I never considered myself a traveler even though I have been on all sides of this country including Hawaii and Canada. I always saw myself as a performer or a missionary, which is what I was pursuing when I traveled in the past. There was one time I traveled not with my colorguard team or with my church, and that was in the 8th grade when I went to Washington, D.C. with my social studies class. That was the only time I thought of myself as a traveler before now. Traveling was never a huge interest for me, I was more engulfed in satisfying other people around me. I wanted to be a performer, which I was for a very long time, I wanted to show my heart to the world and I wanted people to see all the amazing things I could do, I wanted to be remembered, and I wanted to make my family proud when they watched me on the floor. When I wasn't away with my team or family, I was with my youth group serving the people and serving God. I wanted to make a difference for the people around me, again, I wanted to be remembered. But then it hit me, I've done all this traveling but haven't ever really taken the time to enjoy the space I was in for myself. I wanted to change this, so I chose to go on the study abroad trip so I could see Europe, and that's exactly what I did. I wasn't absorbed in what others expected of me, I wasn't on a tight leash, unable to see the world around me, and I wasn't on a tight schedule. I was able to be a traveler, for the first time in my life, and it gave me one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. I was less stressed, more care free, and I was happy. I was able to focus on myself for once while being in a different place. I only had to worry about me and my best friend (after homework of course), but I was also able to be an adult, which is something I hadn't been able to do yet in my adult life, it was amazing, and I can't wait to travel again.
