To Travel is to live

Now I am not writing this to shame anyone who doesn't want to travel or have conditions that prevent them from doing so. I know for
myself I start to feel like I'm slowly dying when I don't travel for a long time. It doesn't have to mean hopping on a plane. Even if I drive an hour away to experience something new or a favorite town. Travel is the only thing I invest in that makes me richer. Richer in experiences. That's why sometimes I wrestle with the idea of buying an expensive piece of clothing or bag (not shaming anyone who does). When I sit and ask myself if today was my last day what could I say made my life here on earth worthwhile. I always go back to all the wonderful travel experiences.All the wonderful faces I've met, the laughs, the food,the culture I got to experience.

Before I ever stepped foot on another country, I've traveled countless times in my head. I was a bookworm when I was little because I truly enjoyed the idea of living different lives in my head through books. Since I could not travel, books were my escape. Before I even moved to New York, I've lived here in my head. I remember the 1st day when I moved here from Haiti on our way home from the airport. My parents drove through Manhattan a little bit and I remember my mind lit up like hey I'm home. It looked so familiar to me as if I've been living here the whole time. I remember the days where I used to daydream about the skyscrapers I read about. I think it's the reason why I've been such a loner, I loved spending my days daydreamign about my other lives.

I could never read horror stories. I know bad things happen in this world, but why would I want to live through something like that in my head. I believe the world is good. The world has never been better and safer than it is today.  I am not here to tell you book a flight and go somewhere thats deemed dangerous. Do your research, don't be handicapped by the news, media. They live off your fear to do anything. I choose not to participate in anything that's not in alignment with what I want to see in the world.Traveling reminds me on how we're all connected.
I've always been so scared to go to Mexico although it's been on my list forever because of the days when I used to read the news. I felt pretty safe there. I am so happy to have gotten the chance to visit tulum.

As anti social/introverted as everyone thinks I am. When I travel, I come alive. I want to talk to everyone to get a taste of how others live. One of my favorite travel experiences was hanging out with the captain crew on a ferry from Athens to Santorini. We talked about things I would have never known about. I have so many amazing travel memories. The time I sat with a Canadian on the Spanish Steps in Rome talking for hours. That time in the Agafay desert in Morocco with Monroe reenacting Harriet Tubman in our cute little tent with no electricity. I think it was the hardest I've laughed in my life. So many more, but this post would be too long.

My favorite travel quote ever
"The World Is a Book and Those Who Do Not Travel Read Only One Page" 
It's the best way to describe. You realize how tiny you are when you travel. You realize how your problems are nothing when you travel. You realize how beautiful this world is when you travel.You realize how good people are when you travel. 

Why do you travel?

Thank you for reading,
Xoxo, Rose