To my kind reader,

Ofelia’s Globe was born from a quiet place deep within me.

At it’s core, it aims to give young women the confidence to travel.

For me, a 28 year old female who has travelled on a number of occasions, traveling was transformative; it opened my eyes to new cultures and perspectives, from the bustling streets of Vietnam and India to the serene landscapes of Latin America.

Upon returning home, I realise I don't have anything material to show for them. If anything, I’ve lost material. I don’t have a new haircut, a new career, a new certificate to put on a shelf.

With time, I have begun to understand that the most important thing about traveling doesn’t appear in the specific things that happened, the alleyways of big cities I passed by, the beautiful beaches I sat on with my fingers in the sand, nor the route I ended up traversing, sometimes by chance, sometimes with intention.

The most important thing, as Maria Allende puts it, “happens almost imperceptibly, in the secret cameras, or deep recesses, of one’s heart.”

Indeed, it’s true. Travelling has left it’s marks on me. Invisible to the outside, perhaps, but nonetheless there.

It helped me to discover new sides of myself. It helped me to interact with others. It helped me to be more empathetic. It helped me to see other possibilities of living, other outlooks towards life. It helped me to cure my wounds. It gave me strength. It helped me to be a better person.

Which leads me on to why I want to make Ofelia’s Globe.

Many women or girls, I believe, could benefit from travelling, but don't take the leap.

Perhaps you are just about to finish school and you don’t really know what to do next. Perhaps you are in your mid-twenties and a bit uninspired in your position. Perhaps you are actually pretty content with how life is, but also are weary that you don’t have any responsibilities now, and travelling has always been a question mark that pops up now and again. Perhaps you have always wanted to do it, but don’t know where to start.

I want this project to be a catalyst, a tipping point that converts the curious travellers into actual travellers.

There’s something refreshingly empowering about women navigating the world on their own terms.

Because even if you can’t see or measure the benefits in tangible terms, it can be transformative for you.

In a world that prioritises the Wisdom of the Head over the Wisdom of the Heart, I want you to see how travel can empower you to get to know the secret cameras of your own heart.

I will endeavour to make Ofelia’s Globe a library of useful resources, from Spending Trackers, Videos, Stories from other Women, Tips from Yours Truly, all with the aim to make travelling more accesible and possible for you.

Which leads me to answer the final question - why is the project called Ofelia’s Globe? In short, Ofelia is my favourite character from my favourite film. She is living in a time of war, and goes on a quest to discover a secret world that exists parallel to the real one she in. She speaks to monsters, she solves puzzles, she walks through muddy hollowed oak trees and is chased by a monster with eyes in his hands. Her most remarkable quality, however, is her curiosity, and her desire to seek out answers in places where people say she doesn’t deserve to even pose the questions.

I think travelling as a woman is a quest to understand our own curiosity, and though we may be discouraged to it, we should do it nonetheless, and be brave, just like Ofelia.

Thanks for reading, and I hope my resources prove useful to you!

Gem x