I am going to attempt to do so without making you feel like you're on the upside, inside, outside, all sides ride in Willy Wonka's Factory.
Let's Do This...
Travel has changed my life. It has allowed me to meet so many amazing people and have some of the most informative and stimulating conversations. I have truly been able to see, live and thrive in cultures many people only dream of.
This was a gradual process. I always knew I wanted to travel someday but I never put a time frame on it. Life had me occupied for a very long time. I was living what I thought was my best life. I then became the "responsible adult" I was supposed to be.
I still viewed travel as a "one day I will" thing and not an "it's now or never". This definitely changed as I began to maintain being the "responsible adult". In being responsible I had to change my leisure activities, focus on school and building a career. I also learned I never wanted to live life with any regrets. I never wanted to be that seventy-something saying "I should have done...".
As I fully embraced living with no regrets I began to interact with like-minded people. You know, other responsible adults who were focused on goals, careers and the future. They were from different walks of life with very different goals but all had one thing in common... they traveled.
It was as if it was a sign to go for it. Well, my mom received her passport first and I must say I was green-eyed with envy. So, I applied for mine as well. Now, I will be honest and say it was not a fast decision as I would often spend my money for a passport on happy hours, night outs with the girls, or just food in general. I was a work in progress.
Eventually, I decided I'm going to do this... and... I DID.
One day while on break from work, I walked to the post office with my paperwork and an old passport photo from Jr. High School (thank baby Jesus I still looked exactly the same) and I stood on line and completed the process.
I was nervous because the clerk told me my photo was too big for the box and they may reject it. I also had no idea they kept the birth certificate. Since I was being responsible I made a copy thinking they only wanted to see the original, but no. I kept the copy. The clerk informed me it will be returned with the passport. I felt a little better but still anxious.
Weeks passed and I forgot about submitting the application. I come home to an envelope from the government and I'm so confused. I opened it and sighed with relief as my passport and birth certificate were inside.
Within one month I booked my first trip out of the country. It was my friends' birthday and she wanted to go away. I was ready to do this. I was introduced to Cheap Caribbean and I have been loyal to them ever since.
She decided on Mexico, and like most Americans, I had the stereotypical view about the water and the crime. However, I was quickly informed it's safe and they have bottled water.
I was so excited, I was also in great shape and ready to show it off. Mexico was so much fun. Every day was filled with laughs, alcohol and some great food. I also learned how much of a thrill-seeker I could be and it only increased with each trip.
Mexico is cool. I've been there quite a few times now and it never disappoints me.
I was proud of myself. I stepped outside of my version of normal and tried new things.
I went to the Dominican Republic, not too long after this and I stayed at what is my favorite resort hands down (stay tuned for that post). The Dominican Republic was different for me and filled with thrill-seeking adventures. Take a look:
Inside the hotel room... yes please!
Good food
Fried Ice Cream
Some Entertainment
Jumped down there
See
Climbing Out
I continued to be a "responsible adult" I was focused on school. Like really focused, almost obsessed with it. I then decided on my major and realized I want to see more than Mexico and DR, I wanted to see the world. I was offered an amazing opportunity to visit Italy. I would give up the majority of my spring break but I was going to Europe!
I had no idea what to expect and that was the best part for me. I didn't allow myself to get stuck in a specific mindset about anything.
I landed in Rome and I made the best of it. On that trip I learned some very important things:
I can never be afraid to explore on my own.
I cannot allow other people to influence the outcome of my vacation.
I want to do this forever.
With this new found perspective I was convinced I needed to do all I can to be great. There were no limits on what I could do and how far I could go.
Rome was truly a crossroads for me in terms of travel. I could have easily decided to just stay in the room and not explore more than what was required. I could have just stayed with the group the entire time and done only that.
I wanted more. I wanted to see the real Rome, beyond the tourist spots and shopping areas. I wanted to explore life with the locals and I did just that! I was able to put my reservations to the side and go for it. It changed me, for the better and only solidified my desire to travel the world and get paid to do so.
I learned the importance of currency exchange. It was a very fast lesson and easily implemented.
TIP: When you are able to, use your bank or credit cards. Especially if you have a card that does not charge for an out of country purchase. Capital One is a great card for traveling.
I would use my card, save my cash and make the payments on the card while I was there. So, it made spending money better because I would only use what I put on the card. When I returned I did NOT have this astronomical amount of money owed.
Rome ended all too soon and I was back to reality. I had over 1200 photos and I had to sort them. I got to relive my vacation.
Side Note: Taking photos are super important. Sometimes you forget certain places or what the resort offered and how the food looked. Photos can allow you to remember those things. They also provide an opportunity to have those moments of nostalgia again.
Rome really allowed me to desire more than a Caribbean vacation and truly explore countries, cities and towns like a native. It was my introduction into being okay with wandering and getting lost.
I went back to being responsible and focusing on school. I started looking up vacations and figuring out how soon I could go to the next one. Well, I didn't wait too long I took my mom on a much needed and well-deserved vacation. It was perfect. We explored a little (she is not the thrill-seeking type) and relaxed a lot. It was also her first time out of the country and I was super excited to see her reaction to it all.
As I kept traveling my desire only increased, so much so that I would return from vacation and within one week I was planning the next one.
I learned some savvy tricks about shopping for flights and all-inclusive hotels. It was so exciting to gain all this knowledge that would allow me to get more for my money. I took five vacations in one year as a result. This was it, I was hooked and my passion was realized!
I began to share my journeys via social media, I began to receive questions. A lot of questions. There were so many people who wanted to balance work, family and fun just like I did. It was a joy sharing my ups and downs and lessons learned.
I decided I needed to share it with the world. I was sure there were so many people with the same questions, concerns and hesitation. I knew major blogs only shared some information and would ensure you pay or sign up to get more in depth content. I didn't want to do that. I also was scared to see/read the feedback on my blog. The Internet is not always nice but in posting on this blog and conversing with people about my blog I have gained a lot of confidence.
I can only hope this blog helps you in your journey to see the world one destination at a time.
Ok, those were my thoughts. I hope they helped you understand how I became a travel junkie and it inspires you to be responsible and go after your own passion.
Until next time,
Thanks for stopping by and Traveling with May
