Ryan Slough is a co-owner, travel content writer, and photographer for Wanderers Compass Travel Blog. On the blog, they do all the writing and site development. Their mission is to inspire wanderlust in all who dream of travel.
Years ago, he only dreamed of travel, expecting that it would only occur on a screen. His business partner invited him on his first European trip in 2014, and it was a life-changing experience.
He wanted to start a travel blog so others can have their travel dreams become a reality. Their goal is to awaken the wanderer in their readers by encouraging them to see the world through authentic and independent travel. They hope to make, what seems daunting, doable through their storytelling, destination info, photography, off-the-beaten-path finds, travel tips, and resources. With their decades of travel experience, they hope to help others travel to their fullest potential.
In his personal life, he is in the US Army Reserves as a Military Police Officer with the rank of Master Sergeant, and has proudly served his country for 21 years. He is currently a full-time student at the University of Maryland Global Campus, pursuing a degree in strategic communications.
1. What got you into travel journalism?
I wasn’t interested in journalism until many years after I started traveling. It started with trying to journal my experiences until I decided to start Wanderers Compass, and then it became a way to inform and inspire others to change their lives through travel.
2. What’s the most challenging part of being a travel journalist?
Time and creativity. I see so many things while traveling, it is impossible to write about them all. It is also hard to stay creative and original while trying to convey all the necessary information without losing their interest. It’s a balancing act.
3. What is the most rewarding aspect of travel journalism?
Knowing that I have helped others. Being able to change someone’s perspective on a place or culture and inspire them to take a chance, step out of their comfort zone, or learn feels good. I believe the world would be so much better if more people did that. Travel connects us.
4. What is something you wish people knew about travel journalism?
It’s a labor of love. For me, it does not come easily. There will be a period of writer’s block or zero motivation. Then there will be times when I can write a lot quickly. In both cases, it is time-consuming and often difficult. However, I enjoy it as it documents my experiences and keeps them alive.
5. How have your cross-cultural experiences shaped your point of view of the world?
As a Military Police Soldier in the Army, we were taught there are three sides to every story: the one person’s side, the other person’s side, and the truth. I quickly learned during my first deployment to Afghanistan that this saying fits perfectly into traveling. I am told one thing by the Army and another by the news. Then, I arrived there and had to discover the truth. We are all people with stories, and you will never really know the truth of a place, its people, or culture until you find it for yourself. Those deployments opened my eyes to the world, self-discovery, and understanding. Once I started traveling, it became even more apparent that no one knows the truth about anything until you go there and find it for yourself.
6. What have you enjoyed most about being a NATJA member?
Connecting with the travel community and opening opportunities with others like me.
