Sometimes I feel like a late bloomer. In high school I decided not to go on the Germany trip because I didn't want to leave my boyfriend, ugh! In high school my mom took me to Jamaica and I pouted most of the time because I missed my boyfriend, double ugh! In college I didn't travel abroad or do a semester abroad because, well I think I was just scared...one of my biggest regrets. In my 20s I developed an intense fear of flying, probably around the time I realized we all die someday, and I decided that the world can just do what ever it does without me because I'm not comin'.
I did manage to muster up courage (liquid and pill induced) to travel to France and Italy for my Honeymoon which was amazing. It took us 52 hours to get home and not enough courage to last that long and again, I was done with traveling.
Then I discovered Africa and I can't get her out of my mind. Okay, I didn't actually discover Africa and now I will need to look up who did so that I get that right the next time I play trivia (no, I don't play, but you never know, I may find myself at some brainiac party desperately wanting to fit in and if they pull out Trivia Pursuit and I get asked "Who Discovered Africa?" I could become very popular if I get that answer right). Anyway, I'm not sure when and how my fascination and love for Africa began. I wish I could say I had some exotic encounter with an African traveling story teller, but I'm pretty sure it was Oprah. However it started it has been there for sometime now. I started by sponsoring women in the Congo, reading books and watching films and now we are pursuing adoption from Ethiopia. What I really want is to go volunteer for a few months, years, whatever...but now is not the time....someday.
I also feel a relatively new desire to see the world. I must admit, I'm a little less ambitious after the devastating news about the Air France plane, yikes, but I know the little world traveler hiding in my brain will return and start planting seeds of desire. So look out world, here I come...in about 20 years. Do they accept 60 year olds into the Peace Corp?
Where have you traveled? How do you feel about traveling the world once you have kids?
12 comments:
My husband and I have traveled to Hungary, Romania, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Morocco, Spain.... and a couple more.
I love exploring the world. I especially love places that have a culture SO different from ours. Morocco and S.E. Asia were absolutely mind-blowing.
Now that I have a daughter I can not wait to show her the world. I absolutely intend to travel with her if money allows as soon as possible. If we adopt again I would take her with us to whichever country her new sibling is from. I believe there aren't enough people that get out of their comfort zone to explore the world. It's an amazing place out there!
I hope you get the chance to see some of the world with your children.
You can join the Peace Corps after retirement. That's actually on my to do list. ;-) I don't do boats at all. No cruises for me. Flying, however, has never bothered me. I've been all over Europe, to Guatemala twice, and to Ethiopia. I'm planning to return to Ethiopia with a friend next summer and since it won't be for my own adoption, I hope to do a lot of sight seeing while I'm there.
I'm a travel whore...point to a map and I am there. Stacy is the nester, I'm the nomad. We spent 14 months traveling around the world together and when we came home, I spent the next 9 months pouting that we were home. Americans don't really travel a lot with young kids-other nationalities think nothing of traveling with newborns but for some reason the majority of Americans think kids=staying home. I can not tell you the # of people who have said "well I guess your traveling days are over now that you'll have kids!" uh, no! We saw tons of families traveling around India with kids under 4. It takes different planning and a different mindset but we plan on getting out there asap with our kids.
as for you, my sapling traveler--good for you! I've met you, and I agree, the traveler is in there. So when can you come back to LA to see my tons of scrapbooks. My picts of the Okanvango Delta alone will shake the Nomad in you! xox-k
I missed out on some fun trips when I was young due to a guy as well... one was several months in Australia with my closest friend.
BUT - now, she is the one who will travel with me to bring home Little Sister from Ethiopia- I think I got a better trip out of her this time around:)
You will love Ethiopia.
Speaking of kids and travel, we brought our then 3 1/2 yr old with us to bring home little Matthew. It can be done!
I am Nesty McNesterson so I relate. I do look forward to going to Ethiopia, though. And we plan to take our four y.o. with us. I also think of travelling to work/volunteer. I am a nurse so that is a possibility for our family especially since my husband works on a school schedule with summers off. I would love to see Italy, have to say that. I also have a serious fear of flying, but if I have my good luck charm, my husband, then I do much better. I hope you do get to travel as much as you would like.
