Recently you might have seen some new names and faces at Vayable – either virtually or in person! We hired some awesome interns and want to take the time to introduce them one at a time. Our first in this series, Juliann, is a do-gooder, world traveler, and English major. Here is her personal introduction:

As a native of San Francisco, I’ve always been exposed to the variety of cultures and little pockets of communities here. At a young age, I was itching to see what else was out there. In high school our family hosted students from Israel, Japan, and Germany. This expanded my curiosity and my desire to seek adventure and understanding. At 16 I decided to volunteer abroad in Argentina, where I worked at an orphanage and soccer camp for deaf teens. Being there without my parents or anything familiar not only took me out of my comfort zone but also made me aware of what it really means to travel and experience how other people live.

Ever since that trip, I make it a point to be what I like to call, a productive traveler. Whether it’s volunteering or just taking the time to talk with a local over coffee, traveling should be a shared experience and not a closed off tour cluster. For me that is why Vayable is so exciting to be a part of. To meet locals and get insight into their memories, favorite places, and knowledge is what makes travel memorable. It makes me happy and ecstatic to help people get to explore unique places and connect with the people that make them fascinating.