I filled out one of those apps on Facebook that asked how many states and countries I had visited and it got me thinking. Not in terms of where I want to go next, but in terms of where I’ve been and how I got here. I never really thought much about traveling to other places while I was growing up. It’s not that it never occurred to me, but I just never felt all that compelled to head out and explore. While I thoroughly enjoyed my life and could philosophize with the best of them about art, or music, or philosophy itself, I wasn’t what most people would consider adventurous. It wasn’t until my late 20′s that I seriously starting thinking about going to exotic places like Paris and Istanbul. They seemed very far away, somewhat strange and filled with a sense of ‘otherness’ that was a little intimidating and a little mysterious. I was 30 before I made my first overseas trip with friends as part of a tour offered by EF. We spent 7 days in Paris and 2 days in London, and it was magical. From then on, I haven’t been able to get enough of travel.
It didn’t occur to me until much later that in reality, I’d spent my whole life as a traveler. You see, we moved around a lot while I was growing up. As in, we moved 18 times by the time I was 18. I went to a different school every year from the eighth grade on, including a tragic yet beneficial move to South Carolina in December of my senior year of high school. That move totally sucked in most every way, except the fact S.C.’s education system is really really bad, so I immediately jumped into the top ten of my senior class. However, that was small consolation at the time, and I made sure my parents knew how miserable I was by staying home every weekend pouting in my room, not playing sports, and living like a hermit. That’s right – I showed them. By time I grew up and graduated college, I’d lived in Virginia, Indiana, Illinois (several times), Kentucky (several times), Utah (several times), Wyoming, Texas, South Carolina, Alaska, South Dakota, and Arizona.
By that time, I’d also visited every state in the U.S. except Hawaii, Maine, and Oregon. (I’ve since crossed Oregon off the list, but sadly, Hawaii and Maine remain strangers to me for now). While I could go over all the drawbacks of such frequent moves, and if you are my mom and dad, you know my thoughts on the matter already. However, one undeniable benefit was that I got to see the U.S. We would drive back and forth to Illinois, where my grandparents lived, every year no matter where we lived, so I was continually exposed to the advantages and disadvantages of travel. I learned how to pack (lightly), how to prioritize (with 5 people in the car, there are only so many stops Dad was going to make for you, so you have to learn to pick your spots), and how to plan (especially bathroom breaks). I discovered the excitement of driving into Denver at sunset, coming out of the Rocky Mountains and watching the city light up, thinking the city stretched out forever. I figured out that the Corn Palace in South Dakota really isn’t all that exciting the second, third, and fourth time through no matter how much you want it to be. I learned not to make the same mistakes twice; for example, not bringing enough books along for the drive through Kansas (tip – more than two). At the time, I didn’t realize these were valuable experiences that would help me later in life. They were just things I had to deal with, so I did. Side note: To this day, I can’t go anywhere without a book, just in case something happens and I get stuck in Kansas. It’s happened before.
I’ve never really stopped going around the U.S. Since I moved out on my own, I still go back to Illinois several times a year. At first it was to see my grandparents, who lived in the same house for over 60 years, and now to visit my dad, who moved back to his old hometown to take care of my grandparents before they died. I visit my friends in Indiana, my in-laws in Pennsylvania, or head to NYC or San Francisco to pretend that I live in a big city for a while. I still get excited when get in the car and do road trips. And as a tour director, I get to take people from all around the world on road trips around the U.S., and I get to see some familiar spots with new eyes. This place still has a lot to teach me, and I’m grateful for the lessons.
