About Me

Welcome to As Her World Turns! My name is Erica and I love to travel. After seven years of living in Los Angeles and working on The Young and the Restless (read more about my time at Y&R), in 2013 I quit my job, put my belongings into storage, and sold my car to embark on an around-the-world trip (read more about my itinerary). The following year I went to Africa for five months of camping and safari-going (more here). Subsequent years brought trips to Iceland, Central America, and Patagonia. My favorite travel experience so far has been working with refugees on the island of Chios, Greece. Professionally, in recent years I’ve become a freelance script supervisor on various award shows and live musicals (more here), which still leaves plenty of time for traveling between gigs.

This is where I share photos and stories from my travels. For a wider range of my photography work, check out my portfolio at EricaMeyerPhoto. You can contact me at AsHerWorldTurns@gmail.com. Read on to find out more about the girl behind the camera.

IMG_2175_700

My life: The Cliffs Notes Version

Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down…

Okay, not really, but I always wanted to start a story like that.

I was born and raised in Wallingford, Connecticut, home to the illustrious prep school Choate Rosemary Hall and several historical silverware factories. We like to say that it’s between Boston and New York (about two hours in either direction). Wallingford is chock-full of quintessential New England charm and provides lovely photo-ops, particularly in the fall and at Christmastime.

wallingford-2a

My hometown of Wallingford, Connecticut // the intersection of Center and Main

I am the luckiest gal in the world because I get to call these people Mom, Dad, and Sis. My parents run a wire manufacturing business, my mom is a therapist, and my sister Bethany designs art and furniture.

FamilyA

Mom, Beth, Dad, and Erica on the beach in Ft. Myers, Florida

I attended Emerson College in Boston and majored in Visual & Media Arts with a concentration in TV/Film. Ever since age 13 I knew I wanted to work in soap operas. I co-hosted a soap opera talk show called Daytime Dish, then created an original soap called The E.C. (named after the popular nighttime drama The O.C., which we thought was a clever pun at the time…). By far my favorite semester of college was spent studying abroad in The Netherlands where I lived in a twelfth century castle and visited fourteen countries in four months. I promise we did a little studying.

CastleA

Emerson College’s Kasteel Well in the Netherlands

In 2005 I moved to Los Angeles to finish up my final semester of college and intern at my long-time favorite soap opera, Days of our Lives. I stayed in LA after graduation and was soon hired at The Young and the Restless (check out these posts for Y&R-related stories and photos). After spending a few months as the receptionist and then a producer’s assistant, I became a production associate, a job I held for nearly seven years. While ‘production associate’ sounds like a very nebulous title, it is actually a script supervisor for multi-cam television — meaning we sit next to the director and make sure the actors say the correct lines, plus track continuity — but we’re not called script supervisors because of union rules. That is a long way of explaining it, but it’s an awesome job and very well-suited for my skill set (read: slight OCD tendencies and excellent ability to multitask).

YR1a

On location and in the control room of Young & Restless

And jumping forward in time… I won a Daytime Emmy in 2011. (There’s no casual way to say that.) Crazy, right?! I still can’t believe it happened. We won for Outstanding Directing in a Daytime Drama and all members of the Young & Restless directing team (including the directors, associate directors, stage managers, and production associates – that’s me!) went on-stage to receive the award on national television. Here’s the video. I even got an Emmy statue of my own! It is a tremendous source of professional pride and I treasure the memories of celebrating our achievement with my co-workers.

emmysa

Celebrating our Daytime Emmy win with Young & Restless directors Dean Lamont and Mike Denney in 2011 // Partying with co-workers after Y&R won Outstanding Drama in 2007

Back in 2007, I ran three full marathons: the Pacific Shoreline Marathon, the Los Angeles Marathon, and the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon. My best time was 5 hours and seven minutes. I trained with the LA Leggers running at dawn along the beach in Santa Monica. It’s the most disciplined thing I have ever done in my life.

MarathonA

With my running buddy Molly after finishing the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon

Now let’s get to the important stuff: traveling! My first big trip was to Peru in 2009 to visit Lake Titicaca, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon rainforest.

PeruA

At Machu Picchu after hiking the Inca Trail

Six months later I returned to South America to sail around the Galapagos and swim with sea lions, followed by a few days on mainland Ecuador to straddle the equator and take an arduous hike up and bike down the side of a volcano glacier.

ecuador-2a

Visiting with turtles at the Charles Darwin Research Institute in the Galapagos Islands // About to bike down Cotopaxi Volcano in Ecuador

In 2010 I visited a destination that had been on my bucket list for years: Southeast Asia. Over five weeks I island-hopped the pristine beaches of Thailand, floated down the Mekong River in Laos, dodged a gazillion motorcycles in the crowded streets of Vietnam, and explored the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It was the trip of a lifetime and I returned home hungry to visit more parts of the world.

SEasiaNEW

Posing by a long boat on the Mekong River in Laos // Relaxing at touristy yet beautiful Koh Phi Phi Island in Thailand // Posing at sunrise in front of Angkor Wat in Cambodia // Admiring the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay in Vietman

The Canadian Rockies have always held tremendous allure for me, and in 2011 I made that trip a reality by visiting Banff, Jasper, and Calgary. The icy blue glacier-fed lakes and towering mountains met and exceeded the region’s reputation for exquisite beauty.

canada-2b

Lake Peyto in Banff National Park // Angel Glacier in Jasper National Park

In 2012 I visited Hawaii for the first time. We spent two weeks circling the Big Island and Maui, and it was hands down the most relaxing trip I’ve ever taken. From nighttime volcano hikes to bold sunsets to fresh fruit, it was a photographer’s paradise.

