Our Kintsugi Journey: Travel, Transformation & Storytelling
Meet Elviria & Jeff!
Hi! My name is Elviria, pronounced El-vee-dee-uh. Welcome to my Kintsugi life!
I am a super outgoing, energetic, and curious spirit with a serious wanderlust addiction. To me, the world is full of beautiful people, breathtaking views, incredible, inspiring stories, and new life lessons around every corner. I’m always looking forward to our next adventure! For more than half of my life, I’ve been exploring the world with the love of my life, Jeff. His quiet, introverted, calm demeanor keeps me grounded, focused on being present, and making the most of each day. By day we are an ordinary couple, going to work and saving up for all the things that life demands. I work as a corporate Learning & Development leader and life coach and he's an arborist, helping to keep trees healthy and noxious weeds managed. Our new found mission is to share our stories to help others explore the world, realize their "once in a lifetime bucket list dreams", find romantic couple's adventures and inspire others to learn how to book meaningful, self-discovery, and healing travel experiences on a budget.
Our life hasn’t always been easy. Just before we got married, I was in a car accident and ended up with a brain injury. We put our life on hold, and things got messy for several years. Inevitably, out of the dark comes light. Along my healing journey, I discovered the Kintsugi philosophy and decided to apply its teachings to myself. Instead of seeing myself as damaged, broken, and flawed, I chose to appreciate myself exactly as I am. I began looking for the good, identifying ways I can still contribute to society, honoring my permanent damage, and embracing the journey of my restoration as the most precious of life’s lessons. Every day, I embrace my ongoing struggles as part of life that makes me a unique, one-of-a-kind piece of art.
During my darkest times, a short weekend getaway and a change of scenery were a lifesaver for me. Over the years, travel has become my love language and a must in our lives. With each new adventure, we learn a lot about ourselves, our relationship, and our purpose in this world. This travel healing has been vital for my growth and understanding of the Kintsugi lifestyle.
My hope is that as you follow along—and maybe even plan your next adventure with me—you’ll feel inspired to embrace your own beautifully imperfect story. May you celebrate your strengths, honor your journey, and discover the magic in your own Kintsugi journey, one meaningful moment at a time.
What is Kintsugi?
Kintsugi (金継ぎ) pronounced "KIN-tsoo-gee", also known as kintsukuroi (金繕い), embodies the Japanese art of repairing broken or damaged pottery using resin enhanced with precious metals like gold, silver, or platinum. This technique aligns with the Kintsugi philosophy, which embraces flaws and imperfections rather than concealing them, highlighting the unique history of each piece. By adopting a Kintsugi lifestyle, one recognizes that these imperfections contribute to the beauty and value of the object as a one-of-a-kind work of art. This approach reflects a broader notion of travel healing, where the journey of repair mirrors personal growth and acceptance of life's challenges.
My Kintsugi Philosophy
By embracing the Kintsugi philosophy and applying it to my life and personal adversities, I discovered a path to healing through a Kintsugi lifestyle. By letting go of the pursuit of perfection, accepting my imperfections, and honoring my own challenges, I have evolved into a more resilient and happier version of myself. The stories shared in this blog will provide insights on the acceptance of change, lessons learned from my transformational challenges, and the beauty and healing that can emerge from travel.
Why We Started KINTSUGITRAVELER.COM
Initially, Kintsugi Traveler was a travel blog started because our friends and families wanted to hear all about our travel adventures. Over time, our adventures evolved into the realization that travel is one of the most enriching and healing learning experiences one can have in life. Embracing the Kintsugi philosophy, we wanted to create a platform that reflects the Kintsugi lifestyle, where we can share our passion for travel in an ordinary, unfiltered way and inspire other imperfect, ordinary people to do the same.