In the passport of my life, you will find pages marked by stamps in the shape of state flowers. The California Poppy, the Violet, the American Beauty, and the Yellow Hibiscus. Four different flowers shine brightly on their respective page, illuminating my adolescence spent in several cities and states. At a very young age, I was introduced to this sporadic lifestyle, having lived in CA, NJ, and DC to name a few. Being the daughter of two Navy Veterans, I was able to experience so many different cultures and communities that ultimately influenced my love for travel. Growing up, I heard the stories my parents told me of their voyages in the navy (and it made our lifestyle seem so typical), with their time overseas in places like Korea, Iraq, and Japan. It was through those experiences that my parents realized how important it was to learn about new cultures and communities and instilled that same value in my brothers and me. As we moved around, we were able to witness the inauguration of President Obama and the opening of the MLK monument, we visited multiple national parks, voyaged four of the seven seas, and even more. As I approach my second year at Hawaii Pacific University, I look forward to studying abroad in London and learning in classrooms that take place in art museums or pivotal cities within our world’s history. With the influence and fond memories during their time in the Navy, my parents instilled in me the importance of exploring the world, of seeking education in more than just textbooks. In my most recent voyage, I flew across the Pacific to the beautiful coasts of Melbourne, Australia, there I was able to experience a culture so similar but so different at the same time. The main thing I was in awe of during my time ‘down under’ was the constant individual efforts to push for a more sustainable society. From their continuous reminders to recycle and compost to their conscious decisions to more meatless diets, many of the population there had supported this lifestyle to make their environment cleaner. Although I had done most of this before, I had decided to take extra steps (no matter how small) to reduce my footprint, for example unplugging things that I am not using at the moment or replacing the bottled water with Brita filters. From my experience abroad, I took home with me some of the lifestyle choices that had been implemented during my time there to make a more positive impact in my household. My love and passion for travel and experiencing new cultures began long before I was born. It started when my parents decided they wanted to serve their country and protect their home by enlisting in the Navy. Their experiences created stories and adventures that were reiterated to me in my childhood, in doing so my dreams of doing something similar have stayed true since I was small. As an aspiring journalist/author, I want to write about my experiences abroad and inspire others in the same way my parents inspired me. Therefore, the military has, through my parents, brought me closer to my greatest passion, traveling, and connected me to cultures and communities from around the world.