in good company

welcome back to sunday goods!

lets talk -

one of the most underrated parts of traveling isn’t the landmarks or the food, it’s the people.

you might start a trip thinking you’re going somewhere to see the world, but somewhere along the way, the world starts to show you something back.

when I think about my favorite travel memories, they always involve people.

it’s the unexpected conversations, the laughter over a shared meal, the new friends who remind you that kindness & connection are universal languages.

like when I was in Mexico City & met Pame, our cooking class leader.

she wasn’t just teaching us how to make tortillas, she was sharing her world with us.

her energy, her stories, her perspective on life in Mexico.

& before we knew it, we were connecting on social media, following along with each other’s lives like old friends.

it’s such a small world when you stop & look at it that way.

one day you’re strangers in a kitchen across the globe, & the next, you’re cheering each other on from afar.

when I went to Bali, I met a few girls from Australia, & even though we didn’t spend much time together, it was still special.

I still see their lives pop up on my feed from time to time, & it’s such a fun reminder of how far small moments can travel, how even the quickest interactions can leave an imprint.

there’s something incredibly grounding about that.

to know that you can meet someone halfway across the world, connect for a moment in time, & still carry a piece of that connection with you.

it’s proof that we’re all linked in ways that go beyond borders, language, & distance.

from a mental health perspective, these connections are powerful.

meeting people from different backgrounds gently pulls you out of your own bubble.

you start to see that there’s not one “right” way to live life, that happiness, success, & purpose look different everywhere you go.

when you hear someone talk about their daily life in another country, their priorities, or what brings them joy, it challenges the little boxes we sometimes put ourselves in.

it reminds you that life isn’t about comparing, it’s about connecting.

travel has a way of softening your perspective.

it humbles you, too.

you see how big the world is, but also how small it feels when you find common ground with a stranger.

& in a world that often feels divided, those moments of connection are healing.

they remind you that you’re not alone in your experiences or emotions, everyone is just trying to do their best, love deeply, & find peace.

there’s also something really comforting about staying connected afterward.

when you follow someone you met abroad, even through social media, it’s a gentle reminder that the world keeps spinning beyond your own day-to-day life.

you can be sitting at home, scrolling through your feed, & suddenly you’re reminded of that late night night in Bali or the afternoon in Mexico City when laughter echoed through the kitchen.

it’s nostalgia mixed with gratitude, a moment of presence disguised as a memory.

human connection is one of the best medicines for the mind.

it brings perspective, hope, curiosity, & joy.

it can pull you out of isolation & remind you that there’s still so much good out there waiting to be experienced.

so whether you’re traveling across the world or just talking to someone new at your local coffee shop, stay open.

let people in.

ask questions.

listen.

you never know who might shift the way you see the world, or how you see yourself.

because in the end, it’s not just about the places we go, it’s about the people who make those places feel alive.

the strangers who become stories, & sometimes, friends.

& maybe that’s what makes life so special, realizing that no matter where you are, you’re never really alone.

you’re always in good company.

love you always,

elle