There’s an Instagram picture I posted a few months back before a trip to Europe.  It’s this photo of a bunch of signs with the names of many different countries.  It’s colorful and full of wanderlust wishes.  Although it’s pretty and lively, the photo wasn’t the main reason for the post…it was more of a reminder to me and to my followers that you have to try to do what makes you happy.

This was the exact caption:

Honestly, I sometimes stress myself out by taking trips: working every day, staying overtime, not always making time for fun or friends, and on top of that, going to school.  But when I’m on my trip, it’s like the weight of the world subsides.  It’s then that I realize all the work and stress was worth the new experiences and the million memories! I haven’t traveled the world yet, but it’s part of my mission because traveling makes me happy..and isn’t that the point in life? To be happy?

I wrote that post while feeling extremely emotional.  I’m not kidding, I was feeling all kinds of things: stress, excitement, and anxiety all at the same time.  Frankly, that’s kind of how hectic my life is ALL the time.  I have loans to pay and bills that can’t wait; therefore I work every day.  I have two jobs: one as a waitress and the other as a housekeeper.  I don’t go out as much as I’d like to but I definitely make time for friends.  Let’s face it, I’d be in a nut house by now if it wasn’t for them and Margarita Sundays.  I’m a hard working college student who will finally be transferring next year.  I have parents who are separated; my mom and younger sister live in Bakersfield and I live with my dad and older sister in Los Angeles.  Basically, my life isn’t full of rainbows and unicorns, it has it’s flaws.

But hey!! This isn’t a “woe-is-me” post.  It’s for people to get to know me and the reasons why I love to travel.  When I posted that picture, I was feeling emotional.  Not only was I physically exhausted, I was also mentally exhausted from school.  No matter how hard I tried, I had failed one of my college classes that I really needed to pass.  Even still, I was so proud of myself;  I had been working EVERY DAY for the past few months and was days away from my EF College Break trip… I managed to finish paying it off in time.  Plus, I had saved up enough money to spend and enjoy DURING my trip.  I was so full of wanderlust and more than ready for my break!  I was anxious to hop on that plane and forget all about my hectic/busy life. That’s exactly what happens; every little detail of my life that makes me sad or stressed is somehow magically erased from my memory while I’m traveling.

That is why I was so emotional.  I was happy to be so close to my trip but I was also thinking about how some people don’t get to travel or get away from reality for a bit. It makes me sad, but you see, that’s exactly why I do it! It’s BECAUSE I know that there are so many people who can’t.  And I’m not just talking about those who can’t save money fast enough for a trip, or those who can’t get 2 weeks off of work that year.  I’m talking about the people in countries where they’re prohibited to leave, those who are in serious financial situations, or those with disabilities that don’t allow them to travel and experience the world. So YES, if I’m fortunate enough to be healthy, if I’m fortunate enough to be from a country that gives me freedom of travel, and fortunate enough to be alive to do so then why the hell would I NOT take advantage and work my ass off for it?

And that’s it. That’s why I posted that picture and felt the need to tell the whole world or at least the INSTAGRAM world that I had worked hard to do what I love.  Like I said, traveling makes me happy, and that’s the point in life.  Do what you love.  Don’t settle. If you haven’t found what makes you happy, then get the fuck out of your comfort zone and start trying new things.  Take a fun class. Adopt a new hobby. If you’re able, hop on a plane and go some place you’ve never been before! Who knows what will happen… but the possibility of finding your happiness is better than nothing.  Remember, there are people who’d kill to be in your shoes, so do it for those who can’t.

P.S.  I’ll be blogging about my 17 day Europe trip soon!

Love,

The Wanderluster