

      Secondly, you made a very hard and brave decision by putting your family first. I think you are going to discover some great things and I can’t wait to follow your journey!

      I would love to meet up with you one day! Please keep in touch and hopefully we can make that happen!

      Happy adventuring, fellow wanderer!

      • “Se per disgrazia chi lo usa per lavoro usa windows, “un c’ha capito una sega” come si dice dalle mie parti. Scusate il frimsecasno. “Beh, oppure glielo impone la dirigenza (che un c’ha capito ‘na sega), e se prova a parlare di SO alternativi lo guardano come se fosse un poveretto da compatire. Intanto il poveretto a casa lo Storm Worm non ce l’ha di sicuro, tié! Uno a zero palla al centro!

      • Thanks for your entire labor on this web site. Debby enjoys engaging in investigations and it’s easy to see why. All of us learn all concerning the compelling way you deliver simple information via your blog and as well as attract participation from visitors on that topic plus my child is without a doubt discovering a lot. Take pleasure in the rest of the new year. You are always conducting a superb job.

    • Hi Anna Marie!

      Wow, thank you so much! That is so nice of you! My apologies for taking so long to get back to you; for some reason I’m just seeing this.

      I hope all is well with you! Happy adventuring! =)

  9. Hey girl everything happens for a reason!! I’m very impressed that you’re soo accomplished esp. with school! On another note, I think that after your adventures and the amount of people reading your blog someone might be connected to a PHD program and you may have a bigger chance in getting in! The world has a way of working itself out if you remain positive 😉 !!

    • Hey Brittany! Yes, I absolutely believe that everything DOES happen for a reason.

      And thanks so much! I suppose you never know, but I also feel like my life is taking a very different path. And with the way my life is going, I don’t have much to complain about =).

  10. Hello Hilary,

    I ditto all the praise abovementioned on your blog, but could I simply add that you look stunning in that pic?!

    Look forward to your posts.

    Bella Nars.

    • Hey girly! Thank you so much! You are too sweet!

      Just checked out your blog. How stoked are you to have published your book?! A beauty with brains. So awesome!

      I hope you’ll stay in touch! All the best!

  11. You’ve been nominated for the One Lovely Blog award!

    Here are the steps for the award:

    Name the blogger who awarded you this fantastic award
    List 7 random facts about yourself
    Award 15 other bloggers this award
    Enjoy!

  12. Hilary,
    I’ve nominated you for The Beautiful Blogger Award. You have really inspired me to think of my opportunities and go for them. Thank you and I hope Australia is an adventure like none other. Nikki

    • Hi Nikki!

      Thank you so much! I am so happy to hear i have inspired you. Please let me know how I can help you along your journey.

      Looking forward to sharing my adventures with you and hearing more about yours!

      Happy adventuring!

  13. I just came across your blog on freshly pressed. Kudos to you! Your blog looks amazing and I am looking forward to delving deeper into your work here. Sounds like you are on an amazing journey both physically and spiritually and looks like you’re enjoying every second! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    • Thank you so much, Wendy! I have spent a lot of time working on my blog and I’m so happy to hear it’s appreciated!

      I would certainly agree that I am on quite the journey. I can’t wait to share more adventures with you!

      Happy adventuring! Maybe we’ll meet somewhere on the road =).

  14. Hilary,
    After your lines have actually cheered me up. I have been facing a similar situation as yours, got a masters degree from London School of Economics in International relations, then just ran out of ideas. So I have been sort of unemployed for a while, and have been spending time with reading and travelling, just to find out that there is a lot more to live for than sitting in a cubicle and I am so happy ever since.Unfortunately in my society people are evaluated in different scales, which in a sense makes me a not big hit,however reading your blog made me think, its my life and I will be the one in-charge of it! thanks

    • Hi Jibu,

      I completely understand feeling conflicted about living up to the societal pressures. I felt like I was taking a big risk by walking away from the mold (especially since I could operate in it SO well…) but I don’t regret it.

      Let me know if you ever need support or encouragement. I am happy to provide that. After all, it is your life and you should be able to do with it as you please. But sometimes that’s easier said than done. 😉

  15. Ok, Miss Thang, as I’ve already mentioned, your blog is inspiring. You put a little positive in this negative girl’s heart (usually, I like to say that I am a realist because it sounds better than pessimist.) Also, and this is meant as a huge compliment, you have somehow managed to be incredibly positive without going all “Pollyanna.” Nice work! There might be hope for me yet …

    • Haha! Oh my lovely lady, I promise you I will never go Pollyanna. I too, have a sarcastic and self depracating side, but I choose very carefully when I want to allow it to come out. The more I travel the more I find you can be practical and a realist without losing faith in humanity. Maybe I’ll write a special post about how this works just for you. 😉

      In the meantime, know you’ve got someone rooting for you!

