The Traveling Adventures of Alexis

The day that I stood in a foreign country for the first time was a day that changed my life. I was 25, and had recently ended a long-term relationship. I was contemplating what I wanted to do with my life, and realized that leaving the town where I was born and raised to see the world was one of them. So, I researched the idea of traveling solo and found a tour company that specialized in affordable travel for college students. The trip that really appealed to me was one that was going to Ireland during spring break. When the day came for me to leave for my trip, I arrived at the airport without any idea of what to expect. I boarded the plane, not knowing what to expect on an international flight, but also not looking forward to what would be the longest flight that I had been on up to that point in my life. I filled the hours with books, movies, and a few attempts at sleeping, but spent the majority of the flight wondering what it would be like to be in another country. After what seemed like an eternity, the pilot finally announced that we were making our final descent into Shannon. Once I collected my things and walked down the ramp, I saw the sign welcoming me to Shannon International Airport. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my legs were shaking; partially because I had just spent eight hours on a plane, but mostly because I was so excited and nervous to be in a country where I had never been before and knew absolutely no one. As I made my way through security and received my first passport stamp, I could barely contain my excitement. My passport had a stamp! I would never again be one of those people that had a passport that sat in a drawer with no stamps. I connected with my ride to my hotel for the night and could not believe that I had done it. I was in a foreign country! I had navigated the planes, made all of my connections, and got connected with my ride all on my own, and without the use of a cellphone, as mine was turned off to avoid extra international charges. It was the most empowering experience of my life. I knew that this trip would not be the last time that I traveled to a new land to see what adventures were in store for me.