Where in the World Is Becky Jefferies?
Intrigued by travel since grade school, this Washington County native now lives abroad. And she says you can, too.
By Laura Forrest Hopfauf
Becky Jefferies started out right here in Washington County, growing up on the southeast side of Hagerstown and attending Boonsboro High School.
“I loved my humble upbringings, but desperately wanted to get out and experience new things and learn about the world,” Jefferies says.
Now, Jefferies has spent the last nine years living abroad and has traveled to 74 countries. Her desire to travel started as a young girl and was influenced and encouraged by what might have seemed like a simple and kind gesture.
“I remember when my fourth-grade classmate traveled to Egypt with his family and brought back a papyrus painting for everyone in the class. I was fascinated that he went somewhere so far away. It was unimaginable to me, and I always cherished that souvenir, thinking I would never in my life make it to that part of the world. Ironically, Egypt is now like a second home to me, and I’ve spent ample time there over the past few years.”
But finding the funds, courage, and motivation to see the world wasn’t easy.
“My path to living abroad was a series of stepping stones,” Jefferies says.
Becky Jefferies began developing her love for travel in grade school. Here she is strolling the beach of Taghazout, Morocco; (above) snorkeling in the Indian Ocean near Indonesia; (main image) in the mountains of Laguna Torre, Argentina.
After attending college in Virginia, Jefferies lived in Milwaukee for nine years working in brand management and international marketing, which provided her opportunities to travel internationally and work with teams throughout the world.
After nearly deciding to attend an MBA program in the U.S., she followed her heart and applied for a highly ranked MBA program in Spain with the thought that would be her chance to live abroad for a year.
But that year abroad marked the last time she lived in the U.S.
After finishing her MBA, Jefferies began working a corporate job in Dubai, progressing through several roles before she shifted into building and scaling startup brands and co-founding a tech company. Eventually, she transitioned into freelance marketing.
World traveler Becky Jefferies began developing her love for travel in grade school in Washington County.
When her landlord in Dubai ended her lease, she didn’t panic and instead took that as an opportunity to travel for a few months. That decision landed Jefferies where she is now as a digital nomad traveling full-time while working remotely as a brand, marketing, and public relations consultant. She also recently opened her own company, Thurayya Retreats, to run wellness retreats focused on daily movement, clean eating, wholeheartedness, and adventure. She hosted her first two retreats last year, in Sri Lanka over the summer and in Gili Air, a small Indonesian Island, in November.
Becky Jefferies surfing in Taghazout, Morocco.
But Jefferies is eager to add that a global lifestyle isn’t out of reach for anyone.
“I don’t live like this and have these experiences because I am lucky or rich,” she says. “Anyone can make these choices and follow a different path like I did. I said “yes” to things that were far out of my comfort zone and embraced opportunities. I didn’t wait for doors to open for me…I walked through them not knowing what was on the other side. I got here not because I was granted some special privilege, but because I made deliberate choices and set an intention to live on my own terms. Anyone can do the same.”
For people who want to travel but haven’t because they feel unsure or afraid, Jefferies gives this advice: “When you think about international travel without having done it before, you expect that everything is going to be so different or foreign–like you won’t be able to understand or pay for or figure out things. But it’s typically not like that. For language barriers there are translation apps. For foreign currencies, most cards and payment methods work everywhere. You can get a roaming package or grab a local SIM card at the airport and you’re instantly connected. Airbnb and Booking.com are available nearly everywhere…It’s far more ‘life as normal’ than people think.”
The best part of living and traveling abroad for Jefferies isn’t crossing countries off a list, but the people she has met. “Now I have friends all over the world…building those friendships has given me the opportunity to see the world though their eyes and understand what it’s like to walk in their shoes and experience the beautiful parts of so many cultures. It’s been an immense privilege, deeply humbling, and the source of my profound appreciation for other cultures and humanity.”
No matter where she goes next, eventually she’ll make her way back here.
“My parents still have a home in Washington County, and I’ve maintained friendships with childhood friends who still live in the area. So, I do go back often to visit loved ones—at least once a year.”
Becky Jefferies enjoying a waterfall in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.