Oh the Places You'll Go.

During my senior year of high school, my English teacher read this story to the class. I'm sure most of the students thought it was the lamest thing they had ever experienced, I mean, after all we were seniors, we were too old for that shit. We were cool, beautiful and nothing could bring us down. As far as we were concerned Dr. Suess could take his baby rhymes and shove it (although, to be honest, they were and still are really awesome. C'mon, that dude made up words like it was going out of style and they rocked).

Years went by and I had reached a point in my life were I was stagnant. It took me a while to realize I was increasing my education without increasing my experience. I was 25 and had spent the last 5 years working on my college degree, working full time, playing wife and being mom. I had gone pretty much no where, except for California, the place I was born and raised. If you are imagining palm trees and a salty beach breeze, please let me stop you now. I grew up inland, towards the desert and that was the only place I ever saw when I "vacationed" there. Dirt, dust and the unrelenting sun.

I had come to understand, if I wanted something bad enough there would be a way. After all, hadn't I slowly but surely been educating myself, all the while never having to actually pay anything when tuition was due? Hadn't I discovered that if a guy likes you enough he will make the time to see you no matter what? If you want something bad enough you will make it happen. You will find the money, find the babysitter, find the time. No one wants to hear the story about how you couldn't do this or couldn't do that. There's no story in that, theres just a lame reason as to why you never left that podunk town you've been wasting away in.

Not me!! I shouted to myself one day ( I really did. Weird. Don't judge me!) I could be that girl who surrendered herself to the fact that there wasn't the money, there wasn't the time, no one wanted to go with me, I couldn't find a sitter OR I could just go and do it. And so, I vowed I would.

I applied for my passport and went with friends to Costa Rica. I may have been pushed forward by their plans (and my own blinded heart (Lame)) but that trip ignited something inside me. I saw a country I've never seen. A country unlike my own, with a language I could somewhat use, a culture so slow paced it made me, the patient daycare worker, want to rush. I saw poverty and blackouts, early mornings, monkeys, iguanas, beautiful oceans and cheap beer. I saw people talking to strangers, I saw freedom and experience. I saw a girl with no money, surrounded by friends and away from tourists. I wanted more. More. More.

Its been over a year since that vacation and I'm itching to leave again. I had promised myself that I would leave the country once a year. It has been longer and I am now left with a choice. I can admit defeat and travel back and forth to California, the girl who's always on a plane yet really hasn't gone anywhere. Or I can get my ass in gear and go somewhere. With a friend, with a lover or alone. I can excuse myself from life or I can have one. I will not be a woman who has learned of the world through novels and stories from others. I will have a life, I will fill it with stories, adventure and experience.

Nicaragua anyone?