The lotus is a unique flower. Its petals blossom one by one but it will only grow in mud. For this, it is a prominent symbol in yoga and buddhism and a constant reminder that we can flourish from whatever life presents, no matter the circumstances.

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"I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world." - Mary Anne Radmacher

In 2009, I travelled alone to study in New Zealand. It was my first official trip outside of The United States (a cruise to the Bahamas doesn't count) and it very much changed the way I look at the world.

I saw life in a different perspective and watched the sunset over the Pacific, the snow fall during the summer, and the moon shine with different stars. Well, the same stars from a different view. And I saw all of this 8,622 miles away from home.

Since then, I have now seen the moon shine from four different places I've called home on four different continents. And each time I see it, I see it a little differently and I also see a little difference in myself.

-- This picture was taken during my second week in Spain when I traveled north of Barcelona to visit an old friend. We watched the sun set and the moon shine over the Banyoles Lake.

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I took this picture of a graffiti wall outside of my favorite bar in my neighborhood in Madrid. This street art is weird and beautiful and I am embarrassed that I'd walked down that street many times before even noticing the wall. This reminded me to take in my experiences and be grateful for the life I am currently living...

Life is always an adventure and everyday can be a learning experience, but you must dive into the unusual and make yourself a little uncomfortable to discover something new. I have spoken before about my cravings for the unfamiliar, but I realize I do not always have to travel to fulfill this feeling.

Yesterday, I was invited to join an improv comedy group. Acting scares me. I like to be myself and I don't want to pretend to be anything else for the entertainment of an audience. But with a little pressure from a friend, I decided that I will give it a try. Who knows what I will gain from the experience!

What unusual are you adding to your ordinary life?

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"If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello." - Paulo Coelho

This is a picture that my friend Julia and I self-timed during a sunset on the beach of Canoa, Ecuador - a place that we called home for a year.

My time in Ecuador had its ups and downs and I don't know if I could have handled it without Julia. We met very early on and became fast friends.

There were times when we had stomach parasites, times when we were robbed, times we couldn't speak the language and other times (later on) when we could speak very well. There were times when we lived easy and times when the money was tight. There were times when we just wanted to give up and go home (Julia back to Germany and me to The States) and there was a time when we were crying at the bus stop because we didn't want to say goodbye.

It's hard living in many different places because you are constantly saying [a temporary] goodbye, but it seems that a new friend always emerges just as you begin to really miss the ones you had to leave behind.

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"Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures." -Lovelle Drachman

I think being curious is one of the best traits to have. I've mentioned it on many job interviews during the oh-so-original "What three words best describe you" part, but I'd also say it is one of my worst characteristics. 

When I was 8 years old, it led me into many patches of poison ivy. At 13, it was mistaken for nosiness by pre-pubescent girls. At 17, curiosity was journalism. And at 22 it turned into wanderlust.

Now at age 24, I'm not sure how to define my curiosity, but I do have a continuous desire to learn more, know more and (of course) adventure more.

The picture is me hiking at La Cru de Gurb taken by my very talented friend Lucia Mueller. 

Look for future "Words on Wednesday" every... WEDNESDAY, of course!

What are your favorite quotes about travel? 

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"While you’re young, you should travel. You should take the time to see the world and taste the fullness of life. Spend an afternoon sitting in front of the Michelangelo. Walk the streets of Paris. Climb Kilimanjaro. Hike the Appalachian trail. See the Great Wall of China. Get your heart broken by the 'killing fields' of Cambodia. Swim through the Great Barrier Reef. These are the moments that define the rest of your life; they’re the experiences that stick with you forever."

2. THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON ADVENTURE
"This is your brain on adventure. This is your brain when you're lost in the world… They gave me this drug once. It was called "adventure." It was injected, a bite, into my brain and filled every cortex, every lobe, every bit of matter. It choked me. It changed me."

3. AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PARENTS OF DAUGHTERS WHO WISH TO TRAVEL THE WORLD
"She has developed a mind of her own during her studies, has gotten ideas from books that lead her to believe that perhaps another kind of education awaits her after graduation – the kind that involves leaping into the great unknown, of setting out on a journey. She has heard talk of cheap student fares and raucous hostels, whispered rumors of Incan ruins at dawn and dingoes at dusk. And she is intrigued. More than intrigued. Dear parents: brace yourselves: your daughter wants to travel the world."

4. EVERY WOMAN SHOULD TRAVEL ALONE
"If you are lucky, you stop seeing the world as a series of things you do not have — a boyfriend, a baby, an adorable terrier – and you start noticing the things you do have. A healthy bank account, unburdened by mortgages or school loans. No romantic ties. Loving parents who wanted nothing but happiness for me. Years to burn. That kind of freedom is like a command from the universe to get off your ass and do something amazing."

