Tennessee Tech alumna Whitney Hassell O’Halek has transformed a three-month internship in Japan into a global travel enterprise that includes multiple businesses and a blog dedicated to helping single parents navigate international exploration.
O’Halek said the initial opportunity to teach English at a private language school in Japan changed the entire trajectory of her life. O’Halek said she continues to utilize the skills from her professional communication studies to write travel manuals and manage her various ventures.
“I will always be grateful for that opportunity because that changed the entire trajectory of my life,” O’Halek said.
O’Halek said she has visited 72 countries and territories over the last 20 years while building businesses such as the Christian travel company Elevation Journeys. O’Halek said she is also working with partners to launch a traditional dahabiya sailing cruise on the Nile River in Egypt.
“Writing is what I’ve always loved, and travel writing was my dream job, so I’m literally living my dream,” O’Halek said. “It’s incredibly fulfilling, and I’m constantly thankful for how I get to earn a living. I think if anyone can feel that way about their job, they’re living their best life.”
O’Halek said her blog, Half-Full Passport, focuses on providing practical advice for parents and specifically targets widowed or single parents traveling with young children. O’Halek said she intentionally writes the articles she needed after the unexpected loss of her husband, Steve O’Halek.
“I write the articles that would have helped me,” O’Halek said. “My target audience is single parents, but the same principles apply for parents traveling together as well.”
O’Halek said she now travels with her toddler daughter, Iris, who has visited 15 countries before the age of two. O’Halek said travel is essential for brain development and helps children learn to be flexible as they grow.
“I just want her to be a well-rounded, kind, flexible person as she grows up,” O’Halek said. “Travel is so good for brain development, empathy development, and learning the ability to roll with the punches.”
O’Halek said rebuilding her life and business without her husband has been an uphill battle because he served as her proofreader and brainstorm buddy. O’Halek said she also faces modern entrepreneurial challenges such as the difficulty of growing a social media audience to secure sponsorships.
“We loved travel, and we were such a great team,” O’Halek said. “He was also my proofreader, brainstorm buddy and best cheerleader, so doing anything without him has been an uphill battle.”
O’Halek said she encourages families to seek out adventures and make memories while they can.
“Have an adventure,” O’Halek said. “Do something out of the ordinary, even if you’re going back to a place you’ve visited before. Make memories by yourself and with loved ones. No one knows how long they have, so make sure to live while you’re living.”
