UW-Washington County alumna and former instructor, Jennifer Buchholz, has authored a book titled, “Go Solo! – a savvy woman’s guide to transformation and self-discovery through travel.”
Saavy is a good word to describe Buchholz herself, who at age 18 had no driver’s license or car and was told by her parents that if she wanted to attend college, she would have to figure out a way to pay for it! This meant she needed to get her license, buy a car and find a job.
Buchholz did just that, landing a job as a supervisor at Mehring’s Dairy Queen in West Bend, while she also attended classes at UW-WC.
Despite her busy schedule, Buchholz “loved my experience at UW-WC. I loved that I knew the Dean and the staff and they knew me.” Active on campus as a student senator and in United Council, she later went on to become student government president at UW-Parkside, where she completed a BA in Communications in 1996. Three years later, she earned a MA degree in Human Resource Development from Northeastern Illinois University.
When Buchholz returned to UW-WC to teach Microsoft Office classes, she compared it to “coming home to a family” and that “many of the staff still knew me after 20 years.” Buchholz continues her busy pace today as owner of Transform via Travel, LLC and working as a senior lecturer at UW-Oshkosh.
A personal post from Buchholz is below
I’m 42, I graduated SHS in 91 and UWWC in 93. I worked for the Mehrings from 91-96 at the South store and helped out at other locations. I was a supervisor for them at age 19, often working day shift with wonderful ladies. I wrote this book to help middle-aged women go on journeys of self-discovery.
When I hit 40, a long-term relationship had just ended and I had just finished taking care of my dad through his terminal cancer. I was at a complete crossroads and needed to take some time and space to figure out what was going to be next for me.
Now, I have opened a business: Transform via Travel to help coach women through this process so they realize personal growth and success without some of the bumps I faced in the process. I launched my book Go Solo!
A savvy woman’s guide to transformation and self-discovery through travel as a starting point for women to hear my story and to start their own growth process.
I’ve been speaking at events around the US, to help women Rediscover Your Self: Transformation through Travel.
My book is currently No. 2 on Amazon and I’d love for women to fall in love with this book and this process. It also makes a great Mother’s Day gift when paired with my Travel Journal – my facebook page has an offer for a free, signed, Travel Journal if the book is purchased today. www.facebook.com/transformviatravel
Format: Paperback
The book Go Solo! was a delightful surprise. When I was a young woman, I frequently traveled solo to far-flung locations, often on last-minute travel deals that popped up in my email inbox (in the early days of email) just days before I would head out. I was single and free, with a lot of travel lust be satiated. In those days, I was young, energetic, and outgoing and never wanted for “single serving friends” all along my journeys.
As a more mature woman, wife, and mother, the idea of traveling solo brings anxiety, fear, and thoughts of being somehow indulgent or irresponsible. The book Go Solo! demonstrates that does not have to be so. Ultimately, solo travel is about breaking out of routines and gaining a new perspective from a new location. If you’re like me and have ever thought of traveling solo but were not sure where to start or feared the unknown, Go Solo! is the book for you. Go Solo! is a guide to traveling alone without feeling alone.
Whether you are traveling down the street or around the world – whether for a day or a year – Go Solo! is a helpful guide to getting all you can out of that journey. The book is full of practical advice regarding such things as where to go, how to travel on a budget, how to get the most out of a travel agent, and how to pack, along with suggestions for self-discovery activities, vivid descriptions of numerous possible travel destinations, and personal stories of self-discovery from Go Solo! author Jennifer Buchholz. Compass questions at the end of each chapter will help you discover your thoughts, fears, opportunities, and excitements when it comes to solo travel. – Amy Salberg