I have always craved seeing the world. I want to see anything, and everything. There is something about experiencing a new place and culture that opens your eyes. Every time I travel, even if it is just to a new city, I turn into a new person. It gives me a chance to find myself. Every place and experience opens my eyes to a side of me I never knew. Immersing yourself into a culture can be scary, but it shows you a whole new perspective on life and the way you are living. Every single sight and experience is changing you as a person; whether it is seeing the architecture of an old village or riding in a tiny wooden fishermen’s boat in the Caribbean. Witnessing the different standards of living outside of our American comfort zone puts into perspective what truly matters.
You are constantly challenged when traveling. Maybe you don’t know the language or where you are going, but I can guarantee there is always something that you are going to have to overcome. In my case, I cut my foot open in the Mediterranean Sea swimming and still had over a week of walking tours or when I fell into a man hole in Haiti and had cuts all over my body. Maybe I am just clumsy, but injuring yourself abroad is definitely a challenge to overcome. Not that I fell in love with injuring myself, but the challenges pushed me to appreciate the experiences no matter what happens.
The challenges you face during travel make you, I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T, yeah ya know what I mean?! Whether you are traveling independently or with a group, you are bound to gain independence. From traveling, I’ve learned how to be an adult. There is a tremendous amount of responsibility that comes from packing, plane tickets, finding your luggage, hotel check-ins, planning your transportation around the country, and then everything in between while you are there.
What made me fall in love with traveling the most is the way that it makes me feel. Falling in love with traveling allows me to fall in love with myself. I am allowing myself to let my "true self" shine, while embracing the aspects of my life that the various places have pulled out of me. Whether it is letting myself be the inner fashionista in NYC or a beach bum in Florida, every single place brings out a part of my personality that is usually held within. I fall in love with myself after every place I travel to, because I allow myself to embrace the new person that I am continuously transforming into.
I am forever looking forward to the rest of the adventures that I will be #blessed to embark on. The things I see, and people I meet, will forever hold a spot in my heart. Each place I travel to, I leave a part of myself there.
The relationship I have with traveling is one that I will never fall out of love with. I've never desired something so much in my life.
