“Arlene, don’t you like to travel?” my co-worker asked incredulously after I told her I didn’t have any travel plans in the works.
The answer wasn’t a simple yes or no. But I couldn’t explain it all to her in a one-sentence response.
You see, when I was a child, I hated when vacations ended. I hated the feeling that something wonderful was over and that I had to return to my ordinary life. Part of it was that my mom would be disappointed about having to come home to cook and clean, return to her 9-to-5 job, and leave behind the luxuries of a relaxing vacation.
This feeling continued on into my twenties. I had a strong desire to get away. I could imagine traveling for months, leaving everything behind, and feeling completely free. I wanted experiences and adventure somewhere else. So I traveled to foreign countries for months at a time and loved it.
But I don’t feel that way anymore.
Now I still love traveling. I still get excited about seeing places I’ve never been and experiencing something completely different from my everyday life.
But I don’t feel like I need to escape or take a vacation from my everyday life.
I have a life now that I like coming home to.
It’s a rather ordinary life, centered around work, hobbies, spending time at home, walking the dog, and all the little errands and routines I do. But sometimes coming home is just as eventful as other parts of the trip because I come home to the life I've build and love.
For me, the best part is seeing my dog again.
A few years ago, my husband and I had an amazing vacation in Japan. Even at the end of our two-week trip, there were still so many places to see, things to do, and foods to eat. But I wasn’t sad to return home.
I was actually happy to come home.
My dog was waiting for me. My life was waiting for me.
Even when I experience something wonderful somewhere else, I want to come back home to myself and my current life.
When I travel to Korea later this year, I'll be incredibly excited to see the sights and eat good food. It may be one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. But even if it is, I’ll still be very happy to come home to my house, my bed, my routines, and most importantly, my dog.
So yes, I do like to travel.
But I also really like coming home.