Here's Why You Should Always Bring Something Back From A Trip

“Each of my rings represents a solo travel trip I've taken: Iceland/Croatia, Kyoto, Peru and Portugal. Because I'm using my hands every day as a writer, looking down and seeing these rings serves as a reminder to be adventurous, think creatively, be bold and courageous in everything I do and seek inspiration.” -Sahaj Kohli, Lifestyle Blog Editor

"Since I started traveling independently, I've made it a point to see some form of live theater no matter where I visit. My collection of over 500 playbills and stagebills comes from around the world. Some of my favorites include a hilariously bad 'Mamma Mia!' in Prague and 'Hamilton' on Broadway this past May." -Curtis Wong, Senior Queer Voices Editor

"This is a map of my voyage when I sailed around the world. It reminds me of my greatest memories and some of my best friends. Next to each destination, we scribbled funny memories, and at the end of the trip we signed each other's maps. It's like one big love letter from the many loves of my life." -Alanna Vagianos, Women Editor

“I got this lapel pin at Game 7 of this year’s NBA Finals. It was one of the most significant and highly-anticipated sporting events in recent history, so despite my crazy schedule, I traveled to see it.” -Akil Ash, Lead Software Engineer

"It was my lifelong dream to travel to Japan with my sister. When I finally went, she couldn't join me. So I bought us a matching teacup set, and every time I drink my morning matcha out of it, she's on my mind." -Tiara Chiaramonte, Social Graphics Editor

“I got this special edition of The Little Prince when I was in Paris last fall. Every time I see it on my bookshelf, I think about my dad, who passed away 10 years ago -- it was his favorite. Sure, there are many versions of The Little Prince out there, and I'm sure I could find this one online. But that's not the point. Had I not chanced into that bookstore while traveling, I would have missed out on a memento connecting me not just to the happy memory of the trip, but to my father, as well.” -Damon Beres, Senior Tech Editor

"I got this ring on vacation with a friend. We had spent all day in the market looking for jewelry, and when I spotted this ring, I knew I had to have it. It's one of my favorite pieces because it makes a big statement." -Michelle Persad, Fashion Editor

"If there was one thing I'd save in a flood, my travel journals would be it. I started doing them the first time I traveled alone, as something to fill my time. Since then, I've always picked up business cards, stickers, scraps of paper and doodles of places, writing memories around them. I also love to save maps and seemingly inconsequential things like postcards, subway tickets, and even small denominations of cash! My years of travel diaries are amazing to look back through." -Meg Robertson, Editorial Producer

"Thanks to my adventurous parents, I've been traveling all my life. From Europe to the Middle East to Asia, I've somehow managed to collect trinkets from each country. My favorites include this camel statuette I bought when visiting Dubai. It reminds me how much traveling has shaped who I am, and how it enlightens my mind and soul." -Kyli Singh, Associate Editor at HuffPost Labs

"My wife and I haven't traveled much, so we started a new tradition of buying the weirdest items we can get our hands on at whichever destination we're in. This is a monkey carving from a straw market." -Damon Scheleur, Photo Editor

“Living and working in Cambodia will always be a lifelong highlight because of the smart, tenacious friends and colleagues I got to bond with there. The open-air markets are some of the best places to buy souvenirs like this tiny jewelry box.” -Katie Nelson, News Director

"Bologna was the first city where I spent an extended amount of time abroad. This shot glass reminds me of the first time I truly stepped outside of my comfort zone, made friends in a foreign country and learned to live on my own." -Caroline Bologna, Parents Editor

"I had gotten a [similar] ring in 2005, but I carelessly lost it. I was heartbroken. I was fortunate enough to go back to Pompeii years later and find this one -- just like the original. It was the first real meaningful thing I purchased on my own, and I've had it ever since." -Jenna Amatulli, Trends Editor

“In late 2014, my wife and I traveled Vietnam. On the last morning, we trekked out to the Marble Mountains. They were fairly deserted at the early hour, and exploring the abandoned grottoes and shrines shrouded in mist was a transcendent experience. This is a marble goat, purportedly carved from a piece of the mountain itself.” -Isaac Schmidt, Senior Software Engineer

"This spring, I took 10 days off to go live daily life with my best friend, who's training to be a doctor in Bulgaria. These friendship bracelets are a reminder that even though we're on separate sides of the world, she's always there for me." -Suzy Strutner, Associate Lifestyle Editor