Notice how I said need. I truly believe that the amount I travel will correlate to my level of happiness. No matter what my future holds or what I end up doing, I know that I could not live my whole life in one place. The prospect of travel allows me to breathe, because the thought of staying where I am terrifies me. I guess there's probably some psychology to that.
When I was given the opportunity to travel to Rwanda with my church, I knew that I was going. At the meeting when it was announced I looked at my mom square in the eye and we both just knew that nothing could stop me. It was like saying the sky was blue. It was just so obvious that I had to go. I guess this is for a lot of reasons: where I was in my life and what I was involved in and what I cared about. But my mom has traveled more than anyone I've ever met in real life so I think she understands the pull I feel to leave.
I talk about leaving a lot, actually. Which might scare some people, but it goes back to the sky thing. The grass is green. Emily is going to travel. It seems to be a truth universally acknowledged by my family and friends. Because they see it, it's impossible not to. Whether it be Riviera Maya or Booneville, Arkansas, I come back and I am happier, smarter and a little bit more whole then when I left. I've never been more happy to be alive (or just happy period) then I was when I was dancing around drums in the Kigali sunset.
One of my favorite and most sacred birthday presents I ever got was from my uncle when I turned 17. It this huge book called "The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World". I spent hours devouring this book when I got home from my grandparents house. I was barely 2 weeks home from Rwanda but the glossy pictures in the book seduced me. I spent the night sprawled out on my wooden floor trying to wrap my mind on how I was going to travel to every country.
I'm sure I'll figure it out somehow, but to start out with 5. Expect additions to this list in the future!
1. South Africa
2. Greece
3. Thailand
4. The UK (Specifically London)
5. France (both cities like Paris, and southern coast)
"I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list" -Susan Sontag
If you could hop on a plane at this moment, where would you go?
Always,
Emily
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