Five Years of The Aloha Blog

This month The Aloha Blog officially turned five years old. It’s hard to believe how much time has passed since I was 18 starting this blog. I had just returned home from my gap year and decided to start The Aloha Blog for fun to share all my travel recommendations and experiences. What started out as a fun side project has turned into something much more meaningful than I could have imagined.

Although this is technically a travel blog, to me, it is so much more. It’s a collection of my favorite travel memories, photos, and stories from incredible women I admire. The Aloha Blog has been a creative outlet that has helped me grow and put myself out there. In fact, my biggest piece of advice to any young adult is to put yourself out there. Once you do, you’ll find that opportunities often follow! 

Since starting this blog, I’ve continued to make travel and adventure a priority while balancing college, work, and more hobbies than I can count. Many of you know that I began my master’s program in the fall, which came with many major life changes. Since then, I’ve been on three incredible trips that helped ground me during a very chaotic season of life. My recent trip to Costa Rica especially allowed me to slow down, reflect, and feel grateful for how much I’ve grown this past year.

Traveling and spending time in nature are experiences that can truly change the way we see ourselves and the world around us. One of my biggest goals with The Aloha Blog has always been to create a space where others can come to feel inspired. Sharing my experiences over the last five years has taught me so much about myself and about navigating the world with more openness and appreciation for the little things. 

Along the way, I discovered a passion for storytelling. I realized that the stories behind each adventure are often just as meaningful as the places themselves. I feel so honored to have shared travel stories from so many amazing women on this blog. If you’ve read any of the Women Who Wander stories, you’ve probably noticed that human connection is often described as one of the most meaningful parts of traveling. Personally, I believe relationships and storytelling are two of the things that make life really special.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me and followed along throughout this journey. I am so proud of this online space I’ve created, and I hope it continues to inspire adventure, creativity, and connection!

To half a decade of The Aloha Blog!

Blog post author: Nina Iveson