Kyle and I started dating in our mid-twenties. I met him about two weeks after he moved back to Colorado from Boston. Before Boston, he also lived in Alaska and Amsterdam, all within a two-year span.
I admired him for visiting another country all on his own and loved hearing about different experiences he had. I had a strong desire to get out and see other countries and even had "travel to another county" written on my bucket list, but I honestly never knew if or when I would be able to get myself to try.
About a month before we started dating, Kyle booked a trip to Iceland with a group of friends who wanted to run a half marathon. After Kyle and I dated for about six months, he decided he no longer wanted to go to Iceland without me (so sweet!). At first, he thought about shortening his trip and coming home early. But then, he decided he would give it a shot and see if I might want to go with him.
His trip was only one month away, and I didn't even have a passport. I was also a big saver, and the thought of dropping $700 on a round-trip plane ticket plus whatever we would spend was overwhelming to say the least. I remember us both laying on my living room floor with my laptop for about an hour going back and forth on whether or not I would go.
I had quite a healthy savings account, saved all on my own, and I was proud of that. The longer I pondered it however, the more I started feeling like I would be missing out on something. Finally, I took a deep breath, let go a bit, and said, "okay, let's do it." It really wouldn't hurt me or my savings.
We booked the tickets, I expedited my passport, and a month later my eyes were forever opened. I caught the travel bug immediately.
Check Back to continue and read about our trip to Iceland..
What I Learned:
1. Save Money. Sometimes it can be difficult not to drop money on the latest trend, however as you watch your savings account grow, you open up doors to be able to take on experiences that will provide you with life-long memories.
2. Let Go a Bit. If you are a big saver like me and get stressed about the idea of dropping big bucks on something like a trip, but you can afford to do so, allow yourself to let go a bit and know that you are about to open your eyes to so many new ideas if you say yes to the adventure.
3. Don't Be Afraid. If you can afford it, you have plenty of vacation time, and the desire to get out there is present, try and push through your fears. It is completely normal to fear the unknown, and traveling to another country for your first time can be a little scary. Pushing through will teach you to trust yourself and see what you are made of!
We want to hear from you! Where did you go the first time you traveled to another country? If you have never traveled abroad, where would you like to go?
No comments:
Post a Comment