My love for travel was first birthed in a large textile warehouse that my Mom would frequent on a regular basis. As the daughter of a seamstress, I spent many hours running up and down fabric aisles, flipping through pattern books and watching my kid sister throw tantrums when boredom kicked in. Oscar-worthy tantrums I might add. Ha! That aside, my most vivid memory was of the oversized tattered chair I would sit in to bypass time. As I patiently waited for my mom to finish her weekly fabric purchase, I would thumb through issues of Women’s Day, Redbook and Family Circle. Yawn! I mean what kid wants to flip through pages of beef stroganoff and pasta salad recipes for fun. Wink! It was however in this tattered chair that I met a friend – National Geographic. I can’t recall the cover exactly but do remember its signature yellow edging and the word “Travel” boldly centered on its front page. I was too young to read its articles in depth, but the images alone told me a story. Page after page I escaped. I no longer found myself engulfed in a musty oversized chair. Instead I imagined myself on a plane to far off places, tasting unfamiliar food and playing games with village children no different than myself. As these imaginative escapes came to an end I’d look around and realize that I was right back where I started – in just a chair. Usually, after all purchases were made I’d wiggle off my seat, lay my new friend on a nearby table and skip out the door. I’d hurry home to lie down on my bed and peer at the only poster pinned to my sad tattered wall – a map of Switzerland. I’d imagine myself hiking through its snowcapped mountains, walking in and out of its cottage-like homes and eventually diving into its nearby lakes. At just six, I had developed an immense appetite for culture and international experience. I wanted to visit uncharted places and encounter the unknown. Who knew that much later in life that my dream would come to fruition.

My first trip outside of America was to a place frequented by many – Mexico. I was thirteen and had saved up twelve weeks worth of babysitting money. My whopping total of one hundred and fifty dollars got me ten days in Monterrey and Saltillo. Bet you thought I was going to say Cancun. Ha! No, instead I accompanied my Dad along with thirty or so other adults to do mission work. As a first-timer I didn’t know what to expect. I figured we would color with children, make animal balloons, and shop. Boy, was I wrong! We worked! We helped build houses, cleaned dirty bathrooms, and assisted with lots of the cooking. Eye-opening? You can’t imagine. If that wasn’t enough, we had to eat whatever was placed before us. Refusing it was not an option. As for lodging? Oh you know, sometimes a bunk bed and others a concrete floor. Bathrooms? Sometimes we had them and at other times were lead to a nearby bush. 

This trip laid the foundation for future trips down the road. I visited Monterrey a few more times and at nineteen made my way overseas to Europe. Myself along with 20 or so friends ventured off to Hungary, Poland, and The Netherlands. Hands down the most memorable trip ever! For five and a half weeks we bussed around Europe stopping to lend a hand in communities along the way. Think MTV Road Rules minus the drama and the bull horns. Ha! After that, I put my ‘travel-self’ in a closet and locked the door. Money was tight and life was well, getting real. Over a decade later the travel bug came back and led me over to Europe once again. This time being different. Instead of jaunting around from city to city I would be making one my home – Prague. Acclimating was a little tough at first, but once I got a job and a place to live, I settled in quite nicely.

Travel has always been a hobby for me and I plan to fuel it as much as I can. Although I’m practical, I’ll never set it on a shelf again. It is a big part of who I am and it is what I love to do. For now, I plan on visiting a new country every two years. Seems fair, right? The only obstacle I foresee standing in my way is myself.

~ The Tiptoe Traveler ~

Travel while you’re young and able. Don’t worry about the money, just make it work. Experience is far more valuable than money will ever be.

~ unknown ~