Once upon a time, a young woman became a princess…in front of 750 million people. My mother was among the many gathered in Britain to celebrate Princess Diana’s marriage. Fifteen years later, her memories of travel could still inspire similar aspirations in me. I constantly stole sessions with her albums full of Agfa snapshots she took traveling Ireland and Britain in 1981.
Other relatives returned too, bringing back photos and stories here and there. Even more exciting, we still had distant cousins living in Ireland. Letters from people living in another country 3,500 miles (5632 km) away is absolutely enthralling to an imaginative child. My upbringing also contributed to an increasing fascination with Europe.
Americans tend to hold onto shreds of their “cultural identity”, even generations down the line. I was raised with the typical food and observances of Irish-Americans, and Polish-Americans. My childhood was filled with corned beef, pirogi, kolaczki, St. Patrick’s Day, Casimir Pulaski Day, etc. Chicago contains the biggest Polish population outside of Poland, and a significant history of Irish immigration. Add the fact we are a former British colony in denial, and the United States is a veritable melting pot. Inundated by the influential remnants of my ancestors, I became interested in other countries at a young age.
The dreaming starts
When I turned ten, my elementary school held an “International Fair” for the fourth graders. Without question, I chose Ireland as a research topic. From there on out, my interest in travel grew and grew. At this point, I’ve gone to six countries on eleven different trips. Pretty good for starters!