Home Is Where the Heart Is

To the person who lives in a place they call home that isn't really home, this is for you.

Living in a town or city for all your life is hard, especially when you don't have the resources to travel a lot or even at all. You're just stuck in one place thinking "Am I ever going to see the world?" Well growing up in a small town that no one has ever heard of 40 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, you always think that you're never really going to get out. But you can only dream and push yourself in ways that may not be in your comfort zone.

I was always told that if you have your mind on something then it will come true and to never stop believing in your dreams no matter who may or how many times you get knocked down. Everyone has one place they would want to go in the world, for some it's Italy and for others it may be Ireland or even India. Well wherever you may want to go never give up your goal of traveling there one day. Growing up, I was a fan of England. Trust me, it was an unnatural obsession about how much I wanted to grow up and move to England and marry a British guy. I think I watched Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, and Harry Potter WAY too much. My sister actually had to go to speech classes for a little because that's all we watched and she started to develop a slight accent.

Anyways, my dream did come true. When you get that one chance to travel you take it, no matter whether you are alone with someone just go. So two years ago, I traveled to London, England. I was there for about a month and a half. And yes, I did travel there alone. However, I did have friends who lived there so I stayed with them. I was always fascinated with England and it's culture and history. However, when you experience it first hand, it's like another world. Through the architecture, accents, pubs, shopping, royals, countryside, and so much more, it felt like home. I'm not sure if it was the overall aesthetic of the place or the fact that people are so into soccer there, but I don't think there wasn't a time when I wasn't smiling. I traveled to London obviously but I stayed in a town called Chichester. It was a beautiful little town and everywhere I went I either felt like I was in Harry Potter, Ella Enchanted, or The Hobbit.

After experiencing London and the south of England, my time was short lived and I had to hop on the next flight back to Canada. My friend offered to pick me up at Toronto and I was able to enjoy Canada as well. But as soon as we crossed the boarder back to the United States, I felt it. That sensation when your dream is over and you come back to the reality of it all. The reality of, "I went home but now I'm away from home and I miss my family," type feeling. It was horrible. Even almost three years later, I miss it so much.

So, for you that person that may feel like they are missing something, that "home away from home," this is for you. Reach out of your comfort zone. Explore, research, and do it. Life is short, do what you love, buy that plane ticket, make friends in that country, fall in love, travel and experience the world because once you travel, where you're from doesn't change, you do. I promise, it's worth the jump. You will learn so much and see the world so differently. Don't get discouraged if it may not workout the first time you try to follow your dream. It's meant to happen when it's supposed to happen. Always remember to keep wanderlust in her mind and soul.