To go home or not go home, that was the question constantly running through my mind a few weeks ago. I talked to everyone about this, working my way through my thoughts and feelings. The entire time though I knew in my gut which way I wanted to go, but for some reason I felt I needed to fully explore all options before deciding.
For the first time since I have started traveling I found myself not having a strong desire to plan a trip somewhere new. All the places I dream of visiting just were not calling to me for a summer holiday. And the thought of planning a trip and sorting out all the logistics just sounded exhausting.
Still I searched different destinations, compared prices of traveling around Europe to trips back home, and confirmed H’s comment that I really am the most indecisive person ever and just want it all.
At one point I went on for like an hour to H about the next 5 years in terms of travel and the number of opportunities we have to travel around Europe and back to Oregon. When I finished this long ramble he just looked at me like I was totally crazy, which at this point I was starting to feel like I really was. Such a rough problem to have right, deciding where to spend my summer traveling to, I am incredibly lucky.
Anyways, two things kept coming back to my mind when I was thinking of where I wanted to travel.
1. My family is everything to me, I wish I could pack them all up and take them where ever I go. The thought of going another year without seeing them just is something I can’t cope with again.
2. My time in Iceland is completely up in the air. H and I have no immediate plans of leaving but know that at some point we will move to the US. And then probably back again to Iceland. And repeat, because that is what happens when you are in an international relationship.
Okay with those thing in mind where was it that I knew all along I wanted to go this summer???
Back home to Oregon!
Surprised?
I know that I am not, and none of my friends who I have been debating this decision with where either. I think it was clear that what I really wanted was to spend time with my family. And after a hectic two week trip back for Christmas I am looking forward to a full month of time at home in the beautiful Oregon summer.
But wait there is more.
I knew that I wanted to go home and see my family, but I also really wanted to travel somewhere else as well. Once I set my mind to something I become determined to figure out a solution. So after tossing a few ideas around with H we decided on…
Hawaii
During our month in Oregon we will be hoping over to Oahu, Hawaii to spend a week on the Hawaiian beaches. This is not my first time to Hawaii, actually it is my 6 (again I realize how lucky I am) but H has always dreamed of visiting Hawaii so I can’t wait to show him around the island.
An added bonus to this trip, my Grandma lives oh Oahu, right near the beautiful Kailua beach, which is where H and I will be staying during our visit, making the planning of this trip nice and simple. No finding accommodation, no car rentals, just plans of all the places I want to revisit and share with H and getting to spend time with my Grandma.
Combining the best of both worlds, travel and family, see H I figured out a way to get everything I wanted. So there you have it. A much longer than necessary post describing how I solved my expat dilemma, well for this year at least.
2015 is shaping up to be a year full of travel for H and I. Amsterdam for Easter, Berlin for me the week after that, Oregon and Hawaii this summer, New York in the fall, and another possible trip to some unknown destination with H’s work, gah I just love travel.
