In the fifth grade, there was nothing more exciting than the thought of flying to Cancun, Mexico for spring break. Simply laying on the beach, having the sun beam right at my body, and jumping in the salty ocean water sounded way better than staying at home. Before going straight to climax, here's a little background story. So, my plane ticket was booked months prior to the trip. Of course, anyone that knows me understands my passion for fashion and obsession with clothes. Even at a young age, I loved putting outfits together, accessorizing with jewelry and purses. Let's not forget shoes too! It was like art to me. A way of expressing myself by coordinating color schemes, patterns, designs, and material. Anyways, I was extremely excited and packed in January. Yes, two months before my trip. I grabbed a suitcase and neatly folded all the summers clothes I could find in my closet. Looking back, I was crazy for doing so, but I was young and nothing was going to stop me from having a great time with my family.
Now, let's fast forward to the last minutes of the school day before students and teachers cheered because of no school for a week and no homework. My teacher knew about the trip along with my friends. My teacher smiled and told me to tell her every little detail once we all get back. That night my parents had some news for me. You guessed it, not news you would want to hear after packing two months before going on vacation. I swear something always goes wrong or plans always go south when I set high expectations. Unfortunately, my passport was — wait for it — expired. EXPIRED just days before leaving. I wanted to cry but was optimistic that there was a solution once we get to the airport. Well, the next day rolls around. Nothing. Nothing was able to be done. There goes the wasted plane ticket and money spent on the trip. At that very moment, tears just started clouding my vision. I couldn't hold it in. I'm pretty sure my face was unpleasant to look at too. You know the ugly crying face? Yeah, that was how I looked. I balled like a little baby. I wiped the tears running down my cheeks, boogers running down my nose, and waved, as I watched my aunts, uncles, and cousins turn around and head towards security. Fortunately, my parents weren't planning on going anyways. We walked out the doors and headed home.
The next week I went back to school and the first thing my teacher asked me, "How was your trip? Tell me all about it!" I wanted to cry. Luckily, I was able to go with my entire family several years later!
Long story short: please check the expiration dates on your passports or else you'll experience an something like this.
Flights aren't cheap, so be smart, travel safe, and have a great break!
