"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. "-- St. Augustine

It's very strange realizing just how much you've traveled, and yet how much more there is to see. In the US, I've been as far north as New Hampshire and straight down the coast down to the tip of Florida, to California not once but twice (forgot about my flights to/from LAX & all the stuff we did there...), unintentional stop in Oklahoma (never going there again...), layovers in Texas... I've been to many cities in Canada, to Australia and Scotland and the Bahamas... (All English speaking places, because I'm not fluent in anything else yet!) It doesn't seem like a lot compared to a few people I know, including my parents, but it's amazing in a way... It's like each time I travel, the world gets smaller, but bigger at the same time. The exotic becomes the familiar; the distance, shorter; and foreign, home. I leave the safety that is Old Bridge, where I've grown up for 18 of my 21 years, where I (unfortunately) know everyone and run into old gym teachers at work. I love seeing the world and learning about everyone and everything in it. It's like renewing that sense of wonder so characteristic of childhood-- everything is new and amazing, like your imagination come to life only a million times more incredible than you could ever dream... To see the places you've only read about in books tower before your very eyes, to taste the unique treasures of every corner of the globe, feel the rush that is discovery of a "new world." You have the opportunity to meet people you never thought you'd know... I met a very good friend during my time in Australia, and we still chat almost every day. And to think, I what if I had never met her? To think I almost never "met" this person, or several other good friends, because I was way too shy to say hi first (really... I should probably work on that...) What if I had never gone abroad, or what if I had picked a different school in Australia... Are we meant to meet certain people, or is it all really just random coincidence? I personally believe that all things happen for a reason (even if that reason is simply because a chain of events can only end in 1 possible result...), so who knows. Maybe there's something to learn from each person we meet in life, and there's certainly plenty to learn from each place and culture we visit. As St. Augustine said, the world is a book. You can never know how the story goes if you don't jump in and explore it. Life isn't forever, and we only get one shot at this. (Unless of course you believe in reincarnation, in which case, have at it...) So let's make it count, yea? There's so much to see and do... Jump in, no fears, and see where life takes you. (Except of course for rational fears, including those regarding the 8-legged creatures that are taking over the world. It's not paranoia if they're really after you! lol :-D Though in my defense, my... phobia is tantamount to that of my sister's fear of ladybugs. Potentially poisonous creepy-as-hell thing with too many legs, vs. cute little spotted harmless thing... And they say my phobia is irrational!)


At the same time, you develop a paranoia living in a place like this, where the world seems so small... You never know who you'll run into...