5. LET’S RUN
"Let’s find our feet and take a walk, no RUN. Ya, let’s run. Let’s run like we’re five years old and time goes slower because everything is new again and we don’t yet know what every day will hold because we’re still using our imaginations to make it up. We’re still playing house, playing James Bond, playing make believe. Like we’re five years old and running through the grass, jumping over the dog poop, [stepping in the dog poop] and running for no particular reason except that we feel alive and we’re breathing and we can."

Dear Parents:

It’s me, Rachel. We haven’t formally met. I am not a licensed medical or psychological professional. I’m only a writer – a profession that requires little in the way of legitimate qualifications. Still, I hope you’ll hear me out. I’ve heard that your daughters – young women in their late teens and early twenties – have of late been considering the idea that they might be of the constitution and comportment to have some adventures. Maybe your daughter is a new high school graduate or in the middle of her college years or just graduated from some ivy-covered university where she spent hours poring over literature and philosophy and debating gender performance. Your daughter is educated and free-spirited and full of wonder, thanks in large part to the opportunities you have provided her.

Previously published in a travel column for The Appalachian, Appalachian State University's student newspaper

10 Simple Tips for Travel Photography  Every traveler should document his or her trip through photography. Whether to share your experience with those back home, relive personal memories or make some quick cash (Google “travel photo contests” and you will not be disappointed), taking pictures, a lot of pictures, should be a priority.  In this technological age with affordable cameras, no one has the excuse to not be a photographer. As long as you have a basic digital camera and the willingness to be creative, your pictures will look like those found in National Geographic in no time.  Just follow these ten simple tips and you will soon have your favorite pictures to last a lifetime.  1. Get acquainted. You don’t have to sit down and read through the massive instruction book, but most digital cameras have creative tools that can give your photos that artistic edge. Skim the text and then play with the functions in your free time. Whether it be on the plane, train, bus, boat or camel en route to your next destination, make sure you know the ins and outs of the camera before your arrival.  2. Always be ready and raring. After hours of becoming familiar with your camera, the battery is most likely running low. Get into the habit of putting your battery on the charger whenever you walk into the room. If traveling overseas, be sure to have outlet adapters so you won’t miss out on any great pics due to a dead battery. And never forget to grab the camera (with the battery inside!) each time you leave your room.  3. Invest in protection. Although your camera may fit perfectly snug in the back pocket of your Levi’s, that will not shield it from the wear and tear of travel. Look for a case with a sturdy outer cover that will provide protection if dropped on a rock in the Grand Canyon or fallen on when skiing the Alps.  4. Be flashy. Camera flashes are not only for indoors, they can be useful in all types of settings. While shooting outdoors, the sun is a major deciding factor on the outcome of a picture. Its harshness can create awkward shadows on your subject, but using the flash can eliminate these dark areas. If the majority of light is coming from behind the subject, such as a picture in front of a sunset, always use the flash to avoid a dark silhouette. Also don’t get too accustomed to using the flash, cloudy days and early morning pictures have great lighting that can create a soft, natural glow.  5. Get close. Getting close can reveal amazing details of texture or emotion. Pick one element and make it the main focal point of the picture. Then, take one step back and click the picture (most camera’s will take a blurry picture if they’re held any closer). Also, the closer you are the less you need to use your zoom. Zooming results in low resolution and eliminates an interesting angle. So burn those few extra calories by walking right up to your focal point for your snapshot.   6. Get some action. Adding a little glimpse of life to your photos makes them realistic and interesting. Find some small facet of action within your lens when snapping a picture. Children running across a famous street or a bird flying in the sunset of a beach will give the photo an extra charm to make it original and your own.  7. Don’t be vertically challenged. It seems that many of us forget to rotate the camera to its side, but the truth is many things look better vertical. So don’t forget to turn that camera sideways for the Eiffel Tower or anything else that stands perpendicular to the horizon.  8. Don’t be camera shy. While shots of the landscape and historical matter are important to have in your photo albums, pictures that you are in will more likely become the ones you will cherish. If traveling in a small group, avoid take pictures with an outstretched arm that cut off the top of someone’s head. Instead, whenever you see someone administering this technique, offer to take their picture and ask them to take one in return. This method is also extremely rewarding while traveling alone.  9. Learn to use a simple photo editor A few simple clicks of the mouse can turn a good picture into a great picture. Use your computer’s existing software (Mac’s iPhoto works fine) or download a program to get started (Google’s Picasa is a free, basic option that is a good start for beginners). Play with the contrast, brightness, saturation and sharpness to find what you think increases the appeal of a picture.  10. Take a lot of pictures. Make sure to have invested in a large memory card that can hold a lot of pictures, and just keep clicking! The great thing about digital cameras is the ability to delete the bad ones later on. So take as many pictures as you possible can to capture all of the great moments you experience while on your travels.