I watched her expressions as she dipped a toe in the ocean for the first time in her life. As an aunt I may not get to see their first steps or hear their first words, but this was one first that I was there for – and I soaked in every delicious moment of […]
The engines revved as we left the harbor; our bodies got into the rhythm of the boat slicing through the waves and the salty wind and spray covering our faces. Belize is paradise. And when you are in paradise, at the top of the list of things to do in Belize is to get out […]
Much of Belize is actually hollow in a way – beneath the surface can be found some of the most extensive cave systems on the planet. Caving in Belize is a way to experience the adventure and the culture of Belize at the same time. Caves were the entrance to the Mayan underworld; the portal […]
All the air vents pointed towards her, blowing full blast. However, she was still hot and visibly unsettled as we got about 10 minutes into the first flight. I can feel that familiar feeling of ‘Oh shit,’ what can I do to try to make this better. How can I be supportive? How can I […]
“Allie is ok with silence.” Michele says. I hang on to any piece of advice Allie’s mom can give me as I am quite nervous about how this trip is going to go. This new piece of advice doesn’t make me feel any better. I’m not very good with silence I think- so this should […]
I want to continue to inspire others to travel with kids who aren’t their own and be travel mentors, so I decided to start taking guest posts about other Niece/Nephew Projects! You’ll hear their stories, tips, ups and downs from other Aunts, neices, and nephews. And if it inspires you to do a Niece Project […]
One of the most rewarding types of travel and writing I do is traveling with my nieces as part of the Niece Project. It’s not simply about building important relationships with my nieces or being a travel mentor to them; it’s about inspiring other Aunts and Uncles to do the same. Every year that I […]
When you turn 16 years old you can choose anywhere in the world and I will take you there; that’s the premise of the Niece Project. My fourth niece, Allie, chose Belize for her first trip out of the country. Over the last 8 days Allie and I learned a lot about each other as […]
From the beginning of the Niece Project it was Allie who always intimidated me. She is my brother’s middle daughter and is like none of my other nieces. I honestly was never sure if she would even want to go anywhere with me, let alone out of the country. She was the one I always […]
