About Me
Hi, I’m Shannon O’Brien—writer, traveler, international school teacher, and insatiably curious human. I took my first steps at eight months old, and I never stopped moving. Fifteen years of living and traveling abroad have only deepened my restless streak. I never want to be stagnant—I want to keep learning, growing, and throwing myself into the unfamiliar.
Adventures Beyond the Tourist Path
I don’t do surface-level. I want to dive deep, connect, and learn—from the places I go, the people I meet, and even the moments that have nearly broken me. Some of those moments have been brutal. Fighting for my life with malaria, surviving a motorbike accident in the remote highlands of Myanmar, getting assaulted in a terrifying crowd in India. Others have been pure magic—witnessing shaman ceremonies in northern Vietnam, bonding with spider monkeys in a Bolivian jungle, and falling in love amongst the magic of the Caribbean.
Why I Travel
Travel shakes me awake. It forces me out of my comfort zone, and makes me adapt. Above all, travel has shown me that there is no single way to live a meaningful, fulfilled life. The world is full of people who have carved out incredible, unconventional existences, proving that the “right path” is simply the one that makes you feel alive. I want to share that message—so people feel bold enough to be themselves, to chase what truly moves them. I intentionally go off the beaten path; these experiences are often uncomfortable, but they lead to raw, authentic cultural connection that shapes both my life and my writing.
My Mission
This is why I write—to help others embrace the unknown, whether that means traveling to far-flung corners of the world or simply living more boldly in their own lives.