When Elizabeth Gilbert needed a break from her life, she embarked on a one year odyssey to "Eat, Pray, Love" her way around the world. She topped off that experience by a writing a book and being played by Julia Roberts in the movie version, now available on DVD.

“Eat, Pray, Love” was the sponsor of our November 22 TravelingMom Monday Twitter Party, during which we talked about how travel can be transformative, which ethnic foods we love and how we have found (or rediscovered) romance while traveling.

If you missed the fun, read on for the recap. And if you want to join the party, put TravelingMom Monday on your calendar. We’re on Twitter every Monday from 9-10 pm EST.

What’s your favorite ethnic food? Have you visited the country?

@TippyToeMom: My favorite ethnic food is Ethiopian food, but I never visited.

@Ramblingstump: Persian food which my dad taught me how to cook. Hope to visit someday!

@CindyRichards: My fave ethnic food is Thai (a visit on the bucket list) and Italian (been there, loved that)

What’s your most memorable meal while traveling?

@deniselao: Conch ceviche in Turks & Caicos. We had to dive and catch our own conch while the boat captain prepared the ceviche.

@lovemykeiki: It was eating in “France” at Epcot! YUMMY! Never been to France but it was awesome at WDW!

@MissingLynxx: The food is so fresh on the islands of Greece- fresh fish, fresh salad, so delicious!

Liz has to find a word to describe her essence. What’s your word?

@FrenchFoodieMom: INSPIRED

@CindyRichards: SEEKER

@StressFreeBaby: LOYAL

@swtthing3: CAUTIOUS

@RamblingStump: ADAPTABLE

If you spent a year away, where would you go?

@worldshoppe: I’d travel all over the African continent. So vast and different- from Morocco to Cape Town in South Africa

@glassfishie: A whole year?! Probably Europe because you can go so many places and they are all so close! Base in London.

@brideandadog: My family is French. I’d go to the French countryside—wine, food, and history. Sounds perfect to me!

@arrowssentforth: Can’t pick one. Divide year into quarters in France, China, Australia, and South Africa.

@kimorlando: I wonder if my kids would spend a year away now that I have two who are 12 +. Not easy to do.

What transformation have you experienced during or after traveling?

@ianandwendy: Finding out we were preggo the day after we returned from Korea.

@JulieDiazAsper: I have encountered strangers traveling who I have had deeper conversations with than friends I have known for years.

@lovemykeiki: Traveling has opened my world view. Meeting people from different places is awesome!

@theculturemom: I spent a few weeks in Cape Cod once after losing a job to regroup and see the light again.

@middlemommyhood: Traveling alone was the first time I gained confidence—if I could find my way around Europe, I could do anything.

In Eat Pray Love, Liz forms family where she goes. What life long friends have you made while traveling?

@StressFreeBaby: I met couples honeymooning while we were honeymooning and 6 of us still stay in touch 8 years later!

@HIP2HOUSEWIFE: My friend started Paris Daily Photo and travels the world staying with friends he knows online.

@ComplicatedMama: I made a friend while in Mexico with my friends. We’ve kept in touch for 10 years now!

@middlemommyhood: Most important lifelong friend traveling? MYSELF.

Has there been a link between travel and romance in your life?

@kymri: My husband proposed in Buenos Aires then we got married the next year in Africa.

@pluslily: We spent half a month in Maine a few years back. Amazing on so many levels!

@Fuzzygalore: Absolutely! The call of adventure is a romance of its own.

@bellat99: I got my first real kiss while on my first trip to Europe.

@middlemommyhood: Pretty sure the increase in romance while traveling is partially due to increase in my wine intake!

Past Twitter Party Fun

Read the sometimes hilarious (don't miss the ideas for flight attendants uniforms if there were family-only sections on planes or the great ideas for honoring the military) recaps of our previous TravelingMom Monday Twitter parties:

Nov. 15: Thanksgiving Fun, Food and Travel

Nov. 8: Honoring Veterans

Nov. 1: We Love Our Parks

Oct. 25: Lucky and Unlucky Travels

Oct. 18: Trading Klout for Travel Upgrades

October 11, 2010: Discovering America

October 4, 2010: Karate Kid

September 27, 2010: Electronics on Vacation

September 20, 2010: Uber Fans

September 13, 2010: Packing Tips

September 6, 2010: Family-Only Sections on Planes

August 30, 2010: 3-Day Weekends

August 23, 2010: Back to School

August 16, 2010: Travel Rage

August 2, 2010: Cooking on Vacation

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