My mother led a rather extraordinary life for a woman from her era. She grew up during the Great Depression, lived and began working during World War II and then moved from her childhood home area to California toward the end of the war. While working on a military airbase in the late 1940s, she experienced sexual harassment and decided to find a job far away from the abuse. Her efforts landed her a job in Wiesbaden, Germany as a secretary. Although not highly paid, the US dollar was king in Europe post-war and she was able to travel extensively through countries that had previously only been the destinations of very wealthy Americans. Not only did she travel, she also photographed her adventures. I was raised on her stories and dreamed of traveling to these wonderous lands myself. Like my mother, I never wanted to be on a tour, I wanted to plan and travel on my own and confront and overcome the challenges of a foreign language and culture. My own travels be