My parents always told us growing up that they wanted to be able to take family vacations and go on trips providing us memories that would last us a lifetime. So every couple of years after they had saved up enough money we would take a big trip and the years in between we would take less expensive road trips or just outings to visit family members in near by states. Honestly most of my best memories stem from these trips.
In 8th grade my family went to England (and France for a day via the chunnel). This was where I first heard my favorite band Queen. It was my introduction to the music that eventually consumed my life. Throughout high school my family took trips to my Aunt and Uncle's time shares in Mexico. Although these trips were more vacation and less of a cultural learning experience I still got to visit the sites and see life from a new and unique perspective. I have visited sacred Mayan temples in Mexico, watched as thousands of turtles roll in from the ocean, sat in my mothers lap in a Mexican cab with my brothers wobbling on the lawn chairs that were sitting in the trunk, and I have been fortunate enough to see the beautiful Mexican sunset. I have been on air planes more times than I can count on four hands. My parents have taken us to Disney (world and land), Las Vegas (NM and NV), Washington DC (3 + times), California, Florida, New mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, Arizona, New York, Chicago, Utah, Canada, Washington, South Dakota, Texas and more that I am probably forgetting.
Last summer my family spent 10 days in 12 airports and 3 Hawaiian Islands! It is one of my most cherished family memories. The people in Hawaii are as beautiful as the islands. I saw black sand for the first time. Went snorkeling for the first time. Did a kayaking trip for the first time. Went hiking everyday with my family. Stood under a gushing waterfall. I looked out at the ocean the same color as the sky and I couldn't tell where the water ended and the sky began. I saw green sand for the first time (my favorite part of the trip). In order to get to green sands beach you had to park in the middle of no where Hawaii and walk 5(ish) miles to a cove -where you had to climb down the side of the rocks to get to the beach- it seemed that pretty much only locals knew of the spot. It had not been commercialized, there was no water fountains or vendors just God's pure simple beauty and I was encased by it. The waves were higher and more intense then anything I had ever seen before even the locals on there surf boards were cautious so of course my two older brothers decided to go out. I saw them getting thrashed by waves rolled around and they loved it! The feeling of freedom was exiting in that moment. 
When I was a Senior I went on my first trip without my family to Ethiopia, Africa. My parents were scared to death but they knew my heart was in Africa so I prayed a lot and eventually they let me go. Most people don't understand why you would want to go to a place thats often with out any running water, or electricity. They say it's a scary place, you can die there. Theres desies like AIDS and malaria. They don't have what Americans consider "roads" or stop lights or any sort of system to there driving. On one occasion we were driving from Project Mercy to Awassa for the grand opening of a library. It was like a 4 hour drive if I remember correctly. The "roads" were bumpy like a really long roller coaster and we often had to stop suddenly to let animals and people pass. now I am not one to usually get sick however I spent that day completely car sick and sick from my malaria medication. I am 19 years old now and I have seen unexplainable, unimaginable beauty and it has ruined any chance I have of seeing this world as normal. Yet of all the places I have traveled I will always feel the need to return to this poverty stricken country. The people who whisper that its not safe there, that I could die if I go back have some truth in these statements. Its Africa its not safe. Its Africa you might not come back. But if your heart is telling you to go.. then go. Come back with an appreciation for the sang "this is Africa." Take safety precautions and pray to God that you can make it back to tell everyone about life beyond there comfort zone.
Go wherever your calling is and come back with pictures of people who have stolen your heart, come back with stories and memories. Come back and tell others that these pictures and stories of are of real people who just need to be loved like we all do. So leave your expectations and hesitations behind and see what the world has in store for your life.
