Wanderlust.

I have a travelers soul.  I have tried to deny it but it has always been there...present.  At the age of 13 I announced to my family that I was going to Chile for a month for a missions trip.  I had made up my mind and my parents being wise beyond their years realized that this was something I had to do.  I went (with my father/body guard always present...ha) and from there on I knew what I was to do.

Travel.

Help.

Love.

I have had countless more trips to various 3rd world places that while the whole "mission" part significantly decreased my ability to help in other ways has significantly increased.  Every trip abroad has lead to life-long friends (love facebook for that), memories and lessons about myself that has helped me become strong and independent.

My last major trip was almost 3 years ago to work for a month in a non-profit in Ghana which helped support refugees.  This trip was different, it was my trip to prove to myself that I could do anything...even if that meant planning a trip half way around the world alone, showing up to do a job I knew nothing about and having no one within a 13 hour plane ride that could come safe/protect/help me if I needed it.

Seriously.

It was hard. It was amazing. It was everything.

Though as we get older and have bills, jobs, dogs, laundry, family requirements, etc taking off for 1-3 months at a time gets hard.

In another lifetime if I had never met the most obnoxious, self driven, computer nerd who also has a nice ass I would be out in the field working with traumatized kids or helping create structures/systems for individuals who have a disability in developing countries.  I do not need water, a toilet or even food to nourish my soul.  I need life. I need to be reminded of the resiliency of people and how lucky we are to get one more smile, one more day, one more breath.

My beau does not have the same calling.  He has not been exposed to sewer lines outside your window or bugs the size of your hand, he enjoys having 2 ac units on as we speak (...so do i....i will admit) and the thought of not having a shower everyday for his very structured self is unthinkable.

Though he sees my need. my longing.

He sees my soul.

Because of this he has agreed to venture out of his comfort zone and while we are not going as far out as I would usually it is enough for me.  More then enough actually.

We head to Northern Vietnam on 11.11.11 for roughly 16 days and he has left all the planning to me so right now there is an overnight train ride, maybe a home-stay or two, a 8 mile hike into a village where one of the hotels we are staying at helps support to tour their school....I am going to hopefully convince B to adopt a water buffalo there as well...ha. Also scheduling a tour with some local college students where hopefully we will see what supports they have for individuals who had disabilities...I am going to get as off the beaten bath as we can while still guaranteeing a shower and running water..(please note the lack of the word hot...oh man...).

It is crazy what feeds our soul...and as I get older I can recognize what is the difference between 'need' and added bonus and this trip is most def. 'need'.  I don't know if I am getting more selfish as I age but maybe I can just cherish it more?  can realize how quickly it could all end?  I have to dwell on this more and will let you know.

So instead of doing laundry, preparing for an hour long speech I have to give at the end of the month (what?!?!? shit..), cleaning up my dinner mess (hello cereal bowl..), or washing the dogs I am creating a to-do list for our trip, tripadvisor is my new best friend and also looking for a house sitter...(srsly...hook a sister up).

Lacy