Choosing a One-Way Ticket Over a Master’s Degree + Lessons From 6 Years of Evolving Travel with Dianni Hall

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Jan 13, 2026

Dianni Hall, a queer Latina travel podcaster and producer, reflects on her transformative six years traveling full-time after opting for a one-way ticket to India instead of graduate school. She discusses her spiritual curiosity that led her to an ashram, the gradual evolution of her travel style, and how teaching in Spain shaped her journey. Dianni shares insights on managing travel-related anxiety, the importance of community, and finding soul places that resonate with her identity, ultimately leading her to settle in Brooklyn for stability.

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INSIGHT

Spirituality Beyond Organized Religion

Dianni shifted from organized Christianity to a personal spirituality involving meditation, visualization, and mindfulness.
Her ashram stay deepened that exploration and reframed spirituality as a personal practice rather than institution-bound.

ADVICE

Set Intentions, Not Expectations

Go into spiritual or immersive travel experiences with openness and set an intention like "meet me where I'm at" rather than rigid expectations.
Let environments and teachers guide what you need to learn instead of forcing a predetermined outcome.

ANECDOTE

From Backpacking To Teaching In Spain

In Thailand Dianni learned about Spain's English Teaching Assistant program and applied while traveling, which led to teaching in Huelva during COVID.
That role provided a sustainable stipend and deep cultural immersion that extended her travel life into structured work abroad.

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What does it look like when travel becomes more than just a trip, but a lifelong evolution of identity, choices, and community?

Dianni Hall is a queer, second-generation Latina, solo budget backpacker, podcaster, and podcast producer. She’s the host of While She’s Away, a podcast highlighting stories and advice from women travelers around the world. After choosing a one-way flight to India instead of enrolling in graduate school, Dianni spent six years traveling full-time across 30+ countries while building a freelance career and exploring what it means to find home.

In this episode, we explore how Dianni’s travel lifestyle has changed over time, from solo backpacking and volunteering abroad to building a freelance career and eventually settling into a home base in Brooklyn.

Dianni shares specific lessons from various phases of travel, including navigating her first solo trip, volunteering in an ashram, adjusting to slow travel, and balancing travel with long-term stability. She offers honest reflections on managing anxiety while traveling, the importance of community, and what it means to reimagine one's identity when traveling full-time comes to an end.

What’s one travel experience, big or small, that changed the way you see the world, and how did it shape who you are today? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn:

How religious/spiritual curiosity shaped her decision to go to India
What she learned from living and volunteering at an ashram
What it felt like to “accidentally” become a full-time nomad and how teaching English in Spain opened doors to long-term travel and career growth
Advice for navigating anxiety before and during travel, and how reframing your inner dialogue can make all the difference
What solo travel taught her about confidence, community, and intuition
The difference between feeling “at home” somewhere and choosing to build a life there
Why returning to familiar places revealed a deeper need for belonging and community
What drew her to Brooklyn, and how queer community became a central part of her rooted life
And so much more

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