Ida Pfeiffer

Ida Pfeiffer posing for a portrait. (http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/pfei ())

"Truly it is only those who place all happiness in money who could submit, for the sake of gain, to live in such a place. " - Ida Pfeiffer

Ida Pfeiffer was a different person, while living with her mother. She was quiet and obedient. While travelling and writing she was bold, outspoken, and strong minded. In her time, girls were supposed to wear dresses and have tea parties. They were supposed to stay inside and be seen and not heard. Ida did not want that for herself. As a child she wore overalls, and went to school. She played with her older brothers, and never took any interest in tea parties or remaining silent. When she began her travels, she ignored every caution sign and threw her doubts to the wind. She took advantage of every opportunity there was. Ida Pfeiffer traveled the world by herself, out on her own, and brought back new knowledge and information about the world that people never had the chance to attain. I was drawn to Ida on the fact that she traveled immensely in her life time. I love the fact that she rebelled against the social standards of her time and left the town that held her back. I admire the fact that she brought back new knowledge to the museums and archives and she brought such curiosity and imagination of what is possible back with her or wherever she went. I want to travel like her. I love to see new places and see new people. There is no better feeling than waking up in a town where no one knows you. I am a high school student so my years of traveling are ahead of me and I am so excited. Not many women travel and get paid for it, I would love to be the first. Travelling is a new adventure. Every time you turn the car on, or every time you step into the airport or train station. "Here's to freedom, cheers to art. Here's to having an excellent adventure and may the stopping never start." -Jason Mraz

The book that first exposed Ida to the world

According to Occupational Outlook website, writers and authors are responsible for creating and developing written content for their readers whether that is in a book, or a magazine, or a song. Some similar occupations that authors may branch out to be include: editors, announcers, technical writers, or even a news analyst. To become an author, one would need at least a bachelor's degree in English, journalism, or communications. On average, authors can make up to $60,250 a year. There is a predicted 2% growth from 2014-2024 which is lower than the average job growth. This means that people are not becoming authors as fast as people are becoming waitresses or managers. Due to the lack of authors, many have to up their game and write more of everything to satisfy the public.

A drawing of Ida Pfeiffer during her travels. (http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/pfei ())

When you're young, you display characteristics of your traits and your abilities. In the Distinguished Women of Past and Present website, Danuta Bois writes about Ida Pfeiffer and how she did just that. Ida wore overalls and t-shirts as a child because she thought that dresses were inconvenient. She went to school with her older brothers, and thought people mad when they treated her differently. She was bold, smart, and dedicated as a child. She became more of herself as she grew up. She didn't mold into the everyday woman, she expanded and became a headstrong woman who did what was best for her. Her mother played a role in how she grew up, though. Her school successes weren't publicized in that time period because women weren't supposed to even go to school. When she and her husband separated, she had no one around to take care of, so she decided to travel. This was in the year of 1842. She published her first book, Visit to the Holy Land, Egypt and Italy in the year 1846 and that book funded her next travel. She kept on writing and kept on travelling. In November of 1848, she returned from yet another long trip and published A Lady's Voyage Round the World which then proceeded to fund her next trip and make her famous with the travelers and spectators of the world. Then in 1855 she published A Lady's Second Journey Around the World which became a best seller and elected her into the geographical societies of Berlin and Paris. Ida died in the year of 1858 in Vienna due to a tropical disease she caught during her travels to Madagascar.

Ida traveled far and wide. She met many people and left impressions on them of what Europeans were like. She met many civilizations and many groups of people. She was a negative woman however; she expected great things from people and became disappointed when they did not live up to them. She was once described to be more and more proper when she was close to her home town. Ida Pfeiffer was imaginative, she was daring, and she was clever and she knew it, the people around her knew it, and even the people reading her books knew it. When she wrote her books, she challenged the gender barriers, she pushed against the grain and began questioning began seeking for answers. She inspired women around the world to do the same. Not many people that met her were civilized as she traveled alone. A quote from Ida about her travels is a rarity. "In exactly the same manner as the artist feels an invincible desire to paint, and the poet to give free course to his thoughts, so was I hurried away with an unconquerable wish to see the world. In my youth I dreamed of travelling- in my old age I find amusement in reflecting on what I have beheld." -Ida Pfeiffer

A book describing the adventures of Ida Pfeiffer (bookmate.com (bookmate.com))

To be a paid traveler and author takes many things. I have to be well educated in the English language for which the four years of Honors English will help with. I need to be a numerically quick thinker which my four years of math will help me improve on. I need a sense of adventure and a drive to learn, which I will gain as I grow. Science is a big influence on the thirst for knowledge, so I will need to be a deep thinker. Sports will keep me in shape as I forge my way. No specific college is needed to travel or write, I would need a major in English though. Video training programs will help me capture my moments. I always love to travel, but like many other women I have been directed to a safer pastime. Ida Pfeiffer inspires me to push past and shatter those walls they set up. Ida pushed past and continued to show off to those that held her back. She inspires me to become strong, bold, and not sorry for my passions.