The final minutes of 2016 are quickly approaching, and with it comes the end of what many people consider one of the worst years in recent memory.
But was it really?
Well, honestly, that’s probably up to individual interpretation. And yes, the state of the world has not been good in the last 12 months… but there were definitely more than a few good things I got out of this year, especially regarding my travels.
So that’s what I’m going to reflect on tonight.
.
.
It started in Spain.
I decided to visit a friend in Spain during my Spring Break, and the moment my plane landed in Madrid and I set foot on uncharted territory (for me), I knew I’d made the right choice. It was a nice break from reality and the stresses of senior year. I was able to catch up with a close friend who I hadn’t seen in several months, interact with tons of new people, and check several sights off my bucket-list. And I ate so much good food!
But, as wonderful as the trip was, it wasn’t without its stressful moments, as I discovered about halfway through my week when I checked my bank account and found out that someone had stolen my account information. For one terrifying moment, I thought I was stranded in Spain without any money.
But I called my family and my bank, we got everything sorted out, and I didn’t let it ruin my trip. I allowed myself one night to be angry and cry all of my frustrations out, and then I learned how to set the incident behind me and keep moving forward. And now I barely even remember how awful I felt in those moments, because the days that followed were incredible beyond words.
In Spain, I learned how to be self-sufficient. It was my first time visiting a country on my own; I wasn’t with my family, I wasn’t in a group… there were times when I wasn’t even with my friend and had to figure out how to interact with people even though I don’t speak Spanish.
But I did it. I said hello to locals. I bought souvenirs. I got myself lost, and then I found my way again. I took a bus to a nearby city and explored some windmills entirely on my own. I learned. I grew. I thrived.
Spain is where I found my confidence.
.
.
Then came Key West.
Back in June, I went to the Florida Keys with my family, my brother’s girlfriend, and my best friend. We spent a week in a lovely condo called the “Chicken Coop” on Key West, the southernmost of the islands. And of course, of course we happened to be there right after tropical storm “Colin” had hit.
But it was almost a blessing in disguise, because I’d forgotten that this was the closest I’d ever been to the equator, and so I severely misjudged how much sunscreen I needed. (Hint: a lot more than I put on.) And thus, I was horribly sunburned… which made me thankful for the cloudy skies we encountered.
And, happily, we did manage to get some sunny days! We visited museums, went snorkeling, took a sunset cruise, and just enjoyed the island and all it had to offer.
In Key West, I learned how to let go. The drive between islands was long and stressful, so I had to give up some things I’d been wanting to see and do. The weather wasn’t great half of the time, so I had to spend a good many hours relaxing in the condo instead of on the beach. Key West was the most tourist-heavy out of all the islands, so I had to learn that I wasn’t going to be able to run around and see absolutely everything.
Not once, not once did I wake up before 9:00 a.m. Instead, we took our time. We took a stroll down Duval Street. We spent time relaxing on the beach. I went bar-hopping with my best friend on “National Best Friends Day.” I bought an umbrella during a downpour, only to have the top pop off when I tried to open it mere steps from the store. I screamed Celine Dion at the top of my lungs while parasailing. I ate so much Key Lime pie.
The Florida Keys is where I found my zen.
.
.
And finally, Dublin.
My mom and I spent nearly two weeks in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It was the first trip I’ve taken with just her, and we certainly had plenty of time to bond in the car as we drove across the country. Funnily enough, it started out as a trip to Egypt and… well… stuff happened. So instead, I put together a playlist of Irish songs, and we flew across the pond to Dublin.
And Ireland was a dream. We ate in the oldest pub in the country. I saw some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. We spent a few nights in a castle. (Or, rather, within the castle grounds. Same difference.) I got to check places off my “I want to see this but probably never will” list. And everywhere we went, it was incredibly beautiful and vibrant and green, like someone had gone into Photoshop and bumped up the saturation to, like, 80.
Sure, things didn’t always go according to plan, but that was the fun of it. We didn’t have any reason to be in Ireland; we were there just because. So we had the freedom to do whatever we wanted for as long as we wanted. We were able to take scenic road trips and stop often for photo-ops. We were able to spend a few days sleeping in and relaxing in our hotel until noon. We were able to eat in pubs every night and try a million different drinks. We could spend time in museums, and talking to people, and just enjoying being where we were.
The roads were stressful, yes, but we learned how to drive them. By the end, I was an expert at reading road maps, and Mom was an expert and navigating hairpin turns. And we got even closer. I love my mom, and I love that I was able to spend this time with her. An incredible memory that we’ll always share.
It was during one of the many sunsets, when we were staring up at the purples and pinks and blues, our stomachs full to bursting, that I came to a realization: I’m at my happiest when I travel. I wake up and run around each city, drinking in the sights and talking to people and learning as much as I can possibly remember, and I’m happy. Each day gets better and better.
And, recently, I’ve been finding that I don’t want these trips to end. The more I wander, the more my wanderlust grows. I want to do this forever.
So, I will.
Ireland is where I found my calling.
.
.
So, yeah, 2016 hasn’t been all bad. I’ve learned many things and I’ve grown as a person and I’ve become passionate about traveling, and the desire to share my experiences has grown so great that I created a blog so I could do just that.
My goal for this year was drive – perseverance. I wanted to challenge myself in every possible way and continue growing as a person; to never lose sight of my faith and happiness, and always remind myself that I can do anything I put my mind to.
And I did.
But the minutes are counting down and it’s time for me to move on. So, my goal for 2017? Challenge. I want to challenge myself, to challenge the ideas of the world around me, to challenge the limits of what I can do. I want to experience more, to do more, to be more.
And even though it’s incredibly corny, I’m gonna write it anyway…
Challenge accepted.
.
Make it a great year, and adventure on, my friends!