Meet Mea Andrews

Advisory Board Member

Mea believes the best trips don’t just change your passport—they change your perspective. Having grown up in Germany and traveled extensively throughout Europe and South Africa as a child, she developed a lifelong curiosity about cultures, people, and the unexpected moments that make travel unforgettable. Today, she has explored more than 50 countries, with Croatia still holding the title of her favorite place on Earth. She’s also been on multiple T2T adventures, including Morocco, Georgia, Kenya, and Camp Lola Whiskey.

An adventurous foodie with a contagious smile and boundless curiosity, Mea is always the first to say yes to something new. She’s scuba certified, has studied multiple languages, has lived in four countries, and once earned second place in a wing-eating contest after polishing off 38 wings in 20 minutes. Whether she’s discovering a neighborhood café in Rio, dancing her way through a Colombian New Year’s celebration with newfound local friends, or navigating an unexpected deportation from India with calm determination, she embraces every experience—good or bad—as part of the adventure.

When she’s not traveling, Mea lives in Chicago with her husband, Jason, and their dog, Gizmo. She’s an avid reader who never goes anywhere without her Kindle (the creepier the novel, the better) and believes that every person has a unique story worth hearing. Her optimism, genuine curiosity, and passion for meaningful connections make her a natural advocate for the kind of transformational, community-centered travel that defines Type 2 Travel.

Rapid Fire Q&A

  • I grew up in Bogotá, but I also grew up in one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth: Colombia. It's the kind of place where, in a single day, you can leave home wearing a puffer jacket in the high-altitude Andes and, a couple of hours later, be barefoot in a swimsuit in the tropical heat. That's Colombia.

    Drive a little farther, and the music changes. The accent changes. The food changes. The landscape changes. The culture changes.

    Growing up surrounded by that kind of diversity made me endlessly curious. I learned early on that there isn't just one way to live, celebrate or tell stories. Every region has its own personality, and every place has something to teach you if you're willing to pay attention.

    I think that's exactly how I travel today. I'm naturally drawn to understanding what makes a place unique—not just the scenery, but the people, the traditions, and the relationship they have with the land they call home. That's the kind of travel that stays with you long after you've unpacked your suitcase.