I have lived in the same county my ENTIRE life. I thought I would be there from birth until death. Then I decided to be more independent and be the first member of my family to go to college. It was just a hop away from my original county, so it wasn't really too big of a deal. A smooth two hour drive and I'd be home. With only an hour time difference, not much adjusting had to be done once I got from Point A to Point B. Those two hour drives I often dreamed of going to a different exit and seeing where I ended up. I was a travel bug stuck in a poor girl's body. I worked two jobs to pay the rent, much less go anywhere. So, there I sat. Daydreaming about all the exotic places I could go one day. Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, who knew? The possibilities were endless in my daydreams.

In 2015, I got married to the man of my dreams. Right before our wedding, we found out we were moving. I knew this day would come. I had actually invited it, wanting to know where we were going and what awesome things we could do. My travel bug was eager and ready to pounce.

Where was I moving? To Hawaii! Over four thousand miles away from my quaint, little hometown.

Four thousand miles!

Thus began my emotional roller coaster. This was the first time I would live more than a two hour drive from home, the first time I would be on a plane for more than three hours, the first time away from my family on holidays.

Crap. Holidays.

I come from a large family where holidays are a huge deal and now what am I going to do?

Cue the crying.

Except, I didn't cry for long. I was going to live in Hawaii. Who gets to say that? Oh, right, the residents of Hawaii. I put on my big girl pants and cheered up. Sure, I was moving across the country where I've never been before. What was it going to be like? What kind of people am I going to meet? And the adventures? Oh, the adventures. That was enough to get my travel bug back on the happy track.

Then came the time where I actually had to do the moving. On toward the next drop in the roller coaster. This was, indeed, happening. So, of course, I had to pack clothes I needed for travel. I was moving to a tropical island, I needed swimsuits and shorts and tanks. I found I was severely unprepared to live in a place where there are only two seasons (rainy and dry). I had three pairs of shorts that I knew I could wear and then some that were 10 sizes too small. Eventually, I ended up packing every type of weather and activity I felt like I might do before the movers brought my things. Which, by the way, consisted of three different pairs of converse and seven other pairs of shoes.

Then the day finally came. I watched strange people come in and throw my underwear in boxes. Books being stacked with kitchenware, hoping that one of those coffee mugs won't break and cut up my, very worn, Harry Potter books. My cat being frazzled by the people taking his things and my roommates not looking at me, for fear of breaking down into a snot-filled mess. Watching "Deadpool" just trying to overpower the sounds of tape on boxes and the thuds outside. I bounced between houses until it was time for me to fly out. Before I left, trying to get every bit of family I could.

The day of the flight was exhausting. I had somehow managed to fit all of the items I brought with me into two large suitcases, bowing at the wheels, and a backpack that held four different books, three movies and a fully charged phone. My flight was at 6:30 a.m. First of all, ugh. Then I said goodbye to my cat as they checked him as baggage, putting 90 "live animal" stickers on his cage.

**Side Note** If you ever move to Hawaii, make sure you look up the pet information as soon as you find out you're leaving. It's a red, hot mess.

Then I took my bags and said goodbye to my family. I held the tears back as I was going through security, knowing they would be waiting for me to wave and tell them I'm going to be OK. I walked to my terminal and sat in a seat, alone. It was somewhat relaxing because I had been going nonstop. It was also nerve wracking. Is this what it's going to feel like when I get there?

The answer was no. After six years of long distance, I finally got to be with my favorite travel partner. I learned something about moving across the country. It's scary, but sometimes it's the change you need. That leap of faith that really pushes you to do things you never thought you'd do. Here I am, waiting on my first cage diving trip. WITH SHARKS! So, what I'm trying to say here is go with your travel bug. Go get those adventures. As a human in today's society, you need to get out and go experience things in person rather than on Google.

Good luck, travel bugs.

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous