Why it’s Never too late to take a Gap Year and the Travel Life Lessons that come with it: An Interview with Travel Brat Lindsey Goldstein
When people hear the phrase gap year, they usually picture someone fresh out of high school or college—backpack slung over one shoulder, passport in hand, ready to figure out life before "real adulthood" begins.…
Reinvention Doesn’t Have an Expiration Date
When people hear the phrase gap year, they usually picture someone fresh out of high school or college—backpack slung over one shoulder, passport in hand, ready to figure out life before “real adulthood” begins.
But Lindsey Goldstein’s story challenges that idea entirely.
Her novel Gap Year isn’t about an eighteen-year-old finding herself.
It’s about a woman who has already built a life.
A career.
A family.
A routine.
Then, almost overnight, everything changes.
Instead of asking, “What now?” she asks something much more powerful:
“Why not?”
Why not travel?
Why not start over?
Why not chase the dream you’ve been postponing for years?
It’s a question that doesn’t just apply to her fictional character—it applies to all of us.
Whether you’re twenty-five, forty-five, or seventy-five, the opportunity to start over, to reinvent yourself, never truly disappears.
Sometimes all it takes is giving yourself permission to begin again.
The Pandemic Changed More Than Travel
One of the most personal moments in our conversation came when Lindsey shared how the COVID-19 pandemic inspired both her writing and her own reinvention.
Like millions of people around the world, she suddenly found herself unable to travel.
The places she loved felt impossibly far away.
For someone whose life had been shaped by Ecuador, that separation became emotional.
She began wondering:
What if I never get to go back?
Instead of letting those feelings sit untouched, she turned them into creativity.
She opened her laptop.
She started writing.
For years, she’d dreamed of becoming an author.
For years, fear had held her back.
Fear of rejection.
Fear of failure.
Fear that maybe she wasn’t good enough.
Then the pandemic became a reminder that none of us knows how much time we truly have.
“If I never even try,” she realized, “I’ll regret it.”
That decision changed everything.
Today, she’s a published author inspiring readers around the world to embrace second chances.
It’s proof that sometimes our biggest adventures begin long before we ever board an airplane.
What Travel Really Teaches Us
Throughout our conversation, Lindsey spoke about volcanoes, rainforests, wildlife, language, food, and unforgettable adventures.
But underneath every story was a deeper lesson.
Travel isn’t simply about seeing new places.
It’s about discovering new versions of yourself.
Sometimes travel teaches confidence.
Sometimes patience.
Sometimes resilience.
Sometimes gratitude.
Sometimes humility.
And sometimes…
It simply reminds us how wonderfully big—and wonderfully connected—the world really is.
When we asked Lindsey what travel has taught her about herself, her answer was beautifully simple.
“I can get through anything.”
Those six words may be one of the greatest gifts travel can offer.
Because once you’ve navigated unfamiliar streets…
Communicated in another language…
Solved unexpected problems…
Missed trains…
Adapted to new cultures…
And found your way anyway…
Life back home feels a little less intimidating.
Travel doesn’t eliminate fear.
It teaches you that fear doesn’t have to make your decisions.
Go With the Flow
Another lesson Lindsey hopes every traveler embraces is learning to surrender to the unexpected.
Travel rarely goes exactly according to plan.
Flights get delayed.
Weather changes.
Roads close.
Reservations disappear.
People get sick.
Luggage gets lost.
Sometimes those moments become our favorite stories.
Sometimes they become the moments that teach us the most.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned,” Lindsey told us, “is to go with the flow.”
As travelers, we often spend months planning every detail.
But the most memorable experiences usually aren’t the ones we planned.
They’re the conversations with strangers.
The café we stumbled upon by accident.
The unexpected invitation.
The hidden viewpoint.
The local recommendation.
The sunrise we almost slept through.
Travel has a funny way of rewarding flexibility.
If Lindsey Could Take Another Gap Year…
After spending so much of our conversation celebrating Ecuador, we couldn’t help but ask Lindsey one final travel question.
If she could take another gap year tomorrow…
Where would she go?
Her answer came instantly.
Japan.
Although she’s traveled extensively, Japan remains one of her biggest dream destinations.
Its culture.
Its history.
Its food.
Its incredible reputation for safety.
Its cherry blossoms.
Its mountains.
Its traditions.
It all continues to call to her.
Ironically, that’s exactly how Ecuador once called to an eighteen-year-old Lindsey decades ago.
Some dreams simply wait patiently until we’re ready.
Why Ecuador Belongs on Your Bucket List
Before wrapping up our conversation, we asked Lindsey one final question.
Why should more people visit Ecuador?
Her answer echoed everything we’d discussed throughout the episode.
Because Ecuador offers something incredibly rare.
You can hike volcanoes.
Explore cloud forests.
Wander colonial cities.
Visit Indigenous markets.
Relax on Pacific beaches.
Journey into the Amazon.
Snorkel in the Galápagos.
Experience vibrant music.
Meet welcoming people.
Taste incredible food.
And do it all within one remarkable country.
Few destinations offer so much diversity in such a manageable size.
Even fewer leave such a lasting impression.
The Travel Brats Take
As travelers, we’re constantly searching for destinations that surprise us.
Places that challenge our assumptions.
Places that stay with us long after we’ve unpacked our suitcase.
Ecuador feels like one of those places.
After speaking with Lindsey, it’s easy to understand why this small South American country became the setting for her novel—and why it continues to shape her life decades later.
What struck us most wasn’t simply the beauty of Ecuador.
It was the confidence she gained there.
The friendships she built.
The independence she discovered.
The perspective she carried home.
Travel has a way of changing us quietly.
Not all at once.
But little by little.
Trip by trip.
Conversation by conversation.
Passport stamp by passport stamp.
Maybe that’s the real magic of travel.
Not escaping your life.
But returning home with a different understanding of it.
Listen to the Full Podcast Episode
Want to hear Lindsey’s stories in her own words?
In this episode of The Travel Brats Podcast, you’ll hear even more about:
- How Ecuador changed her life
- The inspiration behind Gap Year
- Why solo travel builds confidence
- Ecuador’s hidden gems
- Quito, Cuenca, the Amazon, and the Galápagos
- Ecuadorian food and culture
- Safety tips for South America
- Why it’s never too late to reinvent yourself
Whether you’re planning your first trip to South America or simply dreaming about what’s next, this conversation is filled with inspiration, practical advice, and unforgettable travel stories.
🎧 Listen here on our website or wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
About Lindsey Goldstein
Lindsey Goldstein is the author of Gap Year, a novel inspired by her own experiences living in Ecuador. Before becoming a novelist, she spent time studying, researching, and living throughout Ecuador, including summers in Quito and the Galápagos Islands. Her writing explores reinvention, travel, identity, motherhood, and the courage to begin again.
Learn more about Lindsey, her book, and her latest projects by visiting her website and following her on social media.
Ready to Plan Your Own Ecuador Adventure?
If Lindsey’s story inspired you as much as it inspired us, maybe it’s time to stop saying “one day” and start planning day one.
Whether you’re dreaming of hiking Cotopaxi, wandering the streets of Cuenca, exploring the Amazon Rainforest, snorkeling in the Galápagos, or simply experiencing a culture that values family, community, and connection, Ecuador has something waiting for every traveler.
As Lindsey reminded us, reinvention doesn’t require permission.
Sometimes, it just requires a passport.
So, where will your next adventure take you?
