RUTH SWOPE: biographyI was born and raised (more or less) in Derry, New Hampshire, a small state on the east coast of the United States. I'm the seventh of nine hildren, almost all of which share my love of traveling. When I was eight, my family whole family (my parents and the 7 kids who lived at home!) left our house in New Hampshire and moved to Europe. I spent 3rd grade homeschooling in Italy, Croatia, and Austria, then stayed in Vienna through 4th grade and part of 5th.
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I moved back to the States in 5th grade and spent high school there, but traveled a lot during the summers. I'm currently taking a gap year and learning Spanish here at the University of Navarre in Spain!
why I love to travel
I've been traveling with my family ever since I was 5 years old, when my dad suggested we should spend a month in Africa for summer vacation, instead of Florida. My earliest memories are from that crazy vacation, and from my time in Europe in grade school. Actually living in other countries as a kid made me appreciate the similarities and differences in everyday life of different cultures.
My family also owns a small shop called A World Apart, which sells handicrafts and home decor from around the world, especially South-East Asia (check out our website!). We do all our imports ourselves -- By actually travelling to developing countries and finding merchandise in the markets and in the streets! In high school, my dad started taking me with a sibling or two to Asia, and I fell in love with cultures and lifestyles that were completely opposite my own.
Traveling is a way to learn, and to expand your horizons. I feel more able to relate to people from different backgrounds now that I've seen what a variety of cultures there are across our world. And travelling is where you gain the most special experiences -- like meditating atop a mountain with a Hindi friend in Nepal, or enjoying a refreshing milk coffee in Vietnam, or seeing the dazzling light shining through stained glass windows of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona. There are countless ways to travel, and each one brings a different experience. But my first piece of advice is to go for it -- don't think that expense or logistics are insurmountable barriers! For me, even cheap travel is one of the most rewarding experiences life can offer.
My family also owns a small shop called A World Apart, which sells handicrafts and home decor from around the world, especially South-East Asia (check out our website!). We do all our imports ourselves -- By actually travelling to developing countries and finding merchandise in the markets and in the streets! In high school, my dad started taking me with a sibling or two to Asia, and I fell in love with cultures and lifestyles that were completely opposite my own.
Traveling is a way to learn, and to expand your horizons. I feel more able to relate to people from different backgrounds now that I've seen what a variety of cultures there are across our world. And travelling is where you gain the most special experiences -- like meditating atop a mountain with a Hindi friend in Nepal, or enjoying a refreshing milk coffee in Vietnam, or seeing the dazzling light shining through stained glass windows of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona. There are countless ways to travel, and each one brings a different experience. But my first piece of advice is to go for it -- don't think that expense or logistics are insurmountable barriers! For me, even cheap travel is one of the most rewarding experiences life can offer.