This week’s photo is a throwback to my first trip outside of the United States, to Europe. My trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower happened to coincide with not only France’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union (which rotates between member states every six months), but also on Fête Nationale — or Bastille Day — the day the French celebrate their independence.

Though much of Orange County is residential and not your “typical” tourist spot, it’s quickly gaining notoriety as a vacation spot with beautiful people and beaches and easy access to the major cities in Southern California. Here’s how I spent my last week in The O.C.

For my first in the “A Look Back” series, I wanted to talk about my experience as a first-time diver.

To get me writing and you all reading again, I’m going to start to feature a new series called, “A Look Back,” highlighting the things I never took an opportunity to write about while abroad.

JERRY! JERRY! JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!

This entry for Daily Inspiration is brought to you by the best book I’ve read in a long time, by traveling writer Rory MacLean. Live it, learn it, love it.

After a day-long quest to find my favorite fruit in Chinatown, I finally able to convert my two most vocal mangosteen-nonbelievers into semi-supporters in this follow-up post about the wonderful mangosteen fruit from Southeast Asia.

I’m back to working various odd jobs and I’m finding it’s hard to do a job (even if it’s part time) when you just don’t love what you’re doing. But, you do what you have to in order to work toward the next major goal.

Petra is a historic and archaeological city (named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985) that was established some time around the 6th century BC. The site, nicknamed “The Rose-Red City” was unknown to the Western World until 1812, when it was rediscovered by a Swiss explorer.

Now that I’m back in the States, as promised I’m taking the time to write about the things I did along my route that I never had the opportunity to write about previously on She’s in Love with the World. Follow along as I revisit some of my favorite, memorable and most stops on my journey. First up are my twice-weekly visits to Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Center, a place that few tourists venture deep enough into the city to see.