  16. Your blog is a treasure! You write wonderfully and you’re really an inspiration 🙂 It makes the rest of us look a bit ordinary but hopefully I’ll have a few adventures ala Hilary in the future 🙂

    • Thank you so much! I greatly appreciate your comment and support.

      And trust me, I’m just like everyone else. It’s finding the adventure in the everyday that’s the challenge.

      Let me know how I can help you on your own adventures! Please stay in touch!

  17. Great blog, Hilary!
    High fives to a fellow lost after graduation AB-Psychology student. 😛
    I wish I’d decided to pursue long term nomadic-ness after graduation like you though. But I’m working on it now. Better late than never! 😛

    • Thank you, so much! Kudos to you as well!

      What have you been up to these days? What sorts of adventures are you going on?

      And there’s no time like the present! Enjoy and let me know how I can help! =)

  18. I think the best thing for you to do with a BA in Psychology is to hitchhike, explore and write about your travels. I got my BA in English Literature from Iowa State University back in 1995 and I never thought that I would be hitchhiking these past 15 years. But I am still writing, hitchhiking, meeting great people as I go. Yeah, a BA in Psychology is the perfect prerequisite for hitchhiking.

    • Haha! You’re so funny! I will definitely have to try it sometime, even though it does make me nervous. But since it comes so highly recommended… maybe one day I’ll do it. =)

      Thanks for the encouragement… and for checking the pre-reqs for hitchhiking 😉

    • Thank you so much! I’ve found that being real and honest is the only way to be. I don’t try to paint my life as something it is. I don’t feel like that helps me or anyone else for that matter.

      I would LOVE to travel to Asia. I hope to get there by the end of the year! Do you have a favorite place to travel yourself?

      Thank you so much for commenting!

    • Why stay in Wasilla? Why is this so necessary? Then, I recall the -ahem- budget irrgiulareties…with her mayorship and the toadies in office there. Then I wonder about the cronies in Alaskan government. Who would pick their high school chums for high office? Especially after being out for so long? Hmmm. I posit her leaving the Governorship was to forestall legal action, for cash, and to make sure her toadies kept quiet. She has a reputation for vindictiveness and thin-skin.Mold

    • Haha, funny you should ask that… I’m actually working on a post talking about my donate button. There’s been so many questions regarding it. =)

      Thanks for asking! It will be up shortly!

  19. I just found you through Freshly Pressed, and I’m loving what I’m seeing here! I graduated with a B.S. in Psychology a year ago and still haven’t a good job or gotten into grad school. I’m really looking forward to following your experiences and reading some of your older posts.

      • You definitely deserve it!
        Right now I’m working a minimum wage dead-end job, looking for something. I would love to be self-employed (doing what, I don’t know) and have the opportunity to travel and pursue whatever catches my interest. I ultimately want to go to grad school for social/personality/positive psychology, but who knows what steps it will take to get there. I really admire what you’re doing, and can’t wait to read more!

        • Well, as it so happens, I did apply to grad school twice. I didn’t get in, but I am an expert at applying, haha. Let me know if you have any questions about that procedure!

          And the dead-end job are definitely a way to start saving for travel. Maybe while you’re figuring it out you just work crappy jobs and then travel and see where things take you. I was very similar to you in that I needed to have it all figured out right away and unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Again, let me know how I can help! Us Psych majors need to stick together!

          • Thank you, that would be fantastic! I actually took a class on applying to grad school in psychology, and filled out the applications…I just got to scared of rejection to send them out. That is the best thing about little nothing jobs – they’re money without a big commitment. Most definitely, and if you ever need anything, feel free to get in touch with me!

            • Oh no, you’ve just got to go for it! I mean, rejection is a hard thing to deal with (speaking from experience) but it’s all just a part of life. And you never know! it may work out for you. =)

              Let me know how I can help. Looking forward to staying in touch!

  20. Hilary, you are not alone as a “nomad grad”. The nomad I know is Tom Carter. You may want to visit his site and send him an e-mail to discover more about where he’s been.

    http://www.tomcarter.org/

    However, lately, he seems to be settling down after years of being foot loose and fancy free. Recently, he married a Chinese citizen and is living and teaching ESL in China. They are expecting their first child.

    He has visited all of China’s provinces, published a book on that journey and visited much of India and Central America. I’m not sure if he has been to Europe or Africa.

  21. Fantastic blog Hilary! It sounds like you had quite the adventure growing up, I don’t know why you would ever want a traditional, normal life after that!

    I graduated from architecture school back in 2010 and after four difficult years I knew I didn’t want to jump straight into a 9-5 office job. So under the pretext of “figuring out what I really wanted to do” I took a year off and headed to Spain, where I enrolled in an intensive language course at a local university. I fell head-over-heels with the country on a vacation the previous year, so I knew I just had to return!

