Why I Started Travelling
From snowflakes to snorkels — how a Canadian girl ended up on a one-way flight to Australia.
It all started with a flurry of snow.
Literally.
One minute I was telling my mom, “When it starts snowing, I’m moving to Australia,” and six days after the first snowflake fell, I was boarding a plane to Melbourne.
That decision, impulsive as it might sound, was actually years in the making.
Not exactly glamorous — but this fishing boat was one of my first big adventures, and it taught me I could handle the unexpected.
The Original Dream: Marine Biology and the Great Barrier Reef
After graduating from the University of Guelph with a degree in Marine and Freshwater Biology, one thing was clear: I had to see the Great Barrier Reef. Australia wasn’t just a bucket list destination — it was the dream.
I wanted to go straight after university, but the timing wasn’t right. I was broke. And let’s be honest… why leave Canada’s summer for Australia’s winter?
So I came up with a new plan: save for a year, then head down under when the seasons flipped.
I applied for a Working Holiday Visa online and got approved within 24 hours. My uncle’s brother lived in Australia, and his daughter kindly offered to help me settle in. I had a landing pad — and a goal.
I told myself I’d stay six months.
I stayed two years.
This was supposed to be temporary. Instead, it became the chapter that changed everything.
One Flight Turns Into a Lifestyle
After Australia, I wasn’t ready to go home. New Zealand was right there — so I went. What was supposed to be a visit turned into 1.5 years of adventures, new friendships, and jaw-dropping nature.
Then I figured, Why not Europe? I’d never been. So I moved to the UK and stayed another two years. At that point, I was beginning to realize I wasn’t just travelling — I was living this way.
This wasn’t a gap year.
This was a life shift.
This wasn’t just travel anymore — it was life unfolding on the open road.
From Tourist to Teacher
While visiting Egypt, I met a new friend and casually suggested she should try teaching English abroad. She liked the idea — and so did I.
It hit me: I should take my own advice.
I got my TEFL certification and, having never been to Asia, chose Thailand as my next destination. That’s where my ESL journey began.
Since then, I’ve lived, worked, and wandered through dozens of countries — backpacking through Southeast Asia, teaching in Vietnam and South Korea, eating street food in the Philippines, and saying yes to as many adventures as I could.
Standing in front of my students in rural Thailand — a whole new kind of journey began here.
Why “Unsettled JD”?
Because I never really settled — and that’s exactly how I like it.
Unsettled JD is more than just a name. It’s a reflection of a life lived curiously, courageously, and often spontaneously. It’s for anyone who’s ever looked out the window and wondered what else is out there.
I hope this blog inspires you to chase your own version of unsettled — whether that’s a weekend trip, a working holiday, or a whole new life.
This is just the beginning.
Welcome to my world.
— JD ✈️
Looking back at history, while still writing my own story on the road.
