MEET THE TEAM: EMILY, TRAVEL SPECIALIST
Inspired by her spiritual travel experiences and Afro-Caribbean heritage, Emily combines industry knowledge and personal passion at Soul Life Travel. She’s traveled internationally since childhood—including many family road trips between Atlanta and her hometown of Toronto, Canada. Travel experiences as a young adult, however, led her to realize her passion for sustainable tourism and to join our team as a travel specialist and writer.
Keep reading to learn about Emily’s start in the tourism industry, travel’s role in her journey of self-discovery, and her motivation to create culturally authentic, responsible tours as a part of the Soul Life Travel team.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY?
As a college junior, I studied abroad in Senegal through an experiential learning program. I knew nothing about the country or anyone who had been there, instead of basing my decision on an inexplicable intuition. Fortunately, that gut feeling guided me to one of the most formative experiences of my life. In 3.5 short months, I discovered so much about myself and my identity (a mixed-race woman of Afro-Caribbean and European ancestry). Upon return to my home college in the U.S., I realized that academically speaking I had never learned and retained so much, so quickly. It differed starkly from previous experiences in typical classroom settings, where I’d performed well but the path to success was always painful. A semester with few traditional assignments and a focus on hands-on learning revealed that the problem wasn’t me but in fact a fundamental mismatch between learning and teaching styles.
That lesson moved me to accept a job at an educational travel company 2 years later. In Senegal, new experiences outside my usual environment had tested yet empowered me. They were scary and confusing at times, but ultimately liberating and illuminating. So, I jumped at the chance to help create experiential learning opportunities and lightbulb moments outside the classroom for youth. Nevertheless, inspirational travel experiences can occur at any age. I’m excited to work with more adult travelers at Soul Life Travel.
HOW DID YOU HEAR OF SOUL LIFE TRAVEL?
I met our founder, Sadie, in 2018 when she joined the Boston-based educational travel company where I worked. We bonded over our crossed paths in Atlanta. Unbeknownst to us, years earlier Sadie had worked in an office building that I often delivered to while employed at a nearby restaurant. It seems that our friendship was written in the stars! We quickly formed a strong professional relationship as well, with me supporting the Sales team and Sadie in Program Management. Like a well-oiled machine, we traded insights from the customer-facing and operational sides of the business and collaborated with each other and our teams to create high-quality, affordable tours in the U.S. and abroad. One day Sadie invited me to join the Soul Life Travel team. Given our compatibility as colleagues, sisterly bond, and a shared passion for transformative and sustainable travel, saying “yes” was a no-brainer!
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TOWARDS OUR MISSION?
The first time I traveled to Grenada, my father’s birthplace, I instantly connected and fell in love. It felt less “touristy” than most other places I’ve traveled. Listening to my dad reminisce as we drove around the island, sunbathing on quiet scenic beaches, enjoying day trips and brunches with cousins…to experience a version of Grenada that aligned with his nostalgic stories was priceless. When I returned 7 years later, relatives and friends agreed that much had changed. There were many more foreign visitors, due to the expansion of resorts—which seem out-of-place on this tiny island with already limited space. Many exit the airport and head straight to an all-inclusive hotel, which often translates to rarely leaving the property during their stay (only for a little sightseeing on the standard tourist circuit). My dad commented sadly on familiar spaces now gone or unrecognizable. Grenada was still gorgeous, but I sensed that something unique and precious had disappeared.
Tourism is not inherently or entirely bad. But, the trends of foreign-run companies driving tourism and contortion of diverse destinations to make them more familiar to visitors are unsustainable, unacceptable, and damaging to local ways of life. Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast started to be seen as an international travel destination relatively recently. Local communities’ fierce efforts to preserve their culture and the essence of their home appear effective, as big-box hotels and industry giants are still mostly absent. As a result travelers can experience Afro-Costa Rican culture in a more authentic way. When I see what’s happening in this region, I dream of what tourism could look like in Grenada if we ensure that local people hold the reins. For communities around the world, I believe it’s the only way forward that won’t do more harm than good in the long run. As a non-Costa Rican, at Soul Life Travel I support the goals of our Costa Rican founder, local partners, and clients of course. I love being a part of it!
Once Emily starts talking about Grenada, her passion shines through. At Soul Life Travel, we all find genuine joy in introducing you to the Costa Rica we know and love through an insider’s lens. You’ll experience Costa Rica in a deeper, more personal way and leave only your footprints. Click to read more about Emily and what drives us.
