1989 - 1991

HOW IT

Began!

Jay & Stella met in Brooklyn in 1989 and married in 1991. Jay is from Connecticut and Stella is from Colombia and they have 3 children.  They both have news backgrounds, Jay working at CNN and Bloomberg and Stella at NBC in New York.


As they entered their 50’s, Jay was facing unemployment and Stella was confronting  returning to work after years of focusing on the children, having put her career aspirations on hold to focus on the children, their next steps were uncertain.


What is interesting is how things work out if you are open to them.


A week after they were notified that Jays department was being eliminated, Jay was offered a position in Beijing, China. At the same time, Stella became aware of “The Way” (The Camino de Santiago de Compestela) and decided she wanted to do it. “The Camino” is a pilgrimage along the route St. James walked to gain followers 1,800 years ago. It is a hike of over 600 miles, crossing the Pyrenees in France across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Once purely religious in nature, it is now also a path of spiritual, cultural and recreational purpose.


The process of obtaining all the documentation required for working in China took several months, affording Jay and Stella to experience the “Camino” together.

2014

THE FIRST

Step!

Had they hesitated or lacked faith, they would have lost the opportunity of walking across Spain together and sharing a profound experience.


They soon learned the Camino was just the beginning of the journey. It prepared them both for the challenge of living abroad in a foreign culture. Traveling with only what they could carry, they relied on each other for support and encouragement and after hiking 34 days in Spain, they moved to Beijing with their 15 year old daughter.


They spent a year discovering a new culture and increasing their spiritual awareness. At a time of life when many of their friends and neighbors were facing divorce and disillusionment, through these experiences they developed an even stronger bond. Returning to New York was a hard reflection on their previous lifestyle.

2016

CHASING THE

Dream!

In 2016, once again they set out to walk the Camino, this time sharing the experience with their children. It was during this time that the US Presidential Campaigns for the 2016 Elections were the focus around the world. They were struck by the polarity and divisiveness of the campaigns and negativity surrounding the whole election. It was during this time that they developed the notion that there is a greater purpose to their experiences.


While it is good and valid to have differing opinions, perspectives and priorities, there is nothing positive in promoting hate, fear and disunion in these interests. The focus of one’s energies should be to bring people together rather than to separate or alienate them.


With this new perspective, they decided to pursue a life beyond the traditional, to push beyond their comfort zone, to learn and explore through the diverse experiences of others. This was their new challenge, to promote positive change as professional storytellers.


They sold their home and committed to traveling the US on a motorcycle and sidecar. Connecting with people they met along the way, they have discovered diverse stories of hope, kindness and inspiration in communities across this nation.

It is crucial to always be aware of the positive we create as we are all too often reminded of the negative.


In the spirit of the Camino, the motorcycle and sidecar allows them to travel side by side, open to the elements, a shared experience yet with distinct, individual perspectives. On March 25 th 2017, they picked up their unconventional mode of transportation.


It was a wet, chilly day and they were not prepared for the weather nor the adventure, but in typical fashion, they took the leap.