Yesterday was Thanksgiving in the United States. While many of our friends and family were eating huge meals, sharing their gratitude and spending quality time together, we were just having a crap day. We had bad luck with trains, awkward interactions with people, illness and a very long walk in the rain with our heavy bags to our final destination. My expectations were not high for a holiday abroad, but I definitely thought we would be able to FaceTime with family and share a nice home cooked dinner. At the end of the day, we shared a frozen pizza and crawled into bed early; not wanting to turn on the charm via FT.
It got me thinking about the things that I’m grateful for this year. It’s a little different list than I’ve made in the past. I usually join the ranks in sharing the heartwarming things like family, the obvious things like a roof over my head and food or the ridiculous things like Netflix and sweatpants. While I’m grateful for all of those things, my mind is in a different place this year.
Maybe it’s the lack of a busy dinner table that had me looking a little deeper, but while I lay in bed this morning after the first good night’s sleep this week – I spent a while thinking about these things.
Education and Self Awareness
Having the time to read more has been such a gift on this trip. Devoting at least an hour a day to reading has allowed us to discover different perspectives, dig deeper into different subjects and escape into different worlds so easily. On top of that, we have been able to explore parts of the world and talk to people whose lives are in such contrast to our own. I’m grateful for an open mind and the constant desire to want to learn.
In the same arena, I’m grateful for the things I’ve learned about myself in the last year. There has been a lot of time for reflection on who I am. The more I learn about others, the more aware I am of my own privilege, my strengths and my weaknesses. I know my limits better and what things make me the happiest. I’m hopeful that it will help me figure out which direction to head next.
Experiences
There are no shortages of amazing experiences to be grateful for this year. Watching the sunset over the African desert, getting to see three Tasmanian devils eat lunch, having a monkey steal half of my lunch in Bali, spending days with my face under the water with fish – I am so grateful to have had the chance to experience animals up close this year.
There are also the human interactions that have changed me. We have had candid conversations on gun control in New Zealand, sang bad German pop songs with a man in Vietnam, spent hours discussing rescue dogs with our host in Thailand and have even managed to make a few friends along the way.
Then, there are the experiences we’ve been able to share with our loved ones. Theme parks and strange bathrooms in Vietnam with Meredith & Andy, snowy Colorado weekends with the Peters, castles and cobblestone streets in France with Justin’s parents, beach sunsets in Mexico with Johnny & Tami, skiing in Taos with Matt & Katie, beers in Prague with Justin & Ann, sledding in Northern WI with the Greesons and wine tasting all over Australia with my mom. It’s the best thing to be able to share these moments with other people. We are so grateful these people chose us to spend them with.
A USA Passport
Something I didn’t realize before leaving the US was the strength of our passport. It has been easy for us to travel all the places we have wanted to go. Just a few stamps and sometimes a little money and we have gained access to some amazing countries. Not everyone is that lucky and it’s important to remember that. I am grateful that I was born in the United States. I find it interesting when people use the word “proud” because it isn’t an accomplishment of ours to be born there. I am just very grateful.
My Husband
I feel this in such a different way this year. As I’ve become more self aware, I’ve been able to watch J grow and change as well. We have communicated better this year than ever before. We have seen amazing things together and being able to discuss and learn from each other’s experiences have made the whole experience more enjoyable. It’s pretty amazing that we have pulled this off so far and I’m so excited to see where we go next.
Support
We are very lucky to have family and friends that check in with us, send us updates from home via emails and texts and FaceTime us when the timezones align. Even though we are so happy to be on this journey, it is hard to be disconnected with the people we love the most. Holidays are especially hard. So we are extremely appreciative for the photos, texts and calls we received yesterday and throughout this whole journey.
Plus, we have some amazing support back home with logistics. We have a few boxes being stored, a car being cared for and a PO Box that is checked regularly. We are forever grateful for that help.
This Planet
I have seen some heartbreaking things on this trip. The planet is fragile and it is not being taken care of by humans currently. The trash, the heat, the flooding, the extreme weather, extinction of animals – it’s on us to help fix it. I am so grateful to have seen as much of it as we have and it has only inspired us to do more and share more. From the turquoise glacial waters of New Zealand to the bright orange sand dunes in Namibia, this planet is a freaking spectacle. I have cried a lot of tears, both happy and sad, but it was almost always about this beautiful home we have. It is such an amazing place and I’m so happy for the chance to see some of it and share it with others.
A Final Note…
I can’t stop thinking about stuffing. It’s my favorite Thanksgiving food (specifically this vegetarian recipe) and I plan to make it the second we get back to the USA. Please make sure you eat all your leftovers from your beautiful holiday meals. Food waste is such a crazy problem and it’s so easy to solve. Get creative with those sandwiches, share some with your neighbors or invite your family over for round 2 – but don’t let it go to waste.
Thanks for reading my ramblings about gratitude this year. I’m off to enjoy a sunny day (our first in a while) in Leipzig, Germany. Hope you had a beautiful holiday.
