Mona Liza Santos

TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE

There Is Always More to Learn About the World

I have traveled to almost 80 countries, and I still feel there is so much I have yet to understand.

That is part of what keeps travel interesting to me. Each place asks me to pay attention again: to unfamiliar streets, different customs, another language, and the everyday routines that make a place someone’s home.

A photograph can capture a beautiful view. Understanding a place takes more patience. It means remembering that being a visitor gives us a glimpse of someone else’s world, and that there will always be more to learn than we can take in during one trip.

I want to carry that curiosity into the way I write and raise my son.

Traveling together gives us opportunities to ask questions, try unfamiliar things, and spend time outside our usual routines. I hope those experiences help him approach people with interest and respect. I also want him to enjoy the adventure: the anticipation, the unexpected discoveries, and the memories we get to share afterward.

As a children’s author, I often think about perspective. A story invites us to imagine life beyond our own experience. Travel gives me another way to practice that openness. Both remind me to be careful with assumptions and curious about the details.

This part of my website brings together places, photographs, memories, and reflections from my travels. I want to share what caught my attention, what made a place memorable, and what I am still thinking about after returning home.

Some entries will celebrate a destination. Others will focus on a small moment or a personal lesson. Together, they form a record of a life that keeps making room for discovery.

Come explore with me. There is always another place to learn about and another reason to stay curious.

Places I’ve Experienced

Europe

Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Estonia
Russia
Poland
Austria
Hungary
Ukraine
Spain
Italy
France
Ireland
Portugal
Croatia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Romania
Greece
Belgium
United Kingdom
Vatican City
Iceland
Germany
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Switzerland
Czech Republic
Monaco
San Marino
Liechtenstein
Malta
Andorra
Kosovo
Serbia
North Macedonia
Albania

Asia & the Middle East

China
Japan
Malaysia
Indonesia
Thailand
Philippines
Singapore
Turkey
Bahrain
Jordan
India
Israel
Qatar
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia

North America, Central America & the Caribbean

Canada
Mexico
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Bahamas
Jamaica
Puerto Rico
Aruba
Bonaire
Curaçao
St. Maarten
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Honduras
Belize