I’ve spent the majority of the last year travelling by backpack through New Zealand. Best decision of my life so far, I believe. After struggling through senior year, I was nowhere ready or excited to go to college. I was ready to do something different: something I wanted to do, not something I felt was the “right thing to do,” nor what was expected from me. This all popped in my mind when I heard the strange, unfamiliar term of “gap year.” I read about it and instantly started searching for my perfect gap year. After many options, I found I decided travelling New Zealand.

While I was travelling, I stayed in lots of hostels in the beginning of the trip, and slowly, became a wilder traveler, staying in the bush (NZ woods) and couch surfing, trying to save money. But while staying in hostels, I was always thinking how cool would it be to start one back home.

So, that now brings me here, to the point: I am at now living and working at a hostel! I feel that if you do the things in life that truly make you happy, then amazing opportunities will just come right to you. That’s what happened to me I listened to what I wanted to do and came home with this perfect opportunity to help start up Creekside. Creekside also gives me a chance to reach out to the younger crowd of the area and share my travelling experiences, showing them there are more options than just college if you’re not ready. Excited to see what the years have in hold for Creekside Cottages!