In a few hours I will embark on my first BIG trip. I've lived in Europe and traveled there but, other than that, I haven't seen much of the world. Europe is somewhat familiar because I can relate to the culture and can understand the language of some of the counties. But on this trip, I know nothing. For the first time ever, I am going to Asia. Thailand, to be exact.
As I anxiously await my 36 hr trip to Bangkok (by myself, Lord have mercy), I think about how I've never been to Asia before and how long it has taken me to get there. I think about how 5 months ago, when I learned about the opportunity, I debated whether to even consider it since I didn't think my work would let me. Two whole weeks, out. I haven't had that much time off since 2007! What was I thinking? I hardly had enough vacation days to begin with. If I would have been 23, I would have let the opportunity pass by. But if there is one thing life has taught me is that great opportunities usually come by only once and not acting when you have to leads to a very meaningless, stagnant life. I've had a lot of the "if only I would: have asked/said yes/push myself/followed up."
In my job, I work with a small team so if one person is gone it's like cutting a limb off. My co-worker, who is almost my age, is a mother, goes to business school, is a wife AND is pregnant. I look at her life and I just think how different my life is to hers. My worries, my priorities. They are worlds apart. When I told my boss I wanted to go to Thailand, she said there was no way she couldn't say no. She understood that this was important to me. "This is your marriage, This is your baby. I get it". Those words stuck with me. Traveling IS my priority. It is a big reason for why I work and the top reason for why I save a measly 10% of my salary. The sad thing is that I feel like I am not doing enough of it ever since I joined the "corporate world". But that is changing. I was lucky to go with friends on this trip but being alone doesn't scare me. So solo traveling is in the horizon. I guess my real priority is becoming a better version of myself. I hear traveling is a great remedy for that.
"You have to keep on moving forward, no matter what. Don't look back, keep moving forward. Pain is temporary, it may last for an hour or a year but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. Just keep moving forward. Travel is an incredible cure for the pain in life."- The Cool Hunter
