New Beginnings

The beauty of travel is that it has the ability to expand not only your mind but also the depth of your humanity. You develop the capacity to relate to and appreciate other people, cultures, foods, and ways of life in profound ways. The more you experience, the greater your compassion for others.

That, I know for sure. 

I laid awake in bed night after night feeling…adrift in life. I had so much to be grateful for: a loving husband; a beautiful home; a supportive community; an established career; the respect of peers, colleagues, and clients – the list went on.

I checked all of the social milestones I was expected to achieve yet deep down I still felt – heartachingly – unfulfilled. I was a 39 year-old executive whose entire identity was intrinsically intertwined with my job.  

Sure I appreciated the trappings of having a good job with a good salary, but deep down I was lost; I felt like… is this it? Work endlessly, live for the weekends, and use my vacation time to keep this nagging feeling in my soul at bay? How the hell did I even get here? 

#GirlBoss Era 

I realized that at the height of the #girlboss era, I was so eager to prove my undying allegiance to my company that I did anything and everything to win the approval, accolades, and confidence of others. 

The truth is, I had zero self-worth and I derived all of my value from how good of an employee I was. After more than a decade on the never-ending quest to constantly prove myself (which was also a cultural edict embraced by my employer), I felt drained.

Sitting with the emotional turmoil this kicked up, I got honest with myself. I wanted more out of life than to run on the proverbial corporate hamster wheel where I was only as good enough as my last deliverable; my last presentation; my last client call; my last pitch meeting. 

There’s a reason Corporate Erin is so triggering on social – she perfectly captures cringeworthy corporate culture, littered with its empty jargon. The worst part? I was guilty of doing the same thing. 

I was craving a change. Something dramatic…  

Portugal Was Calling 

My husband and I first visited Portugal in 2016 and subsequently went back several more times. We always talked about moving there “one day” (we were madly in love with the genuinely kind people, the incredible seafood, the vibrant culture – and, frankly, the sense of safety). 

However, in late 2022 I had reached my wits end at work. After an endless cycle of restructures and lay-offs (for years), my employer was gearing up for yet another round; that along with unearthing ourselves from a series of deeply painful family ruptures, we decided that 2023 would be the year we’d make the move overseas. 

We got to work in January 2023 getting our Portuguese residency visa applications in order with the goal of getting approved and moved by spring/summer (more on that here). 

I had every intention of quitting my job before moving but as fate would have it, I was laid off just beforehand.

As a new leadership team came onboard, they wanted a changing of the guard – out with the old and in with the new. And having been there well over a decade, I was seen as the old.  

Rejection = Redirection 

Unemployment became a gift. Once we moved overseas, it granted me the time to rediscover my passions and desires. I started listening to what I wanted – not society, not even loved ones.

This was so huge for me because I lived my whole life living by others’ expectations (likely the byproduct of being a first generation American and the eldest child in my family); for the first time, my only desire was to live by my own. 

Back in 2005, I authored a blog about my college study abroad adventures in New Zealand, which I had a blast writing – I  chronicled my travels across New Zealand and Australia then solo adventures to Vietnam, China, Japan, and Malaysia.

Travel was such a passion of mine and the blog was my creative outlet. It’s how I got to know myself.

After graduating, of course, I took the road well-traveled and went out into the “real world” to find a “real job.”  

The Birth of Aviothic 

As I considered the next chapter of my life post-layoff, I wanted to return to that feeling of… fun and creativity. I wanted to travel; I wanted the freedom to experience my fullest self-expression by doing and creating something all my own. 

I wanted to soar; that is literally what Aviothic means: a strong desire to be up in the air. 

As the daughter of a former airline pilot and travel agent, the thrill of travel coursed through my blood (especially having lived abroad growing up – in Kuala Lumpur as well as Brussels – and having traveled most of my life) so I knew I wanted to create an inspiring and fun online destination around topics I loved most: travel and food (plus a few others close to my heart).

The world felt even closer than ever given our move to Europe. 

The beauty of travel is that it has the ability to expand not only your mind but also the depth of your humanity. You develop the capacity to relate to and appreciate other people, cultures, foods, and ways of life in profound ways. The more you experience, the greater your compassion for others. That, I know for sure. 

And, so here we are: Aviothic. It’s my little corner of the web, offering a sense of adventure for women with a discerning palate. I am so excited to share my travels with you – from Copenhagen’s culinary delights, to the vineyards of Douro Valley, to shopping in Milan – and everything else in between.

I hope you find inspiration and some fabulous recommendations too for adventures of your very own. 

I’m excited we’re both here.