    That gap year turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. Not only did I pick up a new language but I had the most amazing adventure – I met people from all over the world, went travelling on weekends and lived life into the wee hours of the morning (peak time at Spanish clubs is 4am!).

    Now that I’m back home I’m in the long process of looking for a proper job. I recently did two months at a Starbucks (which I loved) and then a hotel (which I couldn’t wait to finish). The upside is that I can now afford two trips next month with a fellow travel blogger – one to Laos and the other to Southern China!

    I’m looking forward to reading more about your adventures; perhaps one day it will be great to meet in person! If you’re ever in Hong Kong feel free to drop me a line.

    Happy travels! 😀

    • Hi James!

      Wow, what a life! I was enraptured reading your story. Sounds like quite an adventure!

      I too hope that we one day get to meet in person! I’m on my way to OZ and then Fiji for the next couple of months. I will be sure to let you know if I get the chance to make it over to Hong Kong!

      Be well!

  22. I’m so happy to have stumbled across your blog. I can definatly relate to the “graduating college and not finding a job” bit. Looking forward to your future posts!

    • Hi Joanna!

      What are you up to these days? What kinds of things do you want to do with your life?

      Hope all is well! Thanks so much for commenting! Looking forward to learning more about you!

      • These days I travel as much as I can and meet people (I’m more of an introvert, so this can be hard at times) so I can get my writing career off the ground. (What do you do with a BA in English and an MA in Screenwriting, eh?) I’m lucky enough to have two flexible, fairly steady jobs that allow me to indulge in my travel fantasies, even if it’s only a weekend trip to Nor-Cal. I just moved back from Ireland a few months ago, and that’s definitely a place I will always go back to again and again. So, writing, photography and travel. That’s what I want my whole life to be! There’s a steady job in there somewhere. It’s such a hard balance to strike, between stability and art. You seem to have this nomad thing down to a T, though!

        • Joanna,

          Wow! It sounds like you have a great background and have had some amazing experiences! I would love to hear more about them sometime! And to answer your question, I think you do whatever the heck you want. =)

          I wouldn’t say I have it down, I’m just committed to figuring it out. =) All I can do is do the best I can and hopefully share it with some amazing people!

  23. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!

    I don’t think I’ve ever lived somewhere longer than 4 or 5 years. I travel whenever to wherever I can and this is just the beginning! I’m looking forward to following your adventures as I work to save up for my next project- going back to school to get a degree that will allow me to work in the International School circuit.

    Keep up the adventures and kuddos for living life and making the most of it. It takes guts to live the life you do and I’m envious!

    • Thank you so much!

      It sounds like you live quite the adventurous life yourself! And I applaud you in your efforts to go back to school and get the degree you want! I’m sure you will be able to make it happen.

      What has been your favorite place to live thus far?

      Keep on keeping on! Please let me know how things continue to go!

      • Thank you! I think any big decision in life takes guts to follow through on.

        I have no clue where my favourite place to live is. I loved so many things about Canada, The U.S., Switzerland and Germany to make the decision easy. I think that my favourite place to live would have to be Ireland. Granted I haven’t lived there yet but every time I visit it’s like coming home.

        However, if I can’t live there my next favourite place would be Halifax. Especially in the summer and as you crest a hill you’re greeted with a breathtaking panorama of the harbour and a cruise ship docked in the port. There’s nothing like it.

    • Lorenaon HOla aa todos, espero que alguien pueda ayudarme , tengo un iphone 4G con baseband 04.12.01 version 5.1.1 (9B208) queria solo que me dijerais si con lo que estoy leyendo en esta pagina se puede liar0be&#823r; , Graciias

  24. Normal? I think that’s a synonym for “Stepford.”
    I’m glad you were fresh pressed so I could enjoy a Duchenne marker. I’m almost twice your age and I’m only now realizing what you’ve understood all along. It’s not the “getting,” it’s the “doing.”
    I don’t know if it was in your post about the financing, but temping is an excellent way to earn money short term, though I think it’s more feasible living in a larger city.

    • Hi there, Linda!

      Your Stepford comment cracked me up! It sounds like you definitely have the right attitude!

      And temping is such a great idea! There are so many great avenues to be able to afford travel!

      What kinds of things do you want to do?

      Please keep in touch!

  25. Hi Hilary! Thanks for checking out my post. Great blog, btw. Anyway, I can totally relate. I have a Bachelor’s degree in music and I don’t consider myself a musician. I am trying to get a footing in the wellness/nutrition/yoga world but I’m hesitant to leave my day job just yet because I won’t be able to afford life in NYC. I’m trying to figure out ways I can make money doing what I love. But like you said, putting it into the universe is a start and will make it happen eventually. I love to travel too. Looking forward to reading more.

