Adventure with Me!

Hello! My name is Chrissi and this is going to be a place for me to write about and record my adventures as I travel nurse and explore the United States. It's also a place for me to record my upcoming international trips as well! I'm going to start with a few of the trips that I was able to go on in the past, some even this year despite the pandemic, and then later this month, or honestly beginning in the new year, I'll start with my new travels as I start full time travel nursing! I'm so excited to share these adventures and anything else that sparks my interest over the next months, maybe even years. To give a little back story on me, and hopefully make you want to read more of my stories, I'll tell you a bit about myself!

I was born and raised in Northern Indiana in a small, one stoplight farm town. My family is a "yours, mine, and ours" family but we only consider us an "ours" family now as my dad adopted my middle brother and I about 17 years ago. I have three brothers, one older and two younger, and though I used to BEG my parents for a sister, I'm actually quite thankful that I never had a sister growing up now that I'm an adult. I grew up with cats, but find that I am now very firmly a dog person and I can't wait for the day that I find a dog to adopt that can explore and adventure with me.

In high school I was involved in every single activity that I could be that wasn't a traditional sport, I'm incredibly klutzy and have ZERO hand-eye coordination. I once got a concussion playing kickball. Seriously. I was a cheerleader for eight years, I was in color guard, marching band, jazz band, choir, show choir, musicals, plays, Destination Imagination, Spirit Club, FFA, Spanish Club, Student Council, you name it, I was probably in it. and I LOVED it. When I graduated high school I shocked everyone, even myself some, and I joined the Army. Joining the Army was one of the best decisions that I ever could have made for myself, especially at 17 years-old. It not only taught me a million life lessons and helped me to become the woman that I am today, but it gave me some of the absolute best relationships of my life. I met my two best friends in the entire world because of the Army. I got not one, but THREE degrees because of the Army. I was able to live in Texas and Hawaii because of the Army. I'm so thankful for my time in the Army and I wouldn't change it for all the coffee in the world, which is saying something for me considering coffee is my love language.

After my time in the Army came to an end I got a job as a server & host at Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas and started nursing school. Working for ADH was one of the most fun jobs I've ever had and again, it provided me with some of the best friendships that I've been lucky to have. I still do trivia online with friends from ADH even now and it's always a riot! Six months after graduating and passing my NCLEX exam for my LVN/LPN license I jumped right back into the fray and went for my RN. It was a rollercoaster of a ride, but it was worth every single late night and early morning because I absolutely LOVE my job.

I spent five years in Texas as a nurse working on a floor where I started as a new grad baby nurse and left as a senior nurse and charge nurse for a new adventure yet again, this time in Honolulu, Hawaii. I've been here in Hawaii for the past year and let me tell you, I never once expected to lose my job in the middle of a global pandemic, I'm an experienced nurse after all, but when I inevitably lost my job, I lost a little bit of myself too. I had started a life here in Hawaii and I was HAPPY. I love this island and calling it my home, the last thing that I wanted to do was to leave it and my best friend and her family that I love like my own, so I took a job that I didn't want and knew wouldn't make me happy, but it paid well and would look good

on my resume and I needed a job. I let myself try to make that job work for six weeks before my anxiety and stress got the best of me and I resigned.

I turn 30 years-old in 10 days and in 10 days I leave for my next big career adventure: full time travel nurse. My first assignment is in Indiana, where I can be close to my family for the holidays and winter season as the pandemic continues to rage on and I couldn't be more excited. I'm sad to be leaving, but I know that I'll be back and that this is going to be a good move for me. If you're still reading, I hope that you look forward to my adventures and stories as much as I look forward to writing them.

I can't wait to share more.

-Chrissi xoxo