HawaiiA

Exploring the island of Lanai, Hawaii with Sweetheart Rock in the background

Over the years I have traveled extensively throughout the United States as well. Aside from visiting my parents in Connecticut and Cape Cod, I frequently visit New York to indulge my other favorite past time: going to the theater (check out my latest reviews here). Musicals, plays, cabaret shows, performance art — you name it, I want to see it. I also visit my uncle in Denver somewhat often. My best friend from college has lived in Wisconsin and Minnesota, so I’ve been fortunate to spend time there as well. Add in a few more trips to places like Washington DC and Chicago, and that rounds out recent travel within our own country.

USnew

Running the Turkey Trot in Denver with my uncle and sister // Posing at the Bean in Chicago with my friend Emily // Standing in front of the Washington monument in D.C. // Hanging out with my friend Laura in Minneapolis // Taking a well-timed selfie on the Brooklyn Bridge

I also take pride in exploring our great state of California. Whether it be camping on Catalina, climbing Mt. Whitney, or touring Hearst Castle, I enjoy the beauty of California’s landscape and major attractions.

CAnew

Jumping for joy after reaching the summit of Mt. Whitney // Camping on the beach in Catalina Island // Posing in front of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles // Straddling a tree trunk in Big Bear // Soaring over Temecula in a hot air balloon ride

In 2013, I quit my job at Young & Restless to travel full-time. I embarked on a 9-month trip around the world and visited 15 countries on a journey that exceeded even my loftiest expectations. I explored the Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysian Borneo, Indonesia, the Philippines, Palau, Japan, Nepal, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, and Dubai. Here are a handful of memories from this action-packed adventure:

RTW1new

Visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand // Riding a camel in Jordan // Visiting Turtle Island in Borneo // Hiking to Mt. Everest Base Camp in Nepal

RTW2new

Driving down Great Ocean Road to visit the 12 Apostles in Australia // Staying on Mataking Island in Borneo // Joking with our dive master Scuba Steve at the Milky Way Lagoon in Palau // Climbing rice terraces in Bali

RTW3new

Wandering around Gardens by the Bay in Singapore // Boating along the Kinabatangan River in Borneo // Observing koalas in Australia // Paragliding over the seaside village of Oludinez in Turkey

RTW4new

Rising at dawn to visit Mt. Bromo in Indonesia // Drinking tea at sunset with the Bedouin in Wadi Rum, Jordan // Snorkeling with jellyfish in Palau // Hiking up Fushimi-inari in Kyoto, Japan

RTW6new

Riding in a helicopter over the Great Barrier Reef in Australia // Hiking on Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand // Preparing for a sunrise hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia in Turkey

RTW5new

Dressing in traditional kimono in Japan // Sailing in the Whitsunday Islands in Australia // Exploring the ancient ruins of Jerash in Jordan

RTW7new

Exploring Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem // Bathing in the Dead Sea in Israel // Wandering around the ancient ruins of Petra by candlelight in Jordan

RTW8new

Boating through the fiords in Milford Sound, New Zealand // Scuba diving to an airplane dive site in Kas, Turkey // Hiking to the monastery in Petra, Jordan // Photographing the Sydney Opera House at sunset

RTW9new

Scuba diving with sea turtles in Malaysia // Hanging out with an elephant in Indonesia // Exploring the pyramids at Giza // Admiring the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai

And here are a few select photos from my 5-month trip to Africa in 2014:

TanzaniaRecap2

Highlights from Tanzania

KenyaGlance

Highlights from Kenya and Uganda

NamibiaAtAGlanceAgain

Highlights from Namibia

southafricaglancerecapA

Highlights from South Africa

In 2015 I visited the stunning and isolated Havasu Falls in Arizona, a place I’d dreamed of visiting for nearly a decade!

HavasuRecap

Highlights from Havasu Falls in Arizona

And images from my 2015 trip to Iceland (I also visited Spain and Portugal on this month-long trip):

IcelandHighlights

Highlights from Iceland

In 2016 I spent a month in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala:

MexBeGuat

Highlights from Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala

In late 2016 I spent a few weeks volunteering with refugees on the island of Chios, Greece. It was easily the most meaningful trip I’ve ever taken.

chios

English classes in the park with my new friends

And in 2017 I went to Chile and Argentina for a month of trekking and more:

PatagoniaHighlights700text

Highlights from Patagonia (Chile & Argentina)

And in 2017 I also planned a camping road trip to Ontario, Canada and another trip to the Southwest U.S. (Arizona, Utah, Nevada). Both were incredible.

Canada2017

Highlights from Ontario, Canada and upstate New York

Southwest2017

Highlights from Sedona, Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Zion National Park

Throughout all of the events I have just described, I have held a camera in hand. Photography has played a big role in my life since our first family vacation to Yellowstone in 1994 when I proudly carried my first camera around my neck, snapping roll after roll of 35mm film. I graduated to an SLR during a 2002 high school photography class and then to a DSLR in 2009 before my trip to Peru. I literally have YEARS of images stored on my hard drives. I began this travel photoblog as an attempt to share stories and photos from my big international trips, as well as my local travels throughout southern California. Photography excites and engages me, but it is a lonely pursuit if I keep the images to myself. It is a privilege to share them with you.