My dad comes into the room at 5 am and tells us that it's time. We rush to make sure that everything we need, or everything we think we need, is all packed and propped into the car. With my comfiest sweatpants on, I run up and down the stairs and listen to the bickering of my family members. "Celine come on we're always late because of you!" my dad would yell from downstairs as I rush upstairs, forgetting yet another thing. As everything is finally organized, we grab our tickets and passports and run out the door. The aroma of Manhattan Bagel coffee and breakfast slowly wakes my senses up and puts everyone in a better mood. As we ride on the freeway to the airport, I can barely contain my excitement for the adventures that will come. .
I didn't realize how much I appreciated traveling up until two years ago. Before, traveling just meant getting out of school and bringing nice souvenirs home for friends. But now traveling is about exploring cultures and values so different from my own. It's incredible how with just one border, the language, history, and traditions can be so different in contrast to our own. I am lucky enough to say I have been to many exotic places, but there are so many that I can't wait to discover. I want to ride on a donkey's back up the rocky hills of Greece. I want to sit at a quaint Italian cafe, cappuccino in hand, watching market venders haggle tourists. I want to see the elaborate architecture of the Taj Mahal in India. I want to taste the pure richness of Belgium chocolate and ski down the Swiss Alps. There's so much I still want to do, so many things I still haven't seen or experienced. .
My last trip to Cancun, Mexico will forever stand out as one of my favorite memories. In the summer of 2013, we had the privilege to go to Cancun for one week. The trip consisted of activities I never imagined myself doing. I never thought, me, someone afraid of the ocean, would have the courage to swim with dolphins, scuba dive, and parasail.
