Featured image by Stu Willis

“If we know where we came from, we may better know where to go. If we know who we came from, we may better know who we are.” ~ Anonymous

Everyone has a story. I’m sure you’re wondering what my story is, or at least where my passion for traveling stems from. My answer is simple – a beautiful love story where a lifetime of a journey began from pure destiny.

Long story short…

My dad is from Chicago; my mom is from Zimbabwe; they met in Australia. BAM.

Long story long… 

Marty Zeller was born June 27, 1957 in McHennry, Illinois. After graduating high school, he received a basketball scholarship to the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. After two years in junior college he went on to play for Baylor University. From there he went on to play basketball and coach over-seas. He was quite the jet setter and, at just the right time, so was my mom.

Gael Southey was born March 15, 1963 in Rhodesia, currently known as Zimbabwe. She was quite the athlete herself (she always says, with a laugh, it’s because of her that us kids are athletic) At that time in Zimbabwe sport was generally played for the love of the game, not on a professional basis. After highschool, Gael qualified in health and beauty therapy and created a name for herself in the modeling/dancing world along with becoming a professional fitness instructor. She always knew she wanted to see the world and her qualifications helped her do just that; getting married was not her main priority.

…until the day she met Marty (a.k.a. Coach Z)

It was a day like any other in Bunbury, Australia. “The Big American Coach” finally arrives to see the facility where his team, the SouWest Slammers (an Australian expansion basketball team), would be training. Gael, who was in charge of the SouWest Slammers fitness program at the time, was teaching her 10 o’çlock ladies fitness class; hair pulled back, sweating and puffing away as this tower of a man dressed in a smart Italian suit fills the doorway.  “Mmm…”, (she thinks to herself), “I hope that’s the new coach. Mmm . . . I hope he’s not married.”

At the end of her class Gael runs out to grab a schedule for one of her clients. In her rush she almost runs into the Coach who politely extends out his hand to shake hers and says,

“Hello, Marty Zeller.”

She replies, “Hi, Gael Southey. Pleasure to meet you” whilst thinking, “Mmm, Gael Zeller sounds kinda nice…”

We all know distance makes the heart grow fonder and love at first sight can never go blind. (Well, at least for my parents it’s true.) After 3 months in Australia and 7 months apart, the love never died.

On January 9, 1990 Gael Southey officially became Mrs. Gael Zeller. Marty and Gael continued their travels and the rest of their lives together, having four kids with each one having been born in a different country.

Roman – Perth, Australia

Weston – Limasol, Cyprus

Teige (That’s me!) – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Zanen – Roswell, New Mexico (This one’s the real alien!)

You could say it was all the love bug’s doing. But I think the travel bug gets a little credit in this story. . . just a little. And I know I’ve also been bitten.

Who knows, maybe the love bug will come out from the woods and decide to make an appearance in my journey sometime soon!

But until then, I know who I am, because I know who I came from and I know where I’m going, because I know where I came from. I’m following in the foot steps of my traveling parents and I want to see the world through smiley eyes.

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Image by Zanen Zeller

~ Those Smiley Eyes ~

A baby girl was no surprise.

A twinkle was there
Before the first breath of air.
They hugged her

And loved her,

And made sure she knew
They loved each other.

Just ask those smiley eyes.
The joy they share

It’s like no other.

My father, my mother

They love each other.

Just ask those smiley eyes. …They’ve given me mine.

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