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Guest Blogger Jess Cramp!!!

Currently residing in the Cook Islands, our new guest blogger, Jess Cramp, is a force to be reckoned with. She is a scientist, pilot, diver, surfer, and conservationist traveling the world and making a difference. Her current mission; create one of the largest Shark Sanctuaries in the world.

Jess is also a regular contributor to Women’s Adventure Magazine, and a driven and inspirational philanthropist. Learn a little more about her from our Q&A and look out for her upcoming posts!

Some fun Q&A:

Us: Hometown:

JC: I grew up in the Poconos in PA, climbing trees and playing baseball.  I consider San Diego, CA my home now—at least, that’s where my storage unit lives. I moved there in 2001 and love it, but I haven’t been back in over a year!

Us: What you wanted to do when you grew up?

JC: I wanted to be a fighter pilot.  No joke.  I had posters of fighter jets all over my walls….even in college!

Us: Your present goal and where it has led you?

JC: My present goal is to inspire people to live their dreams and to take action for things that matter to you. DON’T be a fly on the wall.  I’d love to look back and know that my life has had a positive impact on others.

Us: Best advice shared with you?

JC: I feel like this will be a collection of clichéd one-liners from my parents.  In fact recently, I’ve found myself reiterating many of them to my younger friends. But in truth the best advice has been simply to listen to my gut.  I’m the only one living this life and I have to trust that I will make the best decision for me.

Us: Best advice you hope to share with others?

JC: Not to let your fear of failure become the insurmountable barrier between you and your potential.  You know where you want to be—or at least you know that there’s a direction you’d like to go.  There will be plenty of people telling you that you shouldn’t or can’t.  Life will put up more obstacles than you could have imagined. But somehow, you get through them, or you find a way around.  And you get stronger.  Just don’t allow your fears to stop you from starting.

Us: Funniest experience since your new venture?

JC: Oh boy, I have a list of “laughed until I cried” moments in a notebook.  But I’ll just go with the first one that pops in my mind.  We were in the middle of our sailing trip and on dinner detail.  I thought it would be fun to make a limited ingredients version of tuna fish casserole because we had an international crew and somehow it came up (of all meals…I know!).  Anyway, my friend Stiv and I improvised to the max and made the most disgusting meal on the planet, by accident of course.  We had to sub canned tuna with canned corned beef.  I broke apart lasagne noodles because there were no egg noodles.  Stiv thought it was dry, so he added a soup mix—and lots of milk.  We then proceeded to pour corn flakes all over the top and bake it, with hopes of evaporating some of the milk.  It was so wretched a meal that we laughed our way through it. With a side of boiled hot dogs, we called our creation “white trash casserole” and served it in similar fashion.  Of course, you had to be there, but all 16 of us on the boat were laughing so hard that sound ceased to come out. Every once in a while I watch that footage—and it still kills me.

Read more about Jess on her Matador Ambassador Webpage

Check out some her incredible adventures on Destination Global Good