  26. I just got my last rejection letter in the mail today for PhD programs in Anthropology. Although I’m a bit disappointed, I think that this is also an opportunity to think about what else I can do with my time. With that said, I can really relate to your blog, and I look forward to reading more of it!

    • Hey there,

      I’m so sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you this time around. All I can say is that you’re probably meant to be doing something else more purposeful at the moment. I hope you will find the beauty in this in-between time and find what you are looking for! Please let me know if I can provide any moral support. =)

      All the best,
      Hilary

  27. Hi Hilary, thanks for checking out our NextraOrdinary blog – sounds like you are well on your way to finding your NextraOrdinary Life! Please continue to keep in touch during your travels and visit our webpage (NextraOrdinary.com) to read the amazing stories of our ambassadors. Best wishes and we will be keeping an eye on you!

    • Hi Russell,

      You’re very welcome! My interest was certainly piqued when I found your site. It’s definitely the kind of website I can get behind!

      And thank you so much for your kind words. I’m looking forward to staying in touch and seeing what comes next!

  28. Hilary (great name btw), I just read a few of your post, and I think this is a great blog/idea! I love traveling and living a crazy adventurous life too… so much better then finding a job right out of a college and being stuck there the rest of your life! I’m excited to read more about your travels!
    ~Hilarie 🙂

    • Hi miss Hilarie! (Such a pretty name! My favorite spelling of it, by the by… 😉

      Thank you so much for your kind words! I am so happy to hear that you like the idea! I hope to do you proud!

      What kinds of adventurous things do you like to do? Do you have a favorite travel location?

      Looking forward to reading and learning more about you!

      • I’ve spent a lot of time traveling around the past few years, and Japan is definitely my favorite place so far! Everything there is amazing, and the people are super friendly. It’s hard to pick a favorite really though because it seems like every place has something great to offer. Where do you think you’ll head next?

        • I understand. I think every destination has something very unique to offer!

          I am headed back home for a few weeks (Vegas) and then I’m off to Australia. I’ll be spending a couple weeks there and then on to Fiji to live with the Firedancer tribe. I’m very excited about this!

          What about you? What are your next plans?

  29. Great blog. Add Australia to your list of places to see! Looking forward to reading more of your future adventures 🙂

    • Thank you so much!

      Funny you should mention that… I’m leaving to go Down Under here in just under a month. I’m very excited about it! Do you have a favorite place in Australia?

      • Are you coming for work? I’ve only been living in Australia since January, so it hasn’t been too long. I live near Brisbane but my sister is in Sydney. Both cities are beautiful, and we’ve heard great things about Melbourne as well! Which area will you be visiting? You’ll love it here!

  30. Love it, Hillary!
    Stay true to you! Normal is boring.
    “All the best people are mad.”
    Thanks for stopping by and liking my blog!
    Pam

  31. Hello – just wanted to thank you for liking my post the other day. Nice to know people are looking at my blog. Your adventures look very interesting and good luck on future ones!

    • You’re very welcome! I am always happy to support other bloggers! Keep up the good work!

      And thank you for your kind words. I look forward to sharing my future endeavors with you!

      • ¡BRAVO! Esa jota ya la está cantando mi mujer que bien maña que es. A parte de los excelentes caldos que usted ha mencionado, yo les recomendaría a todas las que les gusta esos vinos con burbujitas, los blancos de Miedes (comarca de Calatayud) y un rosado denominación de origen Borja (Moncayo) que aunque su nombre no acompaña (Viña Tito) es sabroso y con &qir;;buobujutas&quott, y se toma frio.Esos para no gastarte mucho dinero y no caer en el tinto de verano que es otra guarrería lambrusquera.De acuerdo con usted de principio a fin, saludos.

    • You’re very welcome! I enjoy your blog as well! I hope you’ll keep writing!

      And thank you so much for your sweet words! While I’ll always be an American girl at heart, I do enjoy being a chameleon =).

  32. Fulfilling satisfying careers are like tapestries. The are built one stitch at a time allowing the passion that runs through our being to leave splotches of colour, light and shade in our wake.

    Seems to me, you are right on track – gaining the life experience you need to be truly who you are!
    Congratulations on a great career!

    • Wow, I love that analogy! I think it’s very accurate and I love the vivid imagery!

      Thank you so much for your support! I love reading your blog and look forward to staying in touch! Keep writing!

      • Aw, this was a really nice post. In concept I would like to put in writing like this additionally – taking time and precise effort to make a very good article… but what can I say… I prtcnastiraoe alot and in no way appear to get something done.

    • Hi Jen!

      Thank you so much! A friend of mine who is an amazing seamstress made it for me for a swing dance competition. To this day it’s one of my prized pieces. Do you have a favorite piece of clothing?

      And thank you for your kind words! No need to be jealous. Your life sounds adventurous and exciting in its own right! I love your creative blog! Keep it up!

