When you were a little kid, you dreamt of going to far off places, those magical places that you saw in your TV shows, read about in books, or heard in stories. So why not go there now? So maybe you can’t go for a ride on a magic carpet, or live under the sea with your fish friends, but there are so many things you can do, and you need to do them.
This past summer, I went to Italy for 12 days and I’ll be the first to tell you that that place is absolutely magical. Now I’m not a big history buff, but the history that you see around every corner is just awe-inspiring. I was traveling with my aunt and uncle so, naturally, we had to go to all of the cathedrals, museums, exhibits and what have you, and as much as I dreaded those history lessons, I could not be more grateful. On the other hand, I am a huge food-lover, so you can imagine how in heaven I was when we had four-course dinners every night. Yes, the Italians have four or five-course meals for dinner every night. Dinners would start around 8 P.M. and would last until around 10 P.M. or 10:30 P.M.; and that is like a dream in my book. Just observing how they do meals in their country was fascinating. From the gondola rides to the endless amounts of pasta, it was the best experience of my life.
Now, I know that traveling to other countries is something not everyone can do so easily, but there are more adventures within our reach than most of us think. Start small. Go to a foreign restaurant you’ve never tried before or just go to your local park and take a walk, I guarantee you’ll find something. Or go big and hop in your car with some friends and drive to the mountains, the city, the beach, anywhere! A trip with friends can mean so much even when you do so little. I went to a cabin at a small state park with a group of friends for only four days and had the time of my life. We barely left the property and we laughed and sang and didn’t have a care in the world for four days. How great does that sound? It’s as simple as getting out of town for a weekend or just a day to experience something new. Even in a town as small and secluded as Athens, Ohio, there are a million and one things that I am able to do, so anywhere else will have that much more awaiting you.
I feel as though, today, we get so caught up in our daily lives that we forget that this isn’t all there is. There is so much out there to experience and enjoy, you just need to take initiative and go find it. So stop saying you’re “bored” and grab a friend and drive without a destination, walk without knowing when or where you’re going to stop. Go to another country and culture yourself, you will be blown away by what these new places have to offer. I hope that you get to go on these adventures, and I hope you learn something about the places you go. More importantly, I hope you learn something about yourself when you’re there.
