"Oh! The Places You'll Go!"

Traveling is in my blood.

My parents immigrated to the United States from Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War in the ‘80s. My dad came straight to America and bounced around from state to state, moving from one coast to another. My mom, on the other hand, went to live in France and England for some time before moving here for good. They met in Pennsylvania and settled down in Virginia. I was born and raised here, but the rest of my family is scattered all around the world. Because of this, we have to travel a lot.

When I was one and a half years old, I took my first plane ride ever. We flew to California to visit my uncle and his family. When I turned two, shortly after this trip, we packed our bags again and made the excruciatingly long journey to Lebanon (okay it’s not that bad of a trip). This was my first journey overseas. While I don’t remember all of the trips I took as a little munchkin, I still believe they have deeply impacted my life. For example, I have no recollection of that visit to Lebanon but I remember returning home with a strong fluency in Arabic. I will never forget how cool I thought I was speaking Arabic to my mom and brother, as all of the neighborhood kids stared, with mouths agape, in utter confusion.

With all of this traveling in mind, my dad decided to get my twin brother and I Oh! The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss. Every time my parents read it to us, I was captivated. I thought the rhymes were funny, but I was always mesmerized by the pretty colors and funny-looking people. Clearly, five-year-old Yara couldn’t quite grasp the intellectual value of such a deep message hidden in the form of rhymes and color. It was only recently when I got to appreciate the meaning of the text. While the book isn’t literally about traveling and going to different countries, it is about life’s journeys and personal growth that comes from it. Traveling and experiencing different people and places is a part of life, which makes this book so relevant. This helps us evolve into the people we are today. Dr. Seuss may have known how to spit some sick rhymes, but the depth of his words are something we should really take to heart. If we look a little closer we can see the importance of exploring, and the impact it will make on our lives.

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

I’m not here to tell you that twenty-somethings are the brightest people in the world, but we’re pretty high up there. We’re innovative, daring and all of that other fun stuff. This is when those epic, life changing shower-thoughts come to life and we chase our dreams. As adults, we have the freedom and the ability to choose our own paths. To travel, all you really need is your own imagination and free will. Money is always a factor but there are ways to work around this obstacle through the many deals to keep your eye out for. The world is yours and your adventure is up to you; all you have to do is embark on your journey.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.

You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

You learn so much when you travel; much more than you ever could in a classroom. This knowledge is special and unique to you. This isn’t something you read out of a dull textbook; you learn through your own experience, which makes the information even more valuable.

From middle school to college, I spent seven years studying French. However, I learned more of the language in the 10 days that I was in France than I did any of those classes.

In addition to your fancy new language skills, you’ll learn tolerance, respect and acceptance for others. Every culture has their own way of life, and once you arrive you’ll quickly have to learn to adapt because if you don’t you’ll experience inevitable culture shock. Even if this way of living is entirely different than what you’re used to, you’ll get the hang of it. And when you come home and tell all your friends about the cool things people do overseas, you won’t be as weirded out next time you see someone acting differently than you.

This knowledge and experience you acquire abroad will only push you past your peers in society.

Everyone is just waiting.

We all are just waiting. We’ll wait for the semester to end before starting a new novel, or wait until Monday to start a new diet (seriously, who are we trying to kid). If we keep waiting we’ll never get anything done. There is this cliché about how “tomorrow isn’t guaranteed”, and it’s tacky, but true. You never know what will happen to you. This is the time to travel and experience the world. Commitments and careers are just around the corner and we must live life to the fullest while we’re still ‘young and free.’ Acting on your wanderlust is what will set you apart from everyone else. So often we get tied up in school or work or activities and we think we can’t take a break, but adventure doesn’t need too much time. A few days, a few weeks, or a few months. It’s entirely up to you. Work hard, play hard.

Somehow you’ll escape

all that waiting and staying

you’ll find the bright places

where the Boom Bands are playing.

There are amazing things out in the world to explore and you can’t get that from sitting around doing nothing. Traveling is a great way to escape your daily routine and explore what’s out there for you. I’m not sure you’ll come across any Boom Bands while traveling, but you’ll definitely come across people and places even cooler. And these places and people you’ll meet will change your life and your perspective towards it.

On and on you will hike,

And I know you’ll hike far

And face up to your problems

Whatever they are.

What better way is there to rejuvenate your mind than to hike to the top of a mountain, or visit an ancient Roman temple or even zip line through the Amazon Rainforest? These trips may sound like a lot to plan but in reality, there is adventure all around you and a little goes a long way. Travel is a wonderful way to distract your mind from your daily burdens and escape from your stressful routine. It shifts focus to sights and experiences bigger than yourself, and after you return home you’ll feel refreshed and ready to take on the world again. HealthNet released several studies regarding the health benefits of travel. They reported that vacation leads to decreased depression, less stress and improved productivity.

time off + adventure = a healthier and happier you

What more could you ask for?

You’re off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So…get on your way!

No more waiting, no more sitting around, no more day dreaming. What good is a bucket list if it sits and collects dust? It’s time to check adventures off. Make a plan and set a date. You don’t even need other people with you. This summer I changed my attitude about waiting for the “right time” and it changed my life. I decided I wanted to travel and see more of the world around me. I went to two states and one country in a span of 3 months just because I wanted to. Opportunities don’t wait and neither should you.

Traveling won’t change who you are; it will simply highlight the beautiful person that you already have inside you. You’ll evolve and grow into a cultured and open minded version of yourself.

These experiences are so much more than snapchat stories and Instagram posts. Those are always fun but what you learn abroad can be used in your daily life.

The world is an endless pit of adventure. It’s time to start digging.

#motivation #firststeps