  33. Thank you for liking my post! I love your about me. It’s so inviting. I am too familiar with the question, “what to do next?!”

    • Hi there!

      You’re very welcome. I enjoy reading your blog and look forward to following your work!

      And I’m happy to hear you find my page inviting! What kinds of things do you want to do next in your life?

      • Well I recently got accepted into graduate school near my hometown. I will be heading back home to Chicago come completion of my bachelors. Getting started on my M.A. is next on my list. Until that begins in August, I’ll be looking for employment and enjoying life with my boyfriend.

    • Hi Mike,

      Of course! I love to support other writers with cool ideas and creative blogs!

      Thank you so much for your kind words. Everyday is an adventure and I love it.

      Looking forward to staying in touch. Keep writing!

      Best,
      HB

  34. Thanks for liking my post. I love your nomad ways. I also have a bachelor’s in psychology and I’m not doing anything with it. It works out.

    • Hi there! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! I appreciate your support on my venture =)

      What are you up to nowadays? Do you ever regret getting your degree in Psych?

      Looking forward to staying in touch! And on a completely random note, I love your e-mail address!

      • I don’t regret my Psychology degree, I regret not getting a graduate degree in Psychology. I ended up with a Master’s in corporate training, which is working out for me. I work in the pharmaceutical industry right now as a DEA compliance coordinator. Thanks for liking my email address. It’s quite accurate for my life in general.

        • Well I’m glad that you found a way to make it work! I feel like the undergraduate programs tend to be a little deceitful about being able to get by without a grad degree, but it sounds like everything worked out for you!

          Looking forward to following your work and staying in touch =).

  35. Hi Hillary
    Thanks for liking my post about English teaching. I’ve got a degree in Psych too and yes, it can take you anywhere you want and give you an intriguing insight on the world. Travel wide, live large. It’s one life we get, make it as big as you can!!
    Take care
    Jactherat

  36. I LOVE the idea for this blog! I am a long ago graduate from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Psychology and I can totally relate (although those days are long gone for me). Love what you are doing with your degree! 🙂 I look forward to reading more of you, Miss Hillary!

    • Thank you, thank you so much! I am overwhelmed by your support and so grateful to have you reading my blog!

      I am such a fan and can’t wait to follow more of your writing as well. =)

      I always love to gain perspective from other graduates. What do you think is the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself or life since graduating?

      Looking forward to staying in touch!

      All the best,
      HB

  37. Hi Hilary! Thanks for following “Musings of a Horse Mom” and “Poet’s Paddock.” I usually post on each once a week so it shouldn’t be too overwhelming. 😉 I appreciate your enthusiasm … Take care …

  38. Hi Hillary … Thanks for visiting my blog and liking my post. … For the record, what is “normal” anyway? Whatever you create for yourself is normal for you and that’s all that matters. So, it’s important you create the “normal” you want. Sounds like you’re on the right track. It’s a journey, that’s for sure … 😉 Enjoy your travels …

    • Thank you so much, Dorothy! You are absolutely right. Normal is all relative. I think the hardest challenge to overcome is comparing your life to others and it’s something that I’ve certainly been working on over the past year.

      Your horse is beautiful! Love reading your blog and hearing about your adventures. I hope you’ll stay in touch!

      All the best,
      HB

  39. Love your Blog title and banner! I would trade places with you in a jiff 😉 Love to travel 🙂 Have given up practicing medicine to write.

    I live in Goa, India, a little beach state in an enormous country. Have you visited India? It’s the ‘mother’ of all destinations – chaotic, warm, diverse, overwhelming and unique. A must-have experience me thinks! Not the easiest of destinations but certainly a one-of-a-kind journey!

    Thanks for visiting my blog. I know I’m coming back here 🙂

    • Thank you so much for your kind words! It sounds like you are having quite an amazing experience.

      I have not yet been to India but it’s definitely on my list! How long have you lived there? What made you decide to go to Goa?

      Looking forward to staying in touch! Keep writing!

  40. Hey Hilary! wow… it sounds like you’ve had an amazing childhood. I’ll be graduating this semester from college… and I too will need to find my niche in the world. I’m excited to see what you run into.. maybe you can even help me lol:)

    • Hey there! Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and comment. I appreciate your kind words!

      What an exciting time in your life! Do you have any idea what you want to do? I am happy to help however I can! I wish you all the best in your ventures and look forward to staying in touch =).

  41. Pingback: The Nomad Grad | Positive Las Vegas News

  42. Hi Hillary! I continue to enjoy your blog and look forward to updates on your travels, experiences and advice……so much fun! This morning I nominated you for the “Versatile Blogger Award,” you can check out the details on my blog, funandfabulousness.com.
    Take care, and happy travels,
    elisa

  43. Hey there Hilary! Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my post! I just have to say that basically I am insanely jealous that you are hanging out in France right now. France is my love, and always will be! Hopefully I can go back soon, but for now I guess you’ll have to enjoy it extra so I can live simultaneously through your posts!

