I was talking to a good friend who was in my Prague TEFL course the other day, and we subsequently realized that the anniversary of our moving to Prague was coming up. Although we didn’t arrive on the same day (just a few days apart), it was sobering to realize that it had been eight years since we’d moved to the Czech Republic. Eight whole years. March 13, 2014 will always stick out to me as a special day for this very reason. Although, my adventure was actually to begin on March 12th. My original flight to Prague got canceled due to inclement weather and was rescheduled for the next day (ironic, considering we just had a winter storm warning here yesterday). Although I felt ready, I remember getting to the Pittsburgh airport with my mom and dad in tow and immediately crying in the bathroom stall. I was a ball of nerves and anxiety. I could only remember thinking, “What the hell am I actually doing?”. I was moving to a foreign country where I knew no one and could hardly even say “hello” in the native language. But still, I somehow gathered the courage to say goodbye to my family and get on my flight. I cried again as the flight took off, wondering when I’d be back in the States. Despite the tears, I also remember feeling quite adult, making my own decisions, and moving to a different country all on my own. And while it was a very grown-up decision, I realize now that I was still so very young at the tender age of 23. I had no idea what was in store for me in the future but went for it anyway. After catching the travel bug while studying abroad in London in 2011, I was determined to travel again and immerse myself in diverse cultures. I was tenacious in my pursuit of adventure. I worked as a cocktail waitress for nearly a year after graduation to save up enough money for my move to Prague. Then, I just did it. I found a TEFL program, booked my flight, and went for it.
I miss that Kasey sometimes. Although she’s still somewhere deep inside of me, my life has changed greatly in the eight years since boarding that flight. I have grown up so much. At age 31, I am just now starting to feel like an adult. Looking back, much of the three and a half years I spent in Prague feels like a fairytale. Going out every weekend, traveling to different countries, meeting travelers from all different parts of the globe…it was a dream for nearly any 23-year-old. And while I still have that incessant travel bug (I’m pretty sure it never goes away), so many things have changed. Going out is no longer something I enjoy nor have any inkling to do. Do I still want to make travel a priority in my life? Absolutely, but now I prefer a cushy hotel or an Airbnb to myself rather than a rowdy hostel sharing a room with two, very, shall I say, “ripe” Kiwis (no pun intended).
With age also came some health issues that made the logistics of traveling a lot harder too. I have significant lower back pain that makes traveling via plane (or sitting for long periods of time in general) an issue that never used to be something I’d have to think twice about. I also deal with mental health difficulties that make day-to-day life challenging (something, as you know, I don’t shy away from talking about). But, I don’t want these roadblocks to stop me from pursuing what I love. It’s been two and a half years since I’ve been out of the country, the last time being when I visited my in-laws in CZ (see my last blog post), and I’m ready to get back out there. Of course, I know that COVID-19 certainly hasn’t helped with this hiatus either, but it’s disheartening when all of my best travel memories live so far back in my memory. I know I’ll get there again eventually. I’m reaching deep down to channel 23-year-old Kasey, the carefree person who didn’t let anything get in the way of her dreams. I know she’s still in there. Just waiting to come out.
