I am the baby of five kids. My siblings are between 8-14 years older than me. I always say I was the “oops” child, as my parents had raised four kids within 6 years of age and then there was me when their first kid was entering high school. With that being said by the time I was 10 my parents started their empty nest syndrome early. Even though I was still at home all my siblings were pretty much out doing there own thing. My parent’s first order of business was to travel more.
Now my parents have always been the car trip and travel type. I remember many trips to Washington, DC where my aunt and uncle live. These trips were one of my favorite things in childhood. I remember the car rides and getting to see cool monuments I’d only read about in textbooks! We used to also take beach trips to Erie, PA where another aunt and uncle lived. In Erie my aunt and uncle lived right across the street from a water/amusement park. My parents didn’t describe it as such but I knew that this was where my love for adventure started.
When I was ten my parents bought their first week of time share in Kissimmee Florida. That’s right, home of Disney World. They went on their own the first year. Year two as long as my grades were good they promised to take me along. I got to skip a week of school and go to Disney World (spoiled I know). My first time going my parents were already in Florida, so I was to meet them there by taking my first-ever plane ride. That right at 11 years old I was put on a plane by myself to meet my parents. This is were I learned my fearlessness, by my parents showing that were ok with me getting on a plane by myself.
Florida is also where I fell in love with the ocean. There is something about the feeling it gives me that nothing else has been able to replicate. I remember one year I got to bring a friend down to Florida with me for the week. By this time we had been taking the road trip down instead of flying. This was in the day of maps and no GPS. So much fun to be a navigator and follow the maps and count down mile markers till the next state. We went to one of the many beaches that we would visit. My friend and I were so excited about the waves that we sat in the ocean letting them hit us for hours. Sun burn followed but it didn’t matter because of the joy the ocean brought.
When I was in high school my parents let me go on a trip to Toronto, Canada. It was with my youth group but still a pretty big deal as I had friends whose parents wouldn’t even let them sleepover places in the same city. This trip was for World Youth Day, something Pope John Paul II started every few years to gather youth around the world together to pray and fellowship. One of the best trips of my life so far. It really honed in my love for people. Being surrounded by so many people most my age who were just there to show love and be loved.
My parents’ willingness to let me travel on my own led me to do more in college. I of course had one year with my friends at the time share in Florida in college. I also went on my first cruise in college as a psychology course, The Study of good and evil. Spring break my senior year I went to London, England with my theatre people. I got to see a lot in just my four years of college also by not turning down road trips with for friends or opportunities to volunteer around the state.
After college I went to Florida a few more times. One of my favorite among those Florida trips was the last one I took with my dad in October of 2008. My best friend from college helped drive down that time and the trip was hard as my dad was in a lot of pain from the cancer in his back. This was one last adventure we had to take though as my sister had just had her first child and my dad wanted to see him. Sometimes travel was more about others then yourself is something I learned too. Whether it be because of a wedding, funeral or just to see family members that you don’t get to often see.
Well, bills started to pile up after college and I had to get multiple jobs to help pay for them. This was definitely an excuse to why I wasn’t traveling that much during those years, a poor one as I would later realize. I still took weekend trips with friends to Erie and the like. I also took an opportunity with a job to travel to Germany. I didn’t know the language and they asked me only one month before but I had to jump on the opportunity to go to Europe. Although it was longest time away from and I got home sick being alone in a foreign country I would never give up the experience.
I used the money and means excuse when I was thinking about moving. I put it off for too long. Finally convincing myself the “right time” will never come along, I moved to the beach, the place I fell in love when I was young. Also within four months of moving, four years after my first cruise, I went on my second cruise and I have been on four total in the four years living here (my fifth one scheduled).
I have also traveled a lot now with doing Spartan races. I also finally took my cross country road trip that I’ve always wanted to do. I rented a car, stayed on couches (Couchsurfing), stayed with friends, ate too much Taco Bell and got to see things that would take 12 vacations normally to see. I will write a whole blog about that trip eventually. The point is I did it. I gave up any excuses of not having enough money or wasting all my vacation time on one trip.
You see my parents were not rich. My dad a trucker driver and my mom a bookkeeper; with five kids, we were the definition of middle class. My parents knew the value of traveling though. Not only was it entertaining but you got to learn about different people and places. My sister does the same things with her kids and I bet they will one day write of it like I am. They have traveled more of the country and are under ten years old. They will know more about people and cultures then most their age and this will help them in life.
I think my overall love for people has come from my travels. I have gotten to experience so much through my travel. Stop making excuses! It will never be “the right time!” Now is the best time to plan your next trip. Get out there and see everything you can. There is so much beyond just your city you live in!
“As always Keep smiling, Live Life and Love Life. Let’s meet again next week and chat about something new!”
Day Day
Day Day's Life 