Day 65: Around the World in 26 years...

I've lived away from home for 6 years.  Anyone that's lived away from home knows that "vacation days" aren't really "vacation days" anymore.  "Time off" turn into "time with family"...and before you know it your beloved two weeks of vacation converts itself into a week home for Christmas, your grandparent's 65th wedding anniversary, the birth of your second cousin's neighbor's child on your mom's side, or Lord knows what else.  When you add working weekends into the mix (ugh), it becomes time off for friends' weddings back home, concerts, birthday parties, or a night on the town.

In short -- 2 weeks of vacation isn't much of anything when you work weekends and live away from home.  I wish I had the opportunity to drive 45 minutes to see my parents "just because" so that I could spend my two weeks traveling the world...but alas...I can't...and I don't.

Or so I thought.

When I went to leave work the other day, I crossed paths with one of my co-workers.  I was headed out, she was headed in, and we got into a conversation about (what else?) but the massive amounts of beads I accumulated (and whether or not I had to show my boobs for them), when I said..."Yanno? I never took them out of the back of my car...come check it out."  So she did.  And as I pulled the bag open to show off my loot, she said...(something along the lines of...)
her: "I'm so jealous."
me: "Of the beads?"
her: "No, of your life."
me: "Huh?"
her: "Your life is so cool compared to mine.  I don't do anything."

Ok, so I'm not sure if those were her exact words or not...but pretty close ;) haha.  She went on to say that she just goes home to see her family, and hang out with her boy toy...but doesn't take trips.  Now, with the exception of this most recent trip...I really have no idea what she's talking about (ha!), or at least I didn't at the time.  But then on my way home...I got to thinking...even with my incredibly sucky, no chance for a social life work schedule...and my "out-of-towner" status...I've been blessed enough to travel...a lot.  I just got back from Mardi Gras, and in a little over a month, I'll be sunbathing on the beaches of Mexico (for the third time in three years! Woop! Woop!).  I've been to the Ukraine, France, Italy, England (for six hours), Mexico (6 times), Canada (but that really doesn't count when you're from Michigan, eh?), the Bahamas...and a handful of random states (hmmm....California, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Florida...I think that's it).

So, maybe I haven't done all the traveling I'd like to do.  I haven't exactly traveled around the world in my lifetime...but I'm off to a good start...and that's good enough for me :)

And besides...Cabo is in a month...and I'm thankful for that :)