I have always been in love with nature and the cultures of the world. I have always wanted to travel and to see what the world has to offer. Unfortunately to be able to have those opportunities you must have the money, which my family could not afford to spend. I would be even lucky enough to leave my backyard. My mom is a single mother and raises three kids on her own under a harsh job. It is extremely hard on her. This means I had to put down many responsibilities and sacrifice opportunities as a kid leading up to my teenage years. It would often be a rare event that I get to leave the house to spend time with my friends, reason being that I must always stay home and take care of my two younger siblings, the house, and my mom. The outside world was still a mystery to me.
â–º QUARTER FINALIST 2012 TEEN TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP
In the spring of 2011 my aunt had convinced my mom to bring the family on a vacation with her. In my mind, I had always thought it would be the usual vacation to the water park. Yet, I was wrong. My mom had announced that we were to go on a cruise! My mind was blown and I was speechless. My hands had a warm tingling feeling and my heart began to race. An actual vacation.
I can’t explain the feeling, but being on the airplane was even a thrill. We were heading to Miami, Florida, that was where we would board our cruise ship. Miami was wonderful and warm. Soon enough I saw the cruise ship, Freedom of the Seas, it was better than I had imagined. Taking the first step onto the ship felt as if I had left all of my worries and work behind, and that I just took board on a cloud. The inside of the ship was spectacular. I felt as if I was watching the Titanic at home as Jack and his friend first board the ship. It was like I was in a fancy hotel. There was also a villa-like floor where there were little stores, ice-cream shops, sandwich shops, and cafes. There were plenty of floors with so much to offer, yet that was my favorite floor. I felt as if I was living in the city. I often sat at the sandwich shop smelling the fresh coffee and seeing people walk pass as they gazed around in awe. The ship enough was paradise.
The ship was to stop at three different locations; Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Belize. Again, the feeling and experience are unexplainable. For the first time in life, I got to leave the United States and see the beautiful sights of Mexico. The water was so clear that you could see all sea life by simply looking down. The sand was white and soft and felt like a blanket on my toes. The food was so authentic and fresh, and the music was so traditional. Everyone there seemed to live life happily, without worry. They seemed to always smile.
Although it was only my first vacation and I am sure that I had not seen all there was to offer, it made me appreciate life increasingly. There are many beautiful places to see and many new lifestyles that leave you in a state of amazement. And here, I just thought that my backyard was all that life had to offer. The world is an unexplainable place, but it is for sure a beautiful place. Adventure surrounds us all over.
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