Many graduating college students grapple with dilemmas of opportunity, such as choosing to either find a job after graduation or travel the world.
And then there are those fortunate few, like Cal State Long Beach alumna Kaleena Stroud, who are making a career out of travel.
“I was working full time and straight out of college, so to think of leaving a job to go for it was scary,” Stroud said. “But this is the time to do it. I’m at the perfect age and the perfect stage in life to be doing this.”
Inspired by her international adventures to Costa Rica, Argentina and Europe earlier this year, Stroud has launched a project to create a book based on her next destination: Asia. She plans to title her book, “Into Asia: A Photo Book and Bilingual Guide of Explorations.”
The English department graduate plans on pairing her passion for writing with her boyfriend and travel companion, Eduardo Ferrando’s, knack for photography to document their upcoming trip to Asia in 2014.
The idea developed when the two met one another in Costa Rica.
“His favorite and best photography is of the natural beauty and landscape, which is my favorite thing to write about so it really coincides well,” Stroud said. “This is really a perfect opportunity for both of us to create this relaxed photo book to share our experiences.”
Through the funding website Kickstarter, Stroud and Ferrando have spread the word about their project, and so far, they have collected $415 of the $5,500 goal as of Tuesday.
According to Stroud, the donations coming through the site will go towards printing and publishing the book upon returning from their travels.
The couple plans to keep their Kickstarter supporters updated as the project progresses, as well as maintain a blog throughout their travels. If all goes according to plan, the book should be completed no later than mid-April of next year, Stroud said.
Stroud said she and Ferrando have been saving for the trip and plan on financing as much of it as possible, including purchasing their own plane tickets.
“We have a basic plan of where we want to travel [to], but other than that, we want to keep it open-ended,” Stroud said. “You never know what opportunities will come up or where people will suggest to go.”
The pair is set to leave the country on Jan. 1, and they plan to visit Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines and India.
Stroud said that encouragement from those around her has been a pivotal part of her travel aspirations, and she looks forward to embarking on this next adventure.
“When I travel, I get the most out of it by writing, regardless of whether it’s going to end up on a blog or even if it’s just for my eyes,” Stroud said. “Don’t be afraid to really believe it’s possible to make a job out of doing something you love, even if it’s abroad.”
To learn more about Stroud and Ferrando’s project, visit kickstarter.com.