Justin
Age: 26
Education: BA: Secondary Education: English
Previous Occupation(s): Secondary English Teacher, Training Coordinator, Technical Writer and Software Tester
Hometown: Livonia, Michigan. United States of America
Born and raised in Michigan, I have traveled extensively throughout the United States. At a young age I came to enjoy road trips and the feeling of being on the road. As I came of age, I was prone to impulsive road trips and I grew uncomfortable when I spent too long in one place.
Even with this wanderlust, I manage to go to college (go broncos!), met, and eventually married, a gorgeous curly haired girl, and obtained a decent job as a technical writer/software tester with a consulting company. Interestingly, Natalie and I had planned on moving to China to teach English after I graduated (she graduated a year before me) but several events convinced us that we should stay state side for a time. Although I am a trained high school English teacher, my wander lust got the best of me and I was unable to accept a position at a great high 
Natalie
Age: 25
Education: BA: Organizational Communication
Minors: Comparative Religion and Chinese
Previous Occupation(s): Advertising Coordinator, Event Planner, Barista
Hometown: Livonia, Michigan. United States of America
Also born and raised in Michigan, I have traveled both globally and within the states. 
Overall, I have always been interested in people of other nations. As a result of some of my interests, I studied Chinese during college. I even spent some time studying at Beijing Language and Culture University. Through my experiences and interactions with other students, I fell in love with China and the Chinese people.
Another result of my interest in other countries and cultures, was traveling to Mexico to help build an orphanage (La Casa Hogar). It was an extremely rewarding experience and might be the closest that I have ever come to feeling like a nomad backpacker. Nine days without a shower. Living out of an Adidas duffel bag. Sleeping on a concrete slab with the stars above me.
Although some of the places I have traveled to and the experiences that I had in the past seem rather adventurous, I have never previously lived an existence as a nomad backpacker.
Hey Natalie!!
Thanks for your lovely comment on my travel blog. I’m delighted to hear you and hubby, Justin, are fellow ultra vagabonds!!!
Travel is truly one of the most spiritually expanding activities one can engage in…. and, um, add in traveling with your spouse?!!! Whew, now you have a DEEPLY spiritual journey. heheee!! (Hubby and I joke about our RV lifestlye being a “mobile marriage bootcamp” as you may have seen on my blog.
By the way, are you two on Twitter? It’s a fabulous micro blogging site to update your peeps with your day-to-day activities and upload photos (TwitPics.com) and share your location (TwitterVision.com) among other fun stuff. You can add a widget to your blog here that will pull in your tweets! Feel free to follow me http://twitter.com/marismith and I’ll follow you back and we can “tweet” to each other too.
Cheers,
Mari
Thanks for visiting my blog. A year of backpacking the world will be exciting and enlightening. Travel safely and I hope Justin fulfills his dream of motorcycling in China.
Take care,
Donna
Thank you Mari and Donna,
I know that we have quite the journey ahead. And I am sure that we will learn a lot through our experiences and it should prove to strengthen our marriage. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see how our friendship and relationship morphs through our travels.
Oh, and we are not on Twitter. However, we will plan on updating this website with our travel adventures.
As for taking a motorcycle across China, it would be marvelous! I know it is a dream of Justin’s, so who knows? Donna, if his dream comes true you will definitely hear about it. However, one possibility we have been exploring since before we even began dating…way back in the day (2003), is becoming teachers in China. To teach English in China, now that would be an incredible adventure.
Thanks again for all of your support and encouragement. Enjoy pursuing your own adventures in life.
Hey guys, Its Greg from Startbackpacking.com. Very excited about you taking the leap to escape the cubicle and start a new life adventure. I’ll be reading.
Cheers and best of luck!
Greg
Greg,
Your site looks like an excellent resource for future vagabonds and nomads. Thanks for the input.
hi natalie and justin,
Love your website! We met you near the waterfront in Auckland ( Borders bag people !!). Hope you make it to Auckland Museum! Waitomo caves is fascinating! If you like boiling mud pools and geysers Rotorua is a must-see. Try and check out the Auckland wild west coast if you get the chance. Muriwai beach is a black sand beach with gannet bird colonies. Sounds like you have done such terrific humanitarian work in Mexico and china. Good on you guys!!
Kiri and Carl
@kiri and carl – Thank you for all of the great suggestions. You were both so nice to Natalie and I when we met you in Auckland! We are currently loving New Zealand from Great Barrier Island and enjoying the wonderful hiking (tramping). Thank you for introducing us to the wonderful hospitality of the kiwis!
I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE HAVING A BALL!!
Teacher myself, in Seattle.
Hope you guys get to Raglan if you haven’t already. Was a highlight of relaxing in New Zealand in 06. Stayed with Tim and Suse(proprietors)at Raglan Backpackers and it was a welcome place to chill. Rotorua is worth mabe a day and a half, but definitely go Zorbing. It is totally B.A. as my students would say.
Cheers and have a Speights for me eh? No worries!!
@Brannon – We are. New Zealand is amazing! Thank you for the information about Raglan. We will certainly check out that backpackers if we get up there. I keep meaning to have a Speights but other micro brews such as Invercargill Brewery and Macs keep distracting me. Soon though. I will try it soon. What do you teach?
Hi Natalie
Thanks for the invitation to use your Pinot tasting tips on our website!
Your travel site makes interesting reading as do your tips on what makes a good hostel – you’ve obviously given the subject alot of thought!
The travellers grapevine helps makes the NZ backpacker industry tick as it’s immediate and up-to-date. Bad hostels can improve immensly in just six months under a new owner whilst the exact opposite can also occur. The traditional method of spreading the word is still alive and well- ie: sharing your experiences in the hostel kitchen as you prepare dinner but it is now being complemented by modern technology such as your blog site. Thanks for sharing your experiences and Bon Voyage!
Mark
BBH NZ Backpackers Network
@Mark Dumble – Thanks so much Mark! We have been rather impressed by the BBH hostels we have stayed at on the whole. Great experiences, as times, inspire fun articles on hostel life. I hope you enjoy following Justin’s new series entitled “Hostel tip of the Week”.
Until then, sit back and enjoy some of the amazing wine in your area. You deserve it! Thank you for being a part of offering such wonderful budget accommodation to backpackers traveling New Zealand.
Hi Guys. Just wanted to say bravo on a great site/blog. My gf and I have recently returned from an epic backpacking adventure through India, Sri Lanka and SE Asia and are now searching for that next step that can combine our love for travel and experiencing the world with our love for having the money to do said traveling and experiencing. Aren’t we all, right?
Keep up the great work!
Thanks Greg. Your photos are amazing! I do hope you find a way to make money and travel.
You could always take a new approach and hold a “Will photograph for FOOD” sign. (:
Thanks Greg! We have been attempting to figure out a way to work/travel as well. The options seem limitless but I know so few people who are successfully making this a reality. Let me know if you figure it out!
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Hi Natalie and Justin,
Any recent updates on your travels?