Where are you going?

Over the years, my friends, family and colleagues have changed their summertime question to me of rather than “What are you doing this summer?” or “Are you traveling anywhere this summer?” to “Where are you going this summer?" As assuredly as kids get antsy in May, Rebecca will be traveling come summer.

This summer, I was absolutely thrilled that my parents wanted to take a trip with me!  We haven't really traveled together in several years, and so the opportunity to spend time together and share in experiencing a new place together is a thrill.  The next big question was... where do we go?

Answering this question was more challenging than we first thought it might be.  As for myself, I am trying to reach a goal of seeing 50 states and 50 countries by the time I turn 50, so I wanted to go some place new rather than returning to the familiar.  While I am very proud of my parents, pretty much agreeing to go anywhere, I knew that their adventurous spirit was not quite to the level of mine, and so I knew that we would need to go to a place where the culture was unique and unlike our own, but not so drastically different than what we are accustomed to.  Mom also gets hot terribly easily, and Dad doesn't do well in extreme cold.  These weather restrictions, gave us certain latitudes to look at.  Browsing through Lonely Planet's Where to Go When, I landed on what seemed like the perfect fit for us: Slovenia.

When I excitedly announced to my parents that I had decided on the perfect place, their first response was, "Ok.  Now where is Slovenia?"  The more we read, and the more photos we looked at, it truly seemed like the right fit for us.  And so, we expanded our trip from this initial choosing. 

We are headed first to Croatia.  Technically, it is not a new country for me.  About six years ago, I taught for the year in England at a middle school.  The principal there had entered and won a contest through Monarch Air that took about 200 students and faculty members to Dubrovnik for a day.  For someone who plans field trips for 100 fourth graders to travel two hours away, I still can't fathom how we took that many children on an international day trip.  But, it was a magical day, and I'm thrilled to go back to the city and spend more than a few hours there.  And yes, of course, I'm eager to walk the streets of King's Landing, but hopefully there will not be someone with a bell following me!

We'll day trip to Montenegro, and move up the country to a couple of other cities before going into Slovenia.  Jessica, my travel buddy and fellow teacher from Denver, will join us toward the end of our stay in Slovenia and then the four of us will drive to Hungary together.  My parents will fly home and then Jessica and I will set out on a road trip through Austria, Poland, Slovakia and Romania.

We fly out this evening, in just a few short hours, and in a way, I'm more at ease than I often am before I head out.  Part of that may be that my parents are with me, and so there are not difficult goodbyes to be said (although saying goodbye to the four-legged Lizzie is never easy), and also that I know that my parents have always watched over me, taken care of me, and I know they'll be there alongside me to once again do that.  There is part of me, though, who is more anxious than usual.  I've planned most of this trip, which I love doing, but I would hate to have chosen the wrong thing or for things to not be as perfect as I want them to be.  Would my parents complain?  Absolutely not, that is not them, but I still want it all to go smoothly and be all that we have hoped for.  I believe all three of us are a bit anxious about spending several weeks together.  We have an incredible relationship, and I realize just how rare that can be and how fortunate I am.  We are truly a three.  We are each other's biggest cheer-leaders, best friends, confidants, and sometimes the ones who push each other when we need to be shoved just a bit.  But, as family, we also feel comfortable to speak our minds, knowing that we will always forgive one another.  And well, let's face it, what family wouldn't be a bit anxious to be together for three weeks solid?  Am I anxious?  A little.  Am I fearful?  Not at all.  Do I believe that we'll make memories a lifetime together?  Absolutely.

Let the next great adventure begin!