On a rainy day like today, many people showed up to the Travel Club at the Cozby Library from 6:30-7:30 to discuss traveling around the world. 

“I started the travel club because even though I’m a travel agent I don’t know everything,” L3 Destinations travel agent Pam Lopez said. “I want to learn from the Coppell community and I want to give back to them as well.”

Tonight they focused on Asia, specifically Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Lopez talked about her experiences at every location and what she would recommend to others and what she wouldn’t. 

When Lopez was in Laos she had the experience of making her own scarf. She passed it around to the members as she talked about how it gave her more of an appreciation for what these women do for a living.

“Through traveling, I realized how big the world is, there are a lot of different people, customs, and traditions,” Coppell resident said. “It’s not where you are going, it’s how you get there.”

There is a discussion among the attendees that allows them to bounce ideas off of each other. Those who have traveled to these places educate the others so other members are able to get prior knowledge before planning.

What I enjoy most about traveling is learning the different ways you can do the same things. We keep some of the same habits that we pick up from where we travel,” club member Richard Carroll said. “What you really gain is experience. We still talk about trips we took 15-30 years ago.

According to Lopez, if you are a beginner the best thing you can do when planning a trip is to do your research.

“The environment is a friendly and informative one,” Aimee Carroll said. 

Lopez hopes to inspire people to see the world and open their hearts and minds to new places as well as possibilities.

“I love traveling because you are able to feel an inner spiritual connection that you can’t explain. It’s like a light bulb goes off,” Lopez said. “Every place is different. If I didn’t travel I would be missing out on so much.”