The Terrific3 travel blog

Before I left for this epic 9 week long trip away from what we call home with my 2 elementary school aged boys, I wondered not if, but when homesickness would strike us all.

For of course, as an often forlorn but always willing world traveler, homesickness was a familiar travel companion. That longing for all things familiar-homemade food, a warm hug from a friend, the softness of a pillow and the way it contours to your neck, just the right level of firmness in one’s bed. It can take over the tone of the trip as the longing can be intense and spiraling. I remember feeling this on my longest adult trip away from home-7 weeks-when I went to Asakraka, Ghana after my first year of medical school. I also remember it lifted at some point but when it struck, it was precise and intense. I’ve felt in on many trips since, including a 2.5 week lovely trip to Italy at the end of which I wanted to just be home eating Indian food and no more pasta!

And so I fully expected it to strike during this trip, and was prepared to deal with it. And as Tran along to our last sunrise in Nusa Dua today, I realized that there really is no twinge of homesickness. I mean, yes, I wish there were better food at this hotel, but other than that, I don’t really miss home. At the core of homesickness -for me-lies loneliness. And I’ve come to realize that at this stage in life-happily-home is where the heart is. And my heart-these 2 little rambunctious, loud, mischievous and sometimes overstimulating boys-is with me for the first time on a real JOURNEY.

And they’re both such amazing travel companions.

S-with his intellectual curiosity, endless questions, encyclopedic knowledge of all things mythology and religion, and his interest in learning languages (currently on Italian, Spanish, French and Indonesian-concurrently of course!) is so fun to experience cultural and historical landmarks with because he always knows or asks about the facts, and wants to learn more, and is up for more.

And Z-with his boyish charm, extroverted nature that wins over friends wherever he goes, and endless energy and sense of adventure that exhibits sometimes no caution-channels the other side of me that is more playful and explorative.

And when the 3 of us are together experiencing and traveling, we all push each other to go a little beyond in the departments in which we excel-so S becomes a bit more social, I become a little less cautious, and Z becomes more willing to explore intellectual pursuits. This is what growth and family is about.

The truth is that the homesickness I experienced as a younger traveler had this core of loneliness that at this stage in life feels very fulfilled by having accomplished my biggest goal-which was to be a parent in whatever way possible. When that happened, we all started to travel together through life.

So…home is where the heart is ❤️ and I’ve arrived home.