  44. I have three degrees, one of them a B.A. Honours in Psychology. I have no idea what you do with psych unless you do further studies. It helped when teaching etc. but I quit teaching over three years ago. I consider my education to be more of a broadening of the mind instead of a means of obtaining a job. I guess it is not what you do with it but what you learn from it…

    Best of luck on your life journey! It will take you many places and you will continue to grow and develop in so many ways.

    • Thank you for sharing your story! It is always nice to hear other people’s stories and how they have made their situations work. What are you doing now?

      And I wish you the best to you and yours as well! I hope that we can stay in touch. All the best!

      • The short answer:
        *writing a memorial book about a WWII Bomber Crew
        *editing a book for a friend
        *volunteering one day per week at a museum doing research, Oral History interviews, transcribing, editing, writing panels, making power point presentations, creating educational links to the curriculum etc. (Okay, maybe one day per week is not exactly correct. I do take work home.)

        If anyone had told me in uni that I would be doing this, I would not have believed them. Thus why it truly is a life journey.

        • Wow! What an eclectic mix of activities! I look forward to reading the memorial book when you publish =).

          I hope to one day find such a wonderful group of things to do. You’ll have to keep me updated on your progress!

  45. Hi Hilary – I’m also a bit on hold trying to decide between getting divorced and traveling the world, becoming a Tour Director to take people on trips, teaching English as a second language…perhaps in Prague, or getting another job as an Event planner (my previous career). What I have learned is that no matter what I do…I choose to be happy and have gratitude for everything! Sending peace….Sherry

    • Hi Sherry,

      It sounds like you are at quite the turning point in your life. I know whatever you do it will be the right choice. It certainly sounds like you’ve lived with an adventurous spirit and zest for life! I hope you’ll stay in touch and let me know what you decide to do. =)

  46. Hi Hilary, thanks for reading my blog! I have a BA in philosophy and went on to get an MA in communicati&ns and design….I made a pretty penny as a creative director for years before realising I was richer mentally and physically as a yoga teacher. Your true work will find you. Your job is to stay open to all of life’s possibilities…you never know what will get thrown your way. Love Lizzie @ freeliz.com

    • Hi Lizzie,

      Thank you so much for stopping by! I am so happy to hear about your successful paradigm shift. I absolutely love yoga and am looking forward to having more time to delve into the practice.

      Thanks again for commenting and being so encouraging! Brightest blessings to you in the new year. =)

  47. I adore it when people “risk” who they are for what they “love” to do….You are living your DREAM and sharing it with others that have not yet started to do so.

    Kudos my dear…..photography, a degree in Psychology and being a skilled and talented writer are incredible gifts, you are very blessed.

    • Hi Marty,

      Thank you so much for your encouragement! It’s always nice to receive validation on this insane journey. =)

      Have you had a chance to do much traveling? Do you have a favorite vacation spot?

      Brightest blessings!

    • No need for envy, Shyala! You live quite the magical life yourself! I hope to one day find a man I want to spend the rest of my life with as you have done.

      Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my future blogs and reading yours. Please keep writing!

  48. Thanks for visiting my blog. Love your story and as a Now Moment Coach, you know i would tell you to enjoy the journey for life is only discovered in these precious moments. So enjoy! . Will keep up with your travels.

    • Hi Charles! Thanks for returning the favor!

      Wow, what a question! Hmmm… I’m not sure how I’d change the world, but if I had the chance to do so I would absolutely do it! I think inspiring others is really important. I hope to serve as a supporter for others reaching for their dreams, trying the extreme, or just for those who want to start looking at the world with different eyes. I think change is hard, so it’s nice to know you have someone around who’s willing you stand by you during those tumultuous times.

      What about you? What would you do?

      • Michelangelo, Thomas Edison, Mother Theresa and Steve Jobs all had the exact same number of hours in their day that I have in mine. The real question is will I accept what this world tells me I can and can’t do or will I challenge my own narrow horizons and timid expectations and compel the world to adjust to my vision?

  49. Hello Hilary, thanks for visiting my blog!
    Love your blog and trust that your time will be coming – soonish..
    I know how frustrating life can become when ones feels like “on hold”, but hang in there!
    Let the light shine.

    • Thank you so much for your kind words! I greatly appreciate your positivity and encouragement. It’s kind souls like you that keep me on this path of enlightenment and adventure.

      Please keep writing! I greatly enjoyed visiting your blog and can’t wait to see what you write next.

