I got the travel bug like so many people often do. I remember it clearly. I was in Mrs. Morrison’s second grade class and she shared Steve McCurry’s “Afghan Girl” National Geographic issue. It was the first National Geographic magazine that I had ever seen. I instantly wanted to pick up a camera and go see the world. That same year, Mrs. Morrison also taught us the “Seven Continents” song and I made it a personal goal to see them all before I turned 30.

In college, I traveled around the world on credit cards with all the naivety one is filled with during their younger years. More passion than planning, more whims than wisdom. During this time the words “interest” and “credit limit” were just words I skimmed over before signing my name on the dotted line. (Credit card companies are like vultures, but that’s for another article.) Needless to say, it took years of hard work to get out of debt. I’m now 28, live in Los Angeles, and run my own small business. I’m so thankful that while my debt has disappeared, my travel ambitions have not. I’ve been fortunate enough to see over 40 countries, and in these past two years alone I’ve been able to explore more than 10 countries while freelancing.

So, how do I do it? And how can you, too?