Miles & Musings
1,085 miles, 20 hours of traveling, 9 T. Swift songs on the radio, 8 states, 6 drivers from Ontario, 4 stops for rest breaks, and 1 overnight stay in Charleston to visit a good friend (thanks, Kylie!). Not bad for my first solo road trip!
I anticipated the tearful goodbyes in the driveway of my parents' home because 1) my family and I are a sappy bunch, and 2) I realized (at around hour 4 of my first leg of the trip) that I'm lucky to have had many people and places that have been difficult to leave. The majority of my family lives in the northeast U.S., so leaving home to pursue a travel nursing adventure equates to leaving easily-accessible, easily-loveable family behind. Leaving my original hometown right before starting high school was heartbreaking, and a fairly significant culture shock. I was bitter for a while, but ended up making some lifelong friends and learning a handful of essential life lessons that I will forever be thankful for. I then met some incredible people at my short time at Wagner College, and they've grown to be some of my greatest friends. I was fortunate enough to begin my nursing career at a reputable hospital and because of that, have learned invaluable skills; and even more meaningful, have cared for unforgettable patients and their families, and (albeit slowly) found great friends there, as well.
Saying goodbye, even if it's temporarily, will always be difficult for me. Instead of being sad about leaving, I can instead be thankful for the people and places that make it so hard to leave behind.
On a lighter note, the most memorable license plates from my road trip:
LV2HULA
MSBEHAV1N
PLAYBOY1
:)
I anticipated the tearful goodbyes in the driveway of my parents' home because 1) my family and I are a sappy bunch, and 2) I realized (at around hour 4 of my first leg of the trip) that I'm lucky to have had many people and places that have been difficult to leave. The majority of my family lives in the northeast U.S., so leaving home to pursue a travel nursing adventure equates to leaving easily-accessible, easily-loveable family behind. Leaving my original hometown right before starting high school was heartbreaking, and a fairly significant culture shock. I was bitter for a while, but ended up making some lifelong friends and learning a handful of essential life lessons that I will forever be thankful for. I then met some incredible people at my short time at Wagner College, and they've grown to be some of my greatest friends. I was fortunate enough to begin my nursing career at a reputable hospital and because of that, have learned invaluable skills; and even more meaningful, have cared for unforgettable patients and their families, and (albeit slowly) found great friends there, as well.
Saying goodbye, even if it's temporarily, will always be difficult for me. Instead of being sad about leaving, I can instead be thankful for the people and places that make it so hard to leave behind.
On a lighter note, the most memorable license plates from my road trip:
LV2HULA
MSBEHAV1N
PLAYBOY1
:)
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