As many of my friends already know, I set a new goal for myself in 2016 after the end of that atrocious 12 year relationship with the Scumbag. That goal was to travel outside the United States at least once a year. The Scumbag was never very interested in international travel because, “America’s the greatest country in the world, why would I want to leave it?”
Yeah..he said that…
The only reason he traveled as much as he did within the U.S. is because I was the one making all the plans. He just tagged along with no real goals or contributions, even caused us to miss a flight once due his notorious lack of timeliness.
Now that I have that dead weight off my back, I can finally see more of the world. I did a bit of international travel as a child, but not in my adult life until last year.
Last year I went to Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. Unfortunately I was unable to kick off this new goal in the year I devised it, I was still trying to get back on my feet with moving, moving expenses, and now being in a single income household. But I planned and saved and made it happen in 2017, right around the anniversary of the end of that awful relationship with the Scumbag. While he was moping around with a broken arm (as I was told from a few sources that ran into him during that time, funny how karma comes back around), I was having the time in my life in beautiful Vancouver, meeting new friends, trying poutine for the first time, and embracing the kind and gentle Canadian culture. My friends back home were all very excited for my trip. This year’s plans however, got some mixed reactions…
This year, I’m definitely going out of my comfort zone, within reason of course. In April, I will be traveling to Dubai, UAE and Kochi, Kerala India. My very well-traveled friends were very excited to hear it. Some of my more domestically settled friends were a bit concerned. While Dubai is in the Middle East, it’s an ex pat’s paradise, great wealth and architecture, different cultures melting together better than Americans have ever accomplished. But most Americans are only informed about the bad parts of the Middle East, it’s unfortunate and misleading. Same with India, most Americans only see the bad side, Slumdog Millionaire stereotypes. Yes there is poverty in some areas of the country, but not all. The state of Kerala in particular actually has the highest literacy rates, most highly educated citizens, and the southern tip of India has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world (Goa, Marari, Pondicherry just to name a few). Plus I’ve spent a lot of time establishing friends and contacts in each destination, so I won’t be alone and I will have several nice people to rely on during my travels. All of that seems to appease most of my fearful friends, but a few still have their reservations about the whole thing.
While I understand these aren’t the usual American destinations, it’s important to get out of your comfort zone sometimes and experience something very different.
Just going to bistros in Paris doesn’t make you a globetrotter, you know…
Motley Musings 