Why do I love traveling so much?

I have traveled a lot this summer, and I mean a lot.  I was gone for 37 days out of the last 66.  Wow.

June: 16 days

July: 17 days

August: 4 days

My travels included one looooong road trip to Florida and back, two flights, three train rides, 2 bus rides, many rides on the NYC subway, and much walking and exploring.  I visited many loved ones and old friends (made new friends too), saw amazing historical sights, and did some shopping for sunglasses.  :)  I had a wonderful time!  

Why do I love traveling so much?  I did a great deal of reflecting on this on my last trip of the summer this past weekend. I am realizing that traveling does amazing things to my soul.  I find myself reenergized and renewed, full of the courage to challenge myself.  To challenge myself to look at my life differently, to look at myself differently, to see more of who I really am and who I want to become.  I have the energy and courage to change things in my life that desperately need changing.  

What is it about traveling that does this?

1. Traveling takes me out of myself.  It has its own rhythm that is different than everyday schedules; and I have experiences that help me discover my flaws and my strengths in varying situations.
2. Adventure.  Everyday holds the promise of new things to see, people to encounter, people to be with, conversations and experiences to have, new history to learn, and art and architecture to see.  I thrive on adventures and new things.
3. People.  The people I spend time with on my travels make the experience for me.  I discovered this last summer when I traveled by myself for 5 days around Northern Italy.  It was just not as fun.  There was no one to talk to, no one to share things with, no one to  be silent with, no one to be with.  It ended up as a kind of retreat for me (which was good), but not nearly as fun as all my other travels with people.  I must be an  extrovert, no big surprises there. :)
• My grandparents: I spend 5 days with my grandparents in Florida on their sailboat.  It was wonderful to spend time with just the three of us.  We've never had the opportunity to be together one on one.  It was AMAZING.  They are both very good story tellers (I, sadly, did not inherit their Irish gift of story telling) and full of wisdom about life.
• My uncles, aunts and cousins.  I visited family in Boston and New Jersey and it was wonderful to see them and get to know them better!
• Friends, old and new.  Friendship is an amazing thing.  Visiting and talking with old friends and new makes my world expand.  Seeing others striving to be the best that they can be and to do the will of God gives me hope and challenges me to do the same.  
4. Eating new food.  I love food.  I tried many different kinds of food, coffee, and desserts on this trip.  Good food for the body is indeed food for the soul.  

How do I go back to school and regular life in two weeks? I am ready.  I am tweaking how I live my life to become the best-version-of-myself, to implement the reflections from travel and resolutions I have made to live life better.  Traveling inspires me. :)

Traveling lends perspective to life.   Being humbled is good for the soul. (Image via Verily Magazine)

What I Miss About the South

I miss the South.  Yes, yes, I know I gave Texans a hard time for years about their great (very great) love of Texas; but I now that I've moved away I find I have miss many things about it.  (And yes, I do know that there is a difference between the South and Texas, but there is alot of overlap too).

I MISS....

1. People saying "yes ma'am" to me.  Old men, young men in hat and boots (swoon), little boys, and even women say "yes ma'am." I love it because by saying it you show that you respect the person.  And it totally made me feel loved, even from perfect strangers. :)
2. The way people dress.  First of all boots.  I love cowboy boots and you can wear them to just about any occasion in Texas (not so much in Missouri).  
   
   Second of all, people in Texas and the South dress up more.   I first began to notice this when I began work here at my new school this past year.  I felt very dressed up most of the time and I was wearing the same work clothes I had worn in Texas.  Strange.  The point really hit home for me when I was in Atlanta last Sunday for Mass; I only saw about 5 people in jeans! and only 2 in shorts!  The majority of women were in dresses, or skirts.  The majority of men had slacks and a collared shirt on.  That is not the case here in Missouri.  Most people wear shorts and nice jeans to Mass in the summer, and often times athletic shorts and t-shirts.  Sometimes the women wear skirts, but few ever wear dresses.  Again, people in Texas seem to have a sense of respect.  Respect for yourself and regard for others, because they are the ones that have to look at you! 
3. The way women act.   Women tend to act more feminine.  They wear skirts and dresses more.  They are more willing to let men open doors and life things.  They don't use vulgar language as much.  Women today are sometimes uncomfortable in their femininity (thanks radical feminists *gag*).  Women in the South and Texas seem to be less uncomfortable in their femininity.
4. The pride that Texans take in their state.    The Texas Lone Star which is EVERYWHERE (which used to really annoy me).  
   
   People make fun of this love, even in Europe people would comment on it: "Texas?  Cowboys!"; but there is something noble about it.  They love their state unabashedly, they are totally loyal to Texas.  That is a beautiful thing.  It is also alot of fun to tease your Texas friends about it. ;)
5. Country music.  I fell deeper in love with country music while in Texas, including real Texas country music.   Eli Young Band, Josh Abbot Band, Casey Donahew Band are three favorites.  There were so many great country concerts.  
6. Texas two-step!  I really miss two-stepping.  I already loved the music, had boots to dance in (which are the best for two-stepping in), and was just starting to get better at it when I moved away.  Why oh why did I sleep so much last year when I could have been out two-stepping??
7. Extreme Moose Tracks Ice Cream.  Seriously.  They don't have it here anywhere and it is my favorite. Of all time (to date).
8. Great margaritas.  And Tex-Mex.  To quote the Bowling for Soup song: "Besides the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway." Found to be true. 
9. MY FRIENDS.  Many of them have left/are leaving Texas soon, but I miss seeing my friends.

Things that I do NOT miss about Texas and why I really like being in Missouri:  not so HOT.  My family. :)  Everything is green!  There are so many flowers blooming.  There are real trees here.  More rain and snow.  Living in a much more Catholic city.  Not so hot.  My family.

HELLO BLOG WORLD! :)

So I've been thinking about blogging for while.  So after encouragement from a number of friends (especially Mariana). And so it begins. :)

p.s. more substantial posts to coming