Above and Abroad

Above as in Planes (which I love because they can take me anywhere!) and Abroad as in Traveling!

This is more of a post for me than anyone else. But I wanted to share one of my passions. I Love going to new places and learning about different cultures. I am so lucky to have been born into a family that has gone on three foreign assignments. My opportunity to live in Europe has changed my life in so many ways. Adjusting was a bit hard at first, but then in a blink of an eye its over and you can't help but miss it terribly.

My time overseas led me to meet great people and visit breathtaking places. My dad jokes that he has 'ruined' me and my siblings into thinking it is normal to be an American living abroad and therefore able to travel to new places quite easily. To illustrate, think of traveling between states in the US--that's like traveling different countries in Europe. Like "going to Austria to go skiing" is no big deal, even though to us it sounds exotic. I had a friend who had lived in Europe his entire life and had never been to Paris or Barcelona. But on the other hand, I grew up in California and didn't go to Hollywood until my junior year of high school. Because it wasn't a big deal, its right there, I can go 'whenever'.

But seriously, my time in Ireland and Sweden has not ruined me, it has built me. It has helped me to connect with more people now that I am back in the states. I can feel the pain of a Spanish speaker at church who barely understands sacrament meeting, because I have been there. I can see adventure in the fact that I don't know where Wil and I will end up once we graduate because I don't have much of a preference! I have grown to see that no matter where you are, you can connect with family and friends--even if they don't live close by.

I hope that someday I can instill the same 'wanderlust' in my children. Not just because I absolutely love it, but because travel has made me a better person. It is good to leave your comfort zone time and again. Not everyone can move to the other side of the world. (I would be ecstatic if Wil and I ever get to.) But even just visiting a new place can help put things in perspective and expand the amount of people you can connect to. Go somewhere, anywhere, even somewhere that's not far. Just go.

I am so proud of my family for having the courage to move to Malaysia this year. So far they are doing great, even in such a vastly different culture. I miss them, but this is a good thing. Both of my sisters will graduate there. I will be done with college by the time they get back. But we have been blessed with the technology to be able to keep contact. Even if I can't see Melynn play on the softball team or see Darby rock it at a new dance studio, it is still good. I know they are growing in ways they couldn't elsewhere.

I really did not write this to brag. I honestly believe there are people afraid of travel and afraid of change. But change is how we grow and become stronger. Learning about other cultures and places expands our understanding of the world and proves that there is more than one way to do things.

This is my passion. I can't wait for my next opportunity to go Above and Abroad.