Worldly Women of Travel: Interview with Sarah Williams

The latest interview in our Worldly Women series features Sarah Williams.  Sarah and I initially met at work and became fast friends based on our shared midwestern backgrounds and sense of adventure.  Sarah is a beautiful person – inside and out.  It is my pleasure to share Sarah’s interview with you.

Per August 2024 Interview  

What / who first inspired you to travel? 

My Aunt Deb is a nurse and when I was 5 she went to Malawi, Africa for 3 years to serve in a free clinic.  We exchanged “letters” via cassette tape and she would tell me all about the people, the landscape, the food, and their culture. She would send some audio of the tribes singing. She inspired me that there is a huge, wonderful world outside of southern Minnesota where I grew up. The most exotic thing most people I grew up around did for holidays was go to Lake Okoboji, their cabin “up north”, or the Wisconsin Dells. Not that I’m criticizing that those destinations are fun. I just didn’t have a lot of examples of people who got on a plane and went halfway around the world until my Aunt Deb did it. My perspective now on travel is it’s not just vacation. I’m not going to lay on a beach and let someone bring me drinks (although that is fun for a couple of hours). I love getting to know the country and the people in a more meaningful way. Anthony Bourdain has so many good quotes-this is one of them “Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.”

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.” – Anthony Bourdain

What / where was your most pivotal trip? Where was it and why/how was it meaningful? 

Oh my goodness. That is such a difficult question! It was my very first international trip. I went to Israel, Egypt, and Jordan the summer after graduating from high school. It was so different from anything you see in the States and it seriously blew my 18-year-old mind. I remember landing in Cairo around 2 am and on the bus to the hotel there were donkeys and horses trotting next to us in like 10 lanes of traffic in the wee hours of the morning. The sense of history from the Western Wailing Wall to the Pyramids to absolutely ancient structures that are still standing was so different from anything I had seen before. All of this juxtaposed with the modern. I thought that the Pyramids would be out in the middle of nowhere but they’re practically right in the city. The food was amazing. The bazaars and the mosques were so beautiful. Growing up in a very conservative environment visiting these Middle Eastern countries, seeing how different people lived, and learning a little bit about their culture made me want to learn more about the world. I constantly think “How lucky am I? This small-town girl from Southern Minnesota has been all over the world”. As a kid, I never ever had any ambitions like that and I’m so grateful for the opportunities that have come my way.

How have your experiences traveling impacted your perspectives/actions (once you return home)?  

I think traveling does a couple of things. First-it makes me very grateful for the benefits living in the US provides from clean water (unless you live in Flint) to social programs like food stamps. Yes, there are loads of people who have it really tough and things that we need to improve upon but it’s all a relative comparison. Secondly, it makes me more interested in learning people’s stories and about their lives because everyone has a different path. For example, our new neighbor grew up in China. I love hearing about how he grew up and his perspective on life in suburban North Carolina.

What / where is next on your travel adventure list and why? 

I think it will be Panama. A friend has lived there for quite some time. My partner and I are considering living outside the US part-time, and Panama is on our list of options. Otherwise, it will be a diving trip to Honduras, Dominica, or Little Cayman.

What advice would you give to others considering an international trip? 

“Go to a local restaurant, go hear local music, ask the locals about their life, & be open to unexpected experiences. Be kind wherever you go.”    – Sarah Williams

GO! You will grow as a person with new experiences and exposure to a world that is not like your norm. Embrace the culture and 99 times out of 100, you will find that people will embrace you. Don’t just do the tourist stuff – go to a local restaurant, go hear local music, ask the locals about their life, and be open to unexpected experiences. Be kind wherever you go.

Thank you, Sarah! Your compassion, curiosity, enthusiasm, and passion shine through so brightly – and your presence makes the world a little brighter each day!