Ryan Chauner - Whitefish, Montana, USA

I first met Ryan in Istanbul in 2015. A group of us went out often to Taksim Square where most of the good bars reside. Her mentality of life is a true inspiration for backpackers coming out of college. Her passion for learning and growing is contagious. As her travels increase the next few years, she will gain incredible knowledge that will suit her for the rest of her life. I truly enjoyed my time with Ryan over the three weeks I was in Turkey. I hope to see her grow as she travels more in the next decade. 

What improvements do you want to see the your home country make in the next 5 years?
Oh where to begin? In the next five years, I hope we don’t have representatives bringing snowballs into Congressional sessions to prove global warming isn’t a thing. I hope we don’t have a presidential candidate that uses terms like “anchor babies” and speaks about groups of people like they are subhuman. I hope people begin to accept gender fluidity and realize that one’s sex doesn’t determine how they should speak, think, act, or dress.  I hope the LBGTQIQ community is treated equally in all facets of society (Generation X, stay with me.) I hope my generation stops scrolling through the same four social media apps long enough to learn about domestic and foreign issues and the importance of staying informed. 
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Of course, there are an infinite number of improvements the U.S. needs to make, but overall I hope the ridiculous and dying opinions and mentalities I’ve listed above actually die by 2020. 

What aspirations do you want to achieve in life?
Wow ok, let’s just jump right in to the big stuff. I’ve come to realize that so many young people want to do something that “matters” but don’t know how to do that and make a living. They find college unfulfilling and their worst nightmare is getting stuck in a cubicle 9-5 everyday. Some people are lucky enough to work for non-profit agencies, but a lot of times they can’t even pay rent much less support a family. I want to find a way to make non-profit agencies more sustainable and the jobs more appealing. I’m not sure how the heck I’m going to do that yet, but that’s the goal. 

Is money more important or is the power of knowledge more crucial?
I don’t really think it’s that easy to separate the two. I study Economics and International Relations, so I see knowledge as a result of some degree of wealth. Basic education is typically provided by the state but if the state can’t afford it, the citizens aren’t educated. Of course I would rather be exceptionally intelligent than exceptionally wealthy but as far as global development and quality of life, I would have to say money is more crucial in order to foster knowledge.

What travel story would you like to share? ​
Well since I’m relatively untraveled, I’d have to tell about my first night in Istanbul (which is also my first night out of the United States.) Needless to say, it was a shit show.
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So I got off the plane and my mental state was some combination of a lost puppy and an anxiety attack. After searching for my luggage for 30 minutes, I finally found it lying upside down in the corner of the baggage claim area, which is where my mistrust for Turkish efficacy began. I was supposed to call my landlord to meet me at the shuttle drop off but oh duh my phone didn’t work (strike one for my common sense) and after borrowing someone’s phone and calling a number I was only 80% sure was correct, I sat on the shuttle and looked out the window in pure panic mode. Once we arrived, I looked around for anyone looking around for me with no luck. So I heaved my 49.5lb suitcase up two flights of stairs into the nearest hotel hoping to catch a wifi connection. Still no luck. I used the hotel phone. No answer. So I walked back to the shuttle stop and just before I burst into tears, I hear, “Are you Ryan?” 
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Sal-freaking-vation.

What would you want to tell a fellow traveler about your home country? ​
Just about my country, I would say the U.S. is not that cool. It isn’t a magical land where all your dreams come true—ask any college graduate looking for a job. But if we’re talking about Montana, it IS that cool. We don’t ride horses everywhere (but ok fine, a lot of my friends have horses) and contrary to popular belief, we do have cell service! Hiking, biking, skiing, swimming, kayaking, snowshoeing, and cheap beer drinking, I guarantee Montana will not disappoint.