We recently had the chance to connect with Melanie Bange and have shared our conversation below.
Melanie, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Oh, I am a huge wanderer. Especially coming into 2026, I am a person who LOVES a plan. However, I want that plan to be rigidly flexible. “Take all the time you need”, “pick and choose your battles”, and “time is the only currency you cannot get back” have become huge mottos for me. Part of this is because I have a huge value on experience, but most of this is because I really want to understand.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Melanie. By day I work in the fields of Juvenile Justice, Education, and Social Service. By night, I am a partner, mother, step-mother, and content creator. I oversee ohiogirl.travelingworld, predominantly on Instagram. I created ohiogirl.travelingworld just before pandemic in 2019 as a space to inspire others to explore community, travel accessibly, eat well, and support local. I try to include cost as much as possible because life is expensive and “fun” does not always equate expensive. As ohiogirl.travelingworld has morphed, I have really taken on a lifestyle approach. Focusing on family, friends, dating yourself, and lists with coordinating spots to checkout.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I grew up in a very strong military family. We moved around a lot due to my father’s career in the Navy and my family is from northwest Louisiana. Though my professional work, I love working with families. Families are identity defining and when I look at my own family, specifically, I see a lot of transition that has shaped my life experience with commonality. Commonality is just a matter of what. Even if that commonality does not align with you, there is a matter of perspective that is an opportunity for understanding. That commonality can bond in healthy (or unhealthy) ways; ultimately, empowering each of us into new parts of ourselves that we did not know existed
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
Maya Angelou once said “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote goes through my mind a lot when I think about listening. I have been blessed to have a great support system of humans who are truly dependable. Not with a quantity of time, but with how they approach listening. From my partner to my friends to family, I am very blessed to have a lot of follow through. When I look at ohiogirl.travelingworld, I want to share a feeling of reflection and why different spots could inspire and how the community you surround yourself with can make a long-lasting impact. There is a true difference between hearing and listening. Through support, I am regularly humbled by feeling.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Oh, no. Absolutely, not. I think “the real me” is a facade in every single role. Every role that I have brings out a different element of me. If you were to ask my partner, a lot of the times I am just content and angry. If you were to ask my toddler, I am pretty sure I only give him candy and a new diaper. If you look at my full-time work, I am a solutions-educator and connection maker. If you look at my content creation and writing, you may see a lot of “fun”. I honestly feel like each of these are masks because of the roles I do juggle and having a different element of myself highlighted in a different space is totally healthy! Then again…if we are being honest, I do love a good costume party!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
When I look at ohiogirl.travelingworld and content creation specifically, metrics and connection are key. But, truth be told…I think the unsung hero of content creation is the silent majority. Those people who see your content, but do not follow. Those viewers that know your name and your face, but do not want to acknowledge you. Maybe it is out of fear. Maybe it is out of a question of smoke and mirrors. But, that lack of praise should not be a motivator to do or be your best. The ultimate flex having the esteem to be like “I did that” regardless of what it is
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All self taken
