As a kid, there was never really one thing that I wanted to be when I grew up. I mean, who didn’t want to be both a cowgirl and an astronaut? And while I never really dreamed about being the first female president, I definitely at one point thought it would be cool.

To this day I still do not really know what I want to do when I grow up. I feel silly saying “when I grow up,” because a lot of people would consider me to already be at that point, but I think I still have a little while. I don’t even have a real job picked out yet, so I can’t already be there.

If you were to ask me right now what I wanted to do with my life, I would most definitely say that I want to be a travel journalist. My dream job would be to write for a travel magazine and get to go all over the world writing about food. In one job, I would be able to combine three of my favorite things: food, travel, and writing. I would love to be able to spend my days in foreign cities speaking different languages and immersing myself in their culture.

Source: Condé Nast Traveler online.

While I wish it were possible to create any job that you wanted and make it happen, I know that is not quite how it works. I know that these jobs exist, but they seem far and few between. How do I get a job like this?

Two summers ago, I spent the day at a local newspaper shadowing the editor of the food section. Though it was shocking to see the effect that technology has had on journalism and newspapers, it was even more interesting to hear about the changes that the field has gone through. Journalism remains a highly sought-after field, but the amount of jobs available are slowly dwindling. However, when I asked someone about jobs with travel magazines, they said that there are actually many jobs available due to the fact that people don’t go after them because they think they are all taken.

So I guess the moral of the story here is that I may someday be able to be a travel journalist! Essentially, though, it’s never a bad idea to ask around and try for the job that you really want. Putting yourself out there is the best thing you can do. You should always love what your work and the job that you are doing, so it’s a good idea to start looking for one that will make you happy.