Moving to Florence, Italy, was a life-changing experience -- one that both U.S. and overseas trips helped inspire. When in Florence, I lived in an apartment not far from here, across the tranquil Arno River.

Here's the view down Vicolo del Canneto, the tiny street where I lived in Florence. Although I stayed less than a year, the time spent in lovely Firenze has shaped my life in ways I'm still discovering.

A slightly younger (and more serene) me, standing outside the historic Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence.

Think back: Have you ever taken a trip that literally changed the trajectory of your life? Or even one that permanently altered the way you think about yourself as an African-American, as a woman—or about the world?

Besides UrbanTravelGirl, I also write a blog for Today’s Chicago Woman, a monthly magazine for smart, professional women that’s very well-known to those of us living in the Windy City. In my most recent “TCW Travel Connection” post, I write about “Travel as a life-changer,” or the ways in which trips—both here in the United States and abroad—led me to make self-affirming and enriching choices. As I say in the post, “Far from being a ‘luxury,’ travel is often what we need to become more of who we really are.”

I’d love to hear from you: How has travel inspired you to make big or small changes that you know will last a lifetime?