Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacquelynn Houston.
Jacquelynn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up on a lake in the land of 10,000 lakes… sweet ‘ol Minnesota. I am very fortunate to have a family that filled my childhood with so much adventure. Every summer we would go on a road trip to different National Parks, and when we were home, it was endless lake days, including all things water sports.
Growing up, I always knew I craved more adventure than Minnesota was willing to offer me, which is why I had my heart set on leaving for California for college. When I was sixteen years old, I traveled to Spain all alone. Prior to this, I had gone out of the country many times, but always with my family and barely ever leaving a resort. I thought that was travel. I thought that was immersing myself into a different culture.
My solo expedition was to this day the greatest thing I could have ever done to myself. Prior to this adventure, I never really felt like I had my “thing”. I sucked at sports, didn’t play any instruments, wasn’t into art… I couldn’t figure it out. It was in a small little municipality of Spain, named Quero, that I found myself and found my passion and love for traveling. I have since traveled to 27 states and 22 countries.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’m from Minnesota… roads don’t exist without potholes 😉 I have definitely had struggles along the way, but I never let these struggles define who I am. I think how we cope with our struggles says a lot about who we are as a person. And without our struggles, we would not appreciate our successes as much.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am currently a student at San Diego State University. When I was in high school, I did a program called PSEO, which allowed me to graduate high school with my Associate’s Degree. This put me two years ahead, so although I am only a sophomore, I am graduating this spring!
This fall I am planning on traveling Planet Earth. Yes… the whole planet. If there’s anything I’ve learned in the past few years, it is that we aren’t guaranteed our futures. Who can promise me that I will be healthy and able to travel the world when I’m sixty pushing seventy? I truly believe there is no better time than now. Once I return from abroad, I am going to start flight school in San Diego in hopes of becoming a commercial airline pilot!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I am a strong believer in no regrets. Ultimately, everything in our past, the good and the bad, has brought us to where we are in this exact moment, which is pretty miraculous isn’t it?
Although there are things I wish never happened, I do know that I am a stronger, better person because of it. The only thing that I wish is that I could go back and tell myself that everything is going to be okay. The universe is never going to set you up for failure. It is all part of a plan.
Contact Info:
- Email: jhoustonnn@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jacquelynnrh
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