Why I Travel

Making Memories in Honor of My Mother

Since I was a young girl, my family took me on a vacation during the summer. We would usually drive for about 4 hours and get a hotel room. Sometimes we would revisit places we had already been. Sometimes, we went somewhere new. But no matter where we were going, there was always some sort of excitement that went along with it.

I think it was because my mother loved to travel. I was somewhat of a homebody that enjoyed being alone. The thought of going somewhere new for a week in a place unfamiliar to me did not appeal as much. But my mom’s excitement was infectious.

Up until I was in high school, both of my parents were public school teachers so our vacations were often limited to places close by. My grandparents were able to take me to New York, Philadelphia, and Canada to see Niagara Falls. We all went on beach trips to Florida (Daytona was very popular then). Most of the time, we went to the beach or the Outer Banks.

As my mother got her law degree and had a successful business, she ventured out of the country. She loved the Caribbean Islands. She had a timeshare in the Bahamas and visited Aruba, Costa Rica, and Bermuda. She finally settled on her favorite, San Pedro in Belize. She and my dad would go there every February to escape the chilly winter blues.

She then began to take the grandchildren to different places and open them up to new adventures. She always said, “let’s go make a memory!”

A few months after she died, I booked a plane ticket to Greece. Some friends of mine were going as part of a family vacation and invited me to stay with them. I didn’t hesitate and didn’t worry about the money. In honor of my mother, I was going to branch out and visit somewhere new. I applied for an expedited passport which I received just in time.

My friends picked me up at the airport in Athens and drove me out to the small hotel close to the water. We ate souvlaki, visited the Acropolis, and spent 10 days on Tinos in a small place in Kardiani. I was in love. This is what I wanted to do.

That year, I took off work and traveled. I spent a month in Hawaii, visited Mexico for 5 days, and visited 4 cities in two weeks in China. The experiences I gained by getting out of my comfort zone are invaluable. I grew as a person by learning that the best food comes from a tent on the street in Hong Kong, and grilled octopus is delicious. There is great power in ocean waves and waterfalls and ohana is more than just family. People are nice and helpful all over the world. You don’t have to speak a common language to make a new friend. I made so many new memories.

Just before the Pandemic hit, I was able to travel to Central America with my aunt and cousin. In memory of my mother, we went to Belize. We were only there a short time, but I was able to see what my mother loved about it. I also learned that I loved the rainforest. Throughout the trip, we would say “we are going on adventure!” and “let’s go make a memory!” both phrases my mother would use often.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet a partner that loves to travel too. Since we have been together, we have visited Italy and Portugal. We are getting ready to embark on our greatest adventure yet, marriage. We are even working out a plan to move abroad.

No matter where I land in the world, I will always want to visit distant places. I will want to find the thrill of learning something new, tasting something delicious, and experiencing life to its fullest. After all, life is about living and making memories with those you love.