Michelle's Story
I traveled a lot growing up. My father took the family to Europe to visit his family and we traveled throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and other countries. I’d often spend a few weeks in Europe in summer and again around Christmastime. My mother’s family lived in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and we visited them as well. In between there were road trips across the U.S.
My father had a travel agency and I began working assisting there as a teenager. I began working as a full-time agent over 20 years ago, after getting an Associates’ Degree in Travel & Tourism.
Since then, I’ve enjoyed taking the bullet trains throughout Japan and visiting the hot springs in the Hakone area. I’ve enjoyed snorkeling in Tahiti and climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There are numerous experiences throughout Europe I’ve enjoyed, but it’s often the most simple — like meandering through charming Swiss villages or having a beer in a local pub — that I’m fond of. Beyond seeing the famous sights, I encourage my clients to leave plenty of free time to enjoy local culture. Enjoying some yakitori with the locals in a tiny restaurant, or a cup of chocolate and croissant at a charming café in Montmarte made much more of an impression on me.
I adore traveling. What I love about my profession is making travel dreams come true. I think I live vicariously through each trip I plan and tend to be very enthusiastic. While everyone has a checklist of things they would like to see in the world, I really enjoy surprising my clients with other sights and events they may not have known about, or a special hotel or restaurant.
Read a story from one of Michelle’s clients on how Michelle helped them discover a bit about their heritage.