Where is Elie Now Archives
11/20/25 – Central America & USA
I headed back to the US on May 17th, 2025. Not to finish traveling, oh no… we had plenty more adventures to come. But to spend a bit of time traveling around the US visiting friends and family! Specifically to celebrate my cousin’s wedding.
Over the course of the summer, I spent time in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Oregon. After a year and a half on the road, it was some much needed time with people I love.
Summer came to a close and I left the US yet again. This time to a closer destination: Central America. I of course wanted to keep exploring the world, but I also wanted to start making progress in learning a new language. I started my journey in Antigua, Guatemala where I took a 3 week Spanish immersion school. I took this new knowledge base to Honduras, where I had a volunteering opportunity lined up. To keep the story short, that volunteering opportunity didn’t work out and I found myself traveling through El Salvador and landing in Nicaragua, volunteering at a surf hostel instead.
I spent the next month in El Transito, Nicaragua working on Free Spirit Hostel’s social media and surfing every day. I started to get the hang of short board surfing and took these skills down to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica where I spent the next month.
Here I volunteered at another hostel helping fix up the hostel while it was closed and then helped with the reception desk when it was back open. I had to say goodbye to the warm beach days and ocean waves as I hopped on a flight back to the US.
To start my time back in the US, I visited my sister who lives in Florida! We, along with her partner, went to the theme parks and just enjoyed each other’s company!
I continued on to Illinois and Wisconsin where I spent Thanksgiving and more time with my parents and extended family before heading back to Nicaragua to spend the rest of the winter months surfing!
3/17/25 – Yamba, Australia
After traveling to England and across SE Asia from January to September, it’s finally time to head to Australia!
I landed in Melbourne, where I was met with cold weather! I spent my first month and a half working as a simple laborer, exploring the city, making new friends, and getting used to living in a new country.
I then decided the city life wasn’t for me and ended up moving to a small surf town called Yamba, which is locate in NSW. What I didn’t realize was I was about to be staying here much longer than I had expected!
I started working as a bartender at the Pacific Hotel, which is one of the most scenic hotels in all of the east coast of Australia. I quickly fell in love with this town and the lifestyle it brought. I was working and surfing until a surf accident wound me in the hospital with a fractured foot! So into a moon boot I went… for 6 weeks.
Luckily I got it off just a few days before my parents arrived into the country!! I met them in the bustling city of Sydney, where we spent a week sightseeing, playing games, and enjoying each others company! It had been over a year since I had seen them in person and I was so
happy to have them along for my travels. They continued on their travels through Australia and New Zealand, and I made my way back to Yamba.
For my visa, I need to work 88 days (3 months) of “rural work” if I want to apply for a second year. So, I reached out to the community asking for any farm work and found a great job on a macadamia orchard working for a wonderful family. I’ve also started producing an EP consisting of songs all about my travels. The hopes is to have it finished by the time I get home, it’s been a ton of fun to make!
I’ll basically be spending my entire first year of my visa in this small town, but working, surfing, and making music everyday is hard to beat!
I’m loving it down unda’!!!
4/22/24 – Bangkok, Thailand
I’m currently back in the amazing country of Thailand!
After 2 months of traveling Vietnam and a month of traveling Laos (both by motorbike), it was time to return to one of my favorite places in the world!
While in Thailand this time, I’ll explore new places and see some old ones for a more in depth experience!
To start out, I’ll be visiting Chiang Rai where I’ll get to see the Blue and
White temples for the first time! Then I’ll be heading to Pai to experience the beauty it has to offer again, with a new crew! Then we’ll be heading to Pa Pae to experience a 3 day silent meditation retreat before heading to Chiang Mai to celebrate the Thai New Year, Songkran!
After all of that, I’ll be heading to Bangkok to wait for my cousins to arrive to show them what this awesome country has to offer… and then I’ll kick back on my favorite island of Koh Tao for a month, hopefully volunteering at a hostel…
But we’ll see! Only time will tell and I’m sure my plans will continuously be changing. One thing that’s for sure, I’m AMPED to be back in Thailand.
11/16/23 – Peoria, IL, USA
I sold my car and a lot of my possessions, ended my lease, and packed up and moved back to Peoria, Illinois (where I was born)!
My passport and drivers license are renewed and back with me! And I even got my International Drivers Permit too!
My plane ticket is booked and I’ll be taking off on my next adventure on
January 3rd, 2024… where did 2023 go?! I’m going to keep where I’m going next a surprise, but I’m sure if you do some digging around the site you could make a good guess 😉
2023 was a big year of change for me and I’m looking forward to continuing it in 2024! I cannot wait to start this next chapter of my life and I’m SURE you’re not going to want to miss it!
8/27/23 – Kansas City, MO, USA
I’m currently in my apartment in Kansas City waiting to leave the country on my next travel!
Unfortunately, my passport is currently with the government being renewed… so fingers crossed it gets done soon!
But once my passport is back in my hands I will be leaving the country ASAP! Once I leave my apartment in
Kansas City, I will be saying goodbye to this area I’ve called home for the past 7 years! It’s a happy sad occasion, but I’m excited for the future.
Where I’m off to next, I’m not 100% sure, but I can assure you it’s going to make for an amazing adventure and I’m SURE you’re not going to want to miss it!
TRAVELIE 