world traveler...?

Well, Maggie is on her way to Rwanda as we speak, and it's definitely got me thinking about the traveling I've done and the places I've been and worked. The last time I was out of the country (not counting Canada) was summer 2003, just after freshman year of college, when I went with my family to Thailand.

Four years ago.

I've always wanted to be a "traveler of the world," so why has it been so long since I've actually traveled outside the country? I haven't been able to afford any vacation travels, that's true. But I also haven't looked into doing any sort of work or volunteer programs abroad. I had my reasons for not going abroad during college, and I've been enjoying the work I've done since graduation, and feel that it's been good and important work, as are the things I'm looking into for next year. And I do feel that there is so much to see and so much to fix within our own country that there's surely nothing wrong with choosing to stay. That being said, I'm definitely feeling the itch to travel - and not only to travel and visit and see places far away, but to do something good while I'm there - tikkun olam.

There are certainly many options and opportunities to do just that. I suppose the question is when, and of course where. The main point, I suppose, of this post is just that I feel ready to see the world in a way different from a year or even a few months ago. I hadn't truly thought of myself as the person who goes to a tiny village in Africa or Thailand or the Americas helping out those small communities - but now, I can picture it much better.

Hm...

Lech L'cha!