Christine
Someone once told me that if I ever have to choose between the "thing" or the "experience", choose the "experience." I would choose an exciting trip over a fancy car or other "toy" any day (as evidenced by my car, which we have nicknamed the "rattletrap" but which gets me where I need to go (most days)).
We've taken our girls all over the U.S., Latin America, the Caribbean, and later this year (or early next) will be taking them with us to Ethiopia (perhaps with a short early excursion to Kenya). We had a London/Paris trip planned for this spring but put it on hold until our adoption is complete. We did a lot of traveling B.C. (before children) and have taken several international trips without them since they've been born. . . but more and more find ourselves wanting to travel as a family to share the experience with them and expose them to more adventure, culture, food. Our girls are great travelers, but I think it's because they've actually traveled. They think long airplane rides (where they can watch hours of movies on a laptop or their own little screen), train rides, subway rides, boat rides, etc... are a hoot. I'm sure it's in large part due to the fact that we try to be prepared and make the journey, not just the destination, fun. You have to think ahead, plan a little more, spend a little more time packing and be a little more organized, but you have to do it with them for them to learn to do it. You also have to be willing to be a good traveler yourself and (what's probably most difficult for me), be FLEXIBLE! But the benefits to your children (and the memories you get to make with them) are HUGE!
I have a terrible fear of flying but love to travel.. not the best combo.
But so far I've made it through a terrible hurricane in the Bermuda Triangle on a cruise ship, a large earthquake while visiting Palm Springs, a scary car accident in the mountains of West Virginia, freakin' horrifying turbulence in a giant plane on the way to Mexico - and narrowly missing an erupting volcano during a planned anniversary eco-adventure trip to Ecuador (which we had to cancel because the aiport closed).
Not bad for a scaredy-cat, I guess.
I've traveled throughout North America, Mexico, Italy, England, and the Caribbean. When I had time, I had no money; when I had some money, I had no time. I almost went to Africa when I was 20, but an incredible job opportunity and a boyfriend I didn't want to leave at the time kept me home. But traveling is such an incredible thing to do -- it opens up your world, helps you develop, enriches your life, changes your perspective.
I can't wait to go to Ethiopia, though the thought of flying there is rather daunting.
I hope you can travel more and let go of your fears! (This is what I tell myself.)
Zoe
Don't let anyone guilt you about traveling, with or without your kids. They will be fine, in fact better for the experience, and you'll be fine - look at the stats. Way more dangerous to drive across town to the grocery store. And don't read about plane crashes. But if you must, take it as the cosmic one that missed you so you'll be fine (-:
I used to be such a traveler! Exchange student to Kenya in high school, in college a semester at Oxford and backpacking through Europe alone (L.O.V.E.D it - made it feel like that much more of an adventure!) the obligatory trips to Mexico as a foot-loose single. Such fun!! Then I got married, went to grad school and life took over. Going to ET was my first real trip out of the country in a long time and WOW all the old wanderlust came flooding back!! I think as soon as Miss T is a tiny bit older (and I have her US passport firmly in hand!) we're going for it!! I agree with Kat I don't see any reason you can't travel with kiddos - just takes a little more planning and destinations that are interesting/fun for them. As for the fear of flying thing believe it or not I have that in spades. Let me tell you I do a lot of praying on takeoffs and landings but in the end, the destinations have always been so worth the anxiety!! So I say go for it!! You can do it!!
I grew up in developing countries.
Hence my love for them.
And my fear of flying has gotten worse with each flight (I'd been aorund the world 6 times by the age of 6, so that's a lot of flying).
It also seems like everytime I get ready to fly, there is a major crash. This week it's Air France. I travel in 2 weeks. Usually it's more like 3 days before or after, not 2 weeks, maybe it's getting better.
Just don't let your fear stop you! I refuse, REFUSE, to let my panic attacks prevent me from traveling. I will not be a prisoner to them.
We have traveled a ton, especially since we lived in europe for 5 years, but I am DEATHLY afraid of flying so you are not alone. Every little bump gives me for real heart palpitations. I am a FREAK about it. :)
And I've traveled all over the place with my children and although the actual vacation part is fun the travel part is NEVER fun for me. :) So again, you are not alone. :)
I will join the Peace Corp with you at 60.
Cindy
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