How We Accidentally Became World Travelers
Don’t leave the country. Don’t move outside the state. And if you can help it, don’t drive out of town because you’re too young and you might get hurt. These were the spoken and unspoken rules of my childhood regarding distance. An adventurous life was not looking likely for any of us. We were being slowly prepared for a life close to home. A quiet but consistent desire to leave the bubble of familiarity glistened in my heart.
The shift started with a family trip to Europe. My Mom is the daughter of a decorated Air Force veteran and she spent a portion of her young life in Europe while he served. She decided the three kids should see Europe before we left home and we took a whirlwind tour of 4 countries. We were 17, 15, and 13. My dad drove us everywhere while the kids goofed around crammed in the back seat and my mom helped him plan the stops. When I graduated college my parents saw another chance for the same trip. This time we all convinced my Mom we should stay in less places and take them in the right way - with stillness. Among other spectacular experiences, we spent 4 days in the Swiss Alps. We were 23, 21, and 19.
On this second trip, which occurred in 2014, I convinced my parents that I should visit Spain since I had been studying Spanish with a passion for 6 years. My dad and I hopped over to Spain in place of the 4 extra days my mom and siblings spent in Germany. This trip set my heart for independent travel. My readiness occurred providentially, trailing after a message from God my mom received during my college years - That she must “Release Robbie to me for all my intents and purposes”.
God had bigger trips planned for my family. Between 2014 and 2021 my brother spent 2 years working in Alaska and my sister spent a month volunteer teaching in China. I bounced back and forth between jobs in Pennsylvania and increasingly long trips to Spain. On my most recent trip to Spain I spent 10 days backpacking, 20 days in a small town, and 30 days in Madrid. My host for Madrid had connected with me through church friends and she had a daughter exactly my age. By the time I left Spain I had realized I wanted to date her and Jeni and I cautiously started a relationship.
Jeni is a resident of Spain but a citizen of Honduras. I am writing this piece in an open air portion of a beautiful old home in Honduras, meeting her siblings and grandparents. I am scheduled to fly home to Pennsylvania tomorrow and on Monday I make my second attempt at petitioning a student visa for a year long internship in Madrid, Spain. My brother left our home town 10 days ago for a year long position in Thailand. His story also involves an intriguing combination of God’s work, romance, and a desire to see beyond the nest.
Somewhere in the middle of these trips, I realized my family had experienced a drastic change. My parents had slowly stopped opposing the childrens’ dreams of travel. They ensured our timely arrivals to the airports and celebrated our safe returns. They pray for blessing as we live and serve in other countries and for the first time we are all seriously considering celebrating Christmas in a foreign country. I am gently preparing my family for a wedding abroad as well. We accidentally started traveling the world.