  50. Hillary,
    You are a very captivating writer,how about if you tried out writing as a career. You seem to have a talent in writing;and your experiences could be where to begin from.How about if you start traveling and writing your story about what those who can’t travel never get to know.Just a heads up, I love your blog and its philosophy

    • Thank you so much for your kind words! I greatly appreciate your encouragement and enthusiasm!

      I will certainly heed your advice and see what I can do to cultivate my writing career! Your support certainly serves as great motivation.

      Please keep writing!

  51. Thank you for visiting my blog.
    I tried the normal route but I learnt that life is anything but normal.
    Your posts are very interesting and entertaining.
    Makes me want to travel.

  52. Howdy –

    Wanted to stop by and see what your blog is about and say thanks for stopping by mine today. I’m glad you did, I believe I’m going to enjoy yours too………

  53. I love the idea of this blog. I graduated a few years ago having studied Science & Psychology and promptly got a job where I used none of that knowledge 🙂

    I’m looking forward to reading more.
    LF

    • Thank you so much, Jamie! I greatly appreciate you adding me to your list of recipients! I hope you are well and that you continue to write and explore! Looking forward to following your future posts!

  54. Hi Hilary,

    Coming from someone who has spent 4 years living on the road traveling and has never had “a real job”. The only real advice I can give you is travel light, always let someone know where you are and forget about comforts (a bed, a warm meal or hot shower). If you can handle that and it looks like you have 🙂 you’ll be fine. I enjoyed the blog, I’ll check back in to see how your doing, Luck is for wimps so just be you

    Dan

    • Hi Dan,

      Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting! I will absolutely heed your advice. It sounds like you are on the adventure of a lifetime yourself! I look forward to reading your future posts and marveling at your stellar photos.

      Keep writing!

      All the best,
      HB

  55. Thanks Hilary for Liking my post on oymb.wordpress.com 🙂 You seem to be living an adventurous and happening life yourself! I am looking forward to reading your blog! 🙂 Happy holidays!!

  56. Hi Hilary!,

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. I’m not very consistent about writing regularly, but I try. I have enjoyed your writing so far. I know how it can be when you have no idea what you really want to do and don’t want to get tied down while you figure it out. *chuckles* That’s been my whole life it seems, and at this point in my existence I figure why change now? There are so many wondrous things to see and experience in the world, yo should enjoy them as much as you can as long as you can. If you ever want a lovely tropical place to visit, I suggest Palau. I’ve been diving there and I would go back in a heart beat if I had the chance. http://www.visit-palau.com/

    Be well

    • Wow, it sounds like you’ve been on some amazing adventures yourself! How long have you been diving? What got you started on your journey?

      I love reading your blog and I feel very fortunate to have you stop by mine. Please keep writing!

  57. Thank you for liking my post. I can’t imagine having getting a BA and then being rejected for further study. What was it you were hoping to use your degree for?

    It’s nice if you have the funds to travel the world over. I was able to go to Maui in 2005 and visited Montreal and Quebec while in high school. I’d love to re-visit all those places, but probably won’t be able to for quite some time if ever.

    Eventually, I’ll probably post some pictures from Maui and write about it. I may put a pingback to this blog in that post. That would fit there better.

    • Hi Marsha!

      Yes, it was disappointing, but that’s okay. I think this is the road I’m supposed to be on at the moment, as untraveled and unpredictable as it may be!

      I was hoping to get my Ph.D. in clinical psychology focusing on eating disorders, body image, and multiculturalism research. I wanted to be a professor and teach at a university. I’m still very interested in getting an advanced degree, but I am happy to wait and see what else is out there.

      Sounds like you had some very memorable travels! I would love to read those blogs. And I would greatly appreciate the pingback! Thank you. Keep writing! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

  58. I love your site! It’s a shame that you weren’t given the opportunity to join us in the magical world of Grad School, where we slave for years on end, writing papers until they get tired of funding us and give us another degree.

    Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, though. It sounds like you’ve got a great project here, so I look forward to reading all about your adventures from the cramped comfort of my laboratory cubicle. XD

    • Hi Barry,

      Thanks so much for stopping by! I too, am disappointed that I was not one of the Chosen Ones to enter the ranks of the highly educated. I hope to one day revisit that path, but I sure am having a blast being unconventional. =)

      I hope you keep writing; I look forward to hearing about your grad school adventures. Stay sane!

  59. Hi Hillary-

    Very cool blog and I love your posts about Nicaragua! I can definitely relate with being beaten by a beaten path- I’ve been trying to get in to top law schools and have gotten all rejection letters. I no longer know if I want to continue my pursue because it seems challenging or because I want to challenge the status of quo.

    I look forward to reading more of your posts.

    g.

    • Hi Gema!

