Wanderlust

How to be a high-schooler in a six steps:

1. Wake up at an ungodly hour, get dressed, eat
2. Go to school for 6 hours
3. Participate in extracurricular activities
4. Go home and do homework/study for a million hours (take a break to eat dinner with your family)
5. Finally go to sleep at an ungodly hour
6. Repeat for four years

Yep, that's generally how it goes. Every. single. day. Recently, combined with cabin-fever because of the icky cold weather, I've become dissatisfied with this daily routine. I mean I live a happy life, I am supported by loving family and friends, and I recognize my privilege, but sometimes I want to drop everything and just leave. I don't mean just a passive resort vacation. But a real travel experience.

I've also applied this to my overall life plan. I don't want to think I wasted my life fiddling away at a desk 9 am-5 pm. I've gone to Europe every year since I was a baby, and even though I've been to the same place every time, I haven't seen it all. And to know there is still an entire world waiting for me... I feel obligated to explore it.

Americans are known to be those obnoxious vacationers just visiting an area for a week, hitting all the tourist traps, then packing their bags and leaving. But that's not what I am looking for. When I say I want to travel it means I want to integrate into the culture, try to adopt a few phrases, interact with the people that live there, wherever it may be. I want to find the hidden gems: the undiscovered, raw, and unexploited areas. I want to leave with a new perspective, additional values, new knowledge and understanding.

Maybe this entire idea is laughable, completely irrational, and utterly unattainable (let alone expensive), but I really do want to travel, even if it's just to a few places. I might not find every secret, chat with all the locals, or learn all it's history, but at least I'll have a memorable adventure.

And since you (hopefully) read all of that, here are photos of some beautiful places around the world that someday I hope to visit in person.

The Grand Canyon, USA

The Milford Track, New Zealand  

Dubai, UAE


Swing at End of the World, Baños, Ecuador


Riomaggiore, Italy


Grundarfjordur Harbour, Iceland 


Cherry Blossoms in Japan


Santorini, Greece

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Where do you want to visit? Any favorite places you've been to? And if you want to see even more spectacular places around the world, click here. 

I hope everyone that is dealing with this harsh winter weather stays warm!*Take a sip from hot chocolate while snuggling in a luxurious blanket on the couch*

xoxo,
Anastasia