Why I Didn't 'Travel More'

Since moving back to the states

one of the most frequently asked question has been 

"Why didn't you travel more?"

In the 17 months I lived in England I never went to mainland Europe. 

Heck, I only left the United Kingdom twice 

(once to visit my family in Texas, once for a trip to Ireland). 

But that doesn't mean I didn't travel.

That question absolutely infuriates me.

So my response, 

"I spent my time exploring the country I did live in". 

There's more to the United Kingdom than London, Bath, or Oxford.

There's an entire country waiting to be explored.

There are so many places I still have yet to visit in the UK. 

I didn't just want to travel to the UK, I wanted to understand it. 

And I was not going to pass up that amazing opportunity.

You can't understand a country by visiting it for a weekend or two. 

Living abroad allows you to understand your new country in a completely unique way.
Being an expat doesn't just mean you are experiencing another culture,
you are living it and allowing it to shape who you are.
It changed who I was for the better. 

Paris will always be there. Amsterdam too. 

There are so many places I want to visit, 

but I have the rest of my life to do so.

Living abroad is a blessing that should not be taken for granted. 

Polly from 'A Girl and Her Travels' has also written a lovely post about traveling and living abroad, which you can read here.


Happy Monday!
xoxo