      Thank you so much for stopping by! I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed reading about my Central America adventure! Maybe one day you will get a chance to see the beaches yourself and share your stories with me. =)

      I know how disheartening the application process can be. I guess if I had any pearls of wisdom to bestow upon you I would say enjoy the unknown. I think it is a definite blessing to have the number of opportunities in your life at this time. Sometimes the beauty is just looking through all of the open doors.

      I hope you continue to enjoy reading my blogs! I certainly enjoy yours. Keep writing!

  60. Hi Hilary!

    “Normal” is no more exciting for those of us who’ve lived it, than your life is for you – although I have to say that yours looks pretty amazing, so far. By human nature, the grass is ALWAYS greener, isn’t it? Keep me posted on what it looks like on your side of the fence – I’ll be back… Thanks for writing!

    Cheers- Heidi
    PS- Have you come across Chris Guillebeau’s blog, The Art of Non-Conformity? I like it – you might too.

    • Hi Heidi,

      Thank you so much for stopping by! I really appreciate your kind words. The more time I spend marveling at the world the more I want to see! I love reading your blog. I hope you keep writing too!

      I haven’t checked out Chris’s blog yet, but I will certainly do so! Thank you so much for the referral!

  61. I very much enjoyed perusing your blog today! Nice to ‘meet you.’ Enjoy your travels and keep teaching us lessons from the road 🙂 Let me know what you find post graduation…. coming up on solving that query myself.

    • Thank you so much! I will be sure to inform you once I figure it out, but as for now I am very much enjoying the nomadic lifestyle. Please let me know what you decide once you reach that graduation marker!

  62. Travel is the key to a great life. I started early (after being the runner-up in AFS, high school senior year) and lived in Spain for 6 months when I was 20. If you feel the need for a degree, and I understand that, think about attending college in a foreign country/countries. But just keep travelling and writing about it!

    • Thank you so much, Mary! How did you like living in Spain? What are you doing nowadays? I will definitely start looking into graduate schools in other countries (once I can figure out what I want to do :). I can’t wait to read about more of your adventures. Keep writing!

      • I completely agree with Mary here. I was just going to scroll down and say they same thing. I went to Switzerland for my Master’s degree (after my undergrad in a top 10 university in the US) and ended up living there for 5 years. I got to travel all over, including all the neighbouring countries. It was great. You should try it. There are lots of great universities in Europe and many of them have graduate programs in English. They usually also offer some form of financial aid, so it is completely doable. And the best part is that tuition is usually not more than 1000 Euros per year (except in UK), so you do not have to worry about that.

        • Hey there! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and for your great advice! It’s definitely something worth looking into. I’m not sure if Grad School is the way for me right now, but it’s wonderful to have options!

          I hope you’ve enjoyed my blog and that you’ll come back!

          Happy adventuring!

  63. First time visitor, but I look forward to reading your posts! I love the passion for traveling the world, and traveling outside your comfort zone! Keep doing what you love, don’t fall into the trap that so many do 🙂

      • Wow…that’s a tough question. I would say for the rest and relaxation I would say either Jamaica or Mexico….nothing beats the feeling of getting up in the morning, having a coffee on the balcony and going down to beach to get some sun! As for sightseeing, nothing beats Germany and Amsterdam. Absolutely LOVED driving on the Autobahn and taking in the history. Stop by my other blog highfivetravel and check out some of my adventures i’ve taken with a travel CLUB i belong to! 🙂 There will definitely be more to come!

  64. Hey Hilary,

    Thanks for liking my post! 😀

    Normalcy is too much to bear when you have special moments waiting for you around every corner. (If that made any sense.)

    Your adventures look fun! I wish I could do that too – travel, live a little (or a lot). I’ll check back as often as I can, so keep blogging!

    Georgia

  65. Don’t be normal, there is too much life out there. You will find your way, probably in a manner you could never have guessed. Enjoy! (and thanks for stopping by my blog, too!)

  66. Hilary, I love your blog! Don’t try to have a normal life… everyone else is trying to have a unique life as full of adventure as yours! Enjoy your time traveling the world, I hope you find everything you’re searching for. 🙂

    • Thank you so much, Caitlyn! I really appreciate your support and sweet words!

      I love your blog as well! You have some great photos. It’s like you find magic in the everyday =).

      Is there a particular adventure you want to have or a place you want to go?

      • Oh thank you Hilary! My problem with choosing an adventure is that I want to go everywhere! However since I haven’t traveled much I would say my top choices are either Italy & Greece or England & Scotland. How about you? Where will you go next?

        • England is very pretty! I’ve found with picking places to go it’s always best to start with whatever presents itself. I never thought I would want to go to Nicaragua or enjoy it, but it’s now one of my favorite destinations.

          I have always wanted to go to Italy. If you make it over there you’ll have to let me know how you like it!

          And as far as my next adventure, I don’t quite know yet. There are a lot of opportunities abound and trips in the works, but I will be sure to let you know once I have a solid plan =).

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