Growing up as a child my family never took many family vacations. The definition of a family vacation was going to my grandparent’s house and staying there half the summer. We went to Roosevelt Park to go swimming. My Disney World was revivals at a local church in Harris county. My movie theater was watching in the Heat of the Night. What great memories were formed, and those moments shaped me to the adult I am today.

I got bit by the travel bug in college as I was walking to class at Albany State University. I saw a flyer for a study abroad program to South Africa. I took the flyer back to my college apartment and posted it on my wall and said, “I’m going”. At the time I didn’t make excuses as to why I couldn’t go but I made up my mind I was going by the grace of God. A year later I was on South Africa Airlines headed to Cape Town South Africa. A trip that once again shaped and molded me. I remember how proud my grandmother was when I showed her my pictures when I returned. So proud she submitted one picture to the local newspaper in her town.

My immediate family began traveling together in 2005 when my sister and I literally forced my mother on a birthday trip. We demanded she take off work and we didn’t tell her where she was going until we got there (Savannah, Georgia). We have been going on family vacations since that time.  Traveling together as a family can bring you closer and create great memories. You also learn to appreciate what you have and not take things for granted.

One family that has taken traveling to the next level is The Woods family. Xavier and Chernay Woods met at Valdosta State University. Mr./ Mrs. Woods are a cool family that embrace the adventures around them. Mr. Woods was hired to teach in Dubai in 2015 and his family was right by his side, my sister Chernay Woods and two nephews (Benjamin and Joseph) at the time. When they left the USA, I was excited for them because I knew they were about to embark upon a journey that many dream about. Although I did miss them, I knew in no time I would be over to visit them, riding a camel in the desert. That is exactly what happened. In 2016, I was riding a camel in the desert and experiencing all the UAE had to offer. In 2017 we got our first International baby, Londyn Woods. She got her passport at 3 weeks old and fit right into the traveling family not missing a beat. The Woods have not slowed down traveling to places such as South Africa, Maldives, Amsterdam and London to name a few. They explained their greatest adventure thus far has been traveling to South Africa. They enjoyed the combinations of history, nature and the culture in Cape Town South Africa. Their goal for their children is for them to be completely comfortable being global citizens. Mr./ Mrs. Woods want their children to understand that this world was meant for them to explore and discover. They would also like for their children to learn multiple languages and have those communication skills. The Woods have already instilled such great values in their children. Mr. Xavier Woods will keep that legacy going with his new book: Going Global. Mr. Woods co-authored Going Global with 9 other African-American men traveling abroad. All of the authors in Going Global explain their traveling abroad experiences and what they want their legacy to be. It is an excellent book.

The question to you is: what will your legacy be? God has been at the front of the Woods journey guiding them along the way. Pray that God will guide you and your family in the direction he wants you to go in. God might just lead you to go global to another country. You can purchase Mr. Woods book Going Global on Amazon. You can follow Mr./ Mrs. Woods on Instagram at @Xavierphotos_reallife and @Just_chernay.