I wouldn't claim to be the traditional college student.

After my sophomore year in college, I got married, got pregnant, and then dropped out to move to a completely different state for my family. Five years later, I've been divorced, moved back home with my son, and finished my degree all while working. Life really knows how to switch up on ya. But with everything that has happened, I don't regret a thing. Frankly, I am glad it happened because I wouldn't be where I am now without everything that I have learned. I wouldn't have been able to intern abroad and experience the things I have experienced.

Now if you've read my first article, Flights and Martini's, you would see how excited I was for this opportunity and also how bad I would miss my handsome boy. Thanks to modern technology, it hasn't been that bad. At four years old, my son knows how to ask Siri to facetime or call me at any time of the day. Which slightly scares me but is exciting to think about. Many people ask, how could you leave your son for so long? Well honestly, I think it's beneficial for both of us.

Not only am I able to see a new country, but he is also able to learn about the countries I have seen. He now knows about Prague and the Czech culture as well as Europe as a whole. Although it is not first hand, the stories I tell him do give him a unique perspective on everything he has yet to experience. I make sure to bring him souvenirs and books from this beautiful culture so that he can, later on, want to visit himself. Mind you; the books are in Czech so he can learn to read in a different language before even leaving the states.

With me gone, he gains a little independence. I know I know, he's only four, but he understands that while mom is gone, he has to brush his teeth every morning and night and make sure he is read to before bed no matter who is watching him. These little things can make a massive difference in the long run. Now I don't have to worry about him going to college and not having proper hygiene maintenance. With his independence in check, I am also able to gain my own independence back — something so that many mothers lose after having kids. Time for yourself is hard to gain back once a little human is continuously on your hip, but it is possible to do and in a healthy way.

Although I am apart from him for what seems like forever, this time apart actually makes our relationship stronger. Our time away from each other makes us appreciate our time together. The countdown to when we see each other makes everything even more exciting. Plus, he learns how to understand a calendar and the months of the year. It's all just an overall learning experience for both of us.

I wish more mothers would venture out of their comfort zones and see new places. And if they can bring their children with them then even better! Show them the world, show them new cultures, and change their perspective on the things around them. Everything I do is for my son, and he knows that. I am paving the way for him and pushing him to do more than I would have dreamed. I might not be the traditional mom, but I'm a mom who wants more for my son. I hope my kid sees that this is all for him and when he's old enough, he'll be right by my side seeing the world for himself.