Traveler Spotlight: Samantha Zahorka

This weeks Traveler Spotlight: Samantha is a women near and dear to my heart. We grew up doing gymnastics together that stemmed our love for weekend trips to other states. Her family has shown me how traveling around your state is just as important as traveling around the world, and when given the chance, I flew her to Spain (where I lived at the time) along with another close friend. You could see her eyes spark with excitement with everything we did. Even though our love of travel stemmed from the same place our point of view is so different, I know you will enjoy her interview!

What’s your name and tell us a little bit about you.

“My name is Samantha, I am 24 years old and live in Meridian, Idaho. Currently, I work full time at a financial institution. I am newly married to the love of my life who keeps me grounded and shares the same passions as I do. I love change and adventure, I am always trying to change things up in my life. For as long as I can remember I have always had a passion for new sights and scenes. I was obsessed with seeing more than just my home town and I used to always threaten my parents and say I’d run away to California when I turned 18. That never happened because I found appreciation for my beautiful home state!”

How many countries have you traveled too?

“Three, mostly thanks to my best friend for fueling the fire within me to travel. She has taken me some amazing places and I can’t wait to share that with the family I will someday have.”

“When I travel It feels like I am running away, just for a brief moment.[…] It is a strangely calming experience getting away from my daily life. It has made me a happier person to experience things I normally wouldn’t at home.”

-Samantha Zahorka

What’s your favorite mode of travel? (Plane train cruise car walking ect.)

“I hate planes, but I typically drink a couple of drinks and I am just fine. I would say this is my preferred method of travel, its quick and boozy.”

What’s your dream travel destination?

“Germany is one of my dream destinations. My ancestors are German and Swedish on my mother’s side. My great grandfather’s name was Oswald Schmidt, he lived to be 92 and would talk about his world war 2 stories and his German family upbringing. I would love to get to know the culture and see the beautiful country.”

How has traveling helped you manage a healthy mentality?

“Traveling helps me escape my normal day to day routine. It is extremely important to me to see other individuals culture. It’s enlightening and a truly incredible experience to visit other countries. It’s food for the soul.”

What are some ways you use travel as a coping mechanism?

“Travel is generally an escape and an opportunity to relax. I am an overthinker and have anxiety about my personal life. It is therapeutic for me to get away from my life. When I get to sit back and learn about different cultures and experience things I wouldn’t in my day to day life. It helps that my husband shares the same hunger for adventure as I do, it is truly amazing to travel with someone you love.”

How do you choose who you travel with? Does it impact your trip?

“I mostly have traveled with my childhood best friends and when I have we have I find a new appreciation for the things she loves. I think its important to travel with people who want to broaden their horizons as much as you do. She drug me to the most beautiful art museum I have ever been to in Madrid, Spain. That is something I would have never done without her and it is truly an unforgettable experience!”

Do you have a favorite destination?

“I would have to say traveling to Europe was the best experience I have had. Flying into Amsterdam and then into Madrid, Spain was truly life-changing and I can’t wait to go back!”

When you travel do you make more friends than when you are at home?

“I’m more likely to make more friends when I’m away and especially when I’m traveling alone as I’m more relaxed and open speaking to new people. At home, I will generally meet up with friends to catch up and am not really aware of my surroundings.”

How has anxiety or depression affected your travels negatively?

“I have anxiety about bringing everything I need. I typically overpack and that can be stressful because I am so worried about having enough things I forget the important stuff like my toothbrush or anti-nausea because I tend to get sick on planes. That’s why I like to travel with another person and I typically create a checklist now.”

How has anxiety or depression affected your travels positively?

“When I travel It feels like I am running away, just for a brief moment I feel as if my traveling soul is where it should be. It is a strangely calming experience getting away from my daily life. It has made me a happier person to experience things I normally wouldn’t at home.”

Do you feel that traveling is a coping mechanism for a lot of people? Does
your family or friends use traveling as an escape from reality the same way
you do? Or do you feel that they travel for other reasons?

Everybody travels for different reasons. Some people might travel for a coping mechanism while for others, it’s to explore and discover the world. Travelling is an enjoyable experience either way and even more enjoyable as we are limited to time and money so it’s important to make the most of it either way.

What’s one thing you can not travel without.

Dry shampoo! It is a girls best friend.

What’s your number one travel tip for our fellow travelers out there?

Try to do something you wouldn’t normally do at home. Travel is about love and self-care and leading a fulfilled life.

If you would like to reach out to our Traveler Spotlight: Samantha you can reach her at Instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/samantha_223/