My day job working as a lady in tech keeps me very busy these days. Admittedly, my absence on Pure Wander has been noticeable over the past few weeks, Believe it or not I didn’t take the summer off, in fact my fingers were glued to my keyboard as the dog days of summer passed by.

This included a quick hop across the pond to meet my European colleagues in Bucharest, Romania. It only took a few sips of palinka in the company of locals to realize that Romania has much more to offer than vampire tales. Bucharest certainly took me by surprise, so much so that I’m heading back for a few months this fall! I see why people might want to think about moving there long-term, or potentially buying property in Romania. After spending much time there, it seems like a good investment.

You’ll never know if you don’t go

As the plane sat on the tarmac preparing for takeoff, I made a pivotal decision. This trip Bucharest would only mark the beginning of an eastern European adventure. I’ve heard amazing things about thriving industries and business in Romania, I couldn’t wait to be a part of it. I would do whatever it takes to make my way back to this unexpectedly charming city.

The question is, will I be able to weave my personal passion for travel into my professional life? While preparing the relocation proposal, the following travel quote served as inspiration:  “You’ll never know if you don’t go” – Your Passport.

Fighting Fears as a Lady in Tech

Working in a male dominated field can lend itself to challenges as a lady in tech. In my seven years working as a product designer and front-end developer I have faced these challenges first hand. One of the biggest lessons I have learned if that despite how intimidating it may be, you must empower yourself to speak up and be heard, truly leaning in. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook executive and advocate for women in the workplace says is best, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

After meeting the people whom I’d only previously seen on a slack channel, I realized the value face time (not the apple invention) can have in a remote collaboration environment. It took real guts to muster up the courage to approach management, but it paid off. To my surprise this was an easy sell!

The healing power of travel

Career development was not the only reason for the trip. A few years ago I experienced my first heartbreak. True heartbreak, the soul crushing, hopeless kind of lost love. I had pictured myself building a life someone who had no interest in living that life with me.

Looking back on that dark time I’m now grateful for it. One of the first things I did after taking off the ring was to head straight to the bookstore. I breezed past the self-help and romance sections, beelining to the travel section. What book did I buy? Getting Out: Your Guide to leaving America.

I resisted the urge to run that summer. However, I am glad that three years later I’m figuring out a way to live my dream and embrace love in a different form. Love of travel. I’m certainly looking forward to the direction this adventure takes my heart, body, and soul. I’m especially looking forward to sharing my adventures this fall here on Pure Wander.