Avant Society Journeys is here. 

I have been told by multiple people that journeys are my love language. I took my first journeys as a child with my father to Mexico. Nobody thought anything of my position as family translator on those trips to Baja California. We ate tacos and seafood at our favorite open-air market and walked around shopping for… whatever. In high school, I became a foreign exchange student at the University of Guadalajara in Mexico.

When I arrived in Tallahassee, Florida for college, I learned another language. The Southerners asked to “hold” things instead of borrowing. They used words, phrases, and accents I found very quirky and interesting. I am now a naturalized Southerner and speak the language well, mostly. I still need a translator for Charleston folks.

While in college, I went to the Cayman Islands and stayed with friends for months. Then I went on another trip. And another. Soon, I was an “international persona.” I planned trips for friends, Sorority gatherings, family reunions… I’d get lost in the moment and create experiences for hours at a time. I was a perfectionist, wanting to make sure that each detail was worked out and that everyone was going to have a good time.  

As a college professor teaching International Marketing, I taught students who had never left the country. Eventually, I found a way to take students on site visits to multinational corporations in the Bahamas, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic–even though at first, those ventures were at my own expense. It felt very satisfying to teach my International Marketing students by visiting real international businesses. There’s something about the way people react to new cultures, food, and places that is meaningful and beautiful to my soul. I am proud to take credit for awakening the love of travel and cultures in hundreds of students, faculty, administrators, friends, Sorors, and even my own family. 

Now, I want to continue to share this experience with others by starting Avant Society Journeys. It is more than a business; it's a community of friends where future and seasoned world travelers can disconnect from the daily grind, connect with their inner xenophilia, and discover the joy of shaping their own cultural relativism and global citizenship through global travel. 

My Ethos

The little things matter

Curated with care

I take pride in curating high-quality journeys with out-of-the-ordinary experiences to an unexpected level of detail.

I put love and care into each journey. They aren’t just trips or vacations; they are the essence of a place I want to show you.  They are memories you will cherish for a lifetime.

“To be a citizen of the world is to reject the superficial metrics of distance covered. It is to understand that travel is a sensory and communal ontology—a tapestry woven from the flavors of a foreign hearth, the warmth of unfamiliar hands, and the deliberate dismantling of our own assumptions.”

— Annette Singleton Jackson, Ph.D., Experience Curator

Our destinations

Every culture has a story. From the moment the clay is wedged to the final glaze firing, each step in the process is undertaken with meticulous care. Our team of skilled artisans and dedicated apprentices work together to create unique pieces that reflect the beauty of handmade craftsmanship.

What we offer:

• Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Foz do Iguaçu, Salvador-Bahia 

• Cape Town, South Africa

• Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, Eswatini

•    Greece: Athens, Santorini, Mykonos

•    Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice

•    Tunisia: Tunis, Hammamet Beach, Luxury Desert Safari

• Panama

• Jamaica

• Bespoke creations: Let us bring your dream vacation to life with a guided, curated trip made just for you

  
  Community

At Avant Society, we believe in the power of Xenophilia to bring people together. That means finding the perfect places to complete your vacation or connecting with classmates and friends while living out your own travel masterpieces. We cater to beginners as well as seasoned, world travelers.

We invite you to join our growing community of xenophiliacs and travel enthusiasts. 

Be a part of our story. Let's create beautiful memories together.