Gettin’ Carried Away

After spending a delightful morning touring the city of Guadalajara, we headed to Tlaquepaque for lunch. Once we were seated, the server brought over what I called a “mini coatrack,” which was actually for ladies purses (there were three of us, after all). Baffled at this unique courtesy, I hung my bag on the rack and enjoyed a yummy lunch.

Fast forward to my last night in Mexico, dining at the lovely Cafe des Artistes in Puerto Vallarta. Again, once we were seated, a “mini coatrack” was placed near our table. Because I like to take photos of, well, everything, I just plopped my bag on the floor to keep my bulky Canon Rebel near to me (and off of the table). Carolina, our guide, told me I had to give her my purse because it’s back luck to leave it on the floor. Confused, I said, “Excuse me?” Carolina replied, “It’s bad luck. They say if you leave your purse on the floor, you’ll lose all your money.” Far be it for me to defy this superstition, especially since I’m always terrified of losing money, credit cards, my passport, etc…

Once I returned home, it was back to business. On my way to work, I listened to my favorite radio program, Drex In The Morning on 103.5 KISS FM. Drex’s witty sidekick Mel T brought up the topic of superstitions, saying that in her Mexican-American family, it was bad luck if you didn’t touch a child once you complimented him or her. For example, if you were to look at a baby and say, “Look at that gorgeous head of hair,” you would have to touch the child’s hair to show an absence of envy/jealousy. Because if the hair fell out, you’d be in big trouble.

This is very intriguing to me. Has anyone else come across cultural superstitions on your travels? I’d love to hear some more!

” Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying,                                                                                          ‘I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.’ ”

The above quotation comes from novelist Lisa Saint Aubin de Terán. When I first read it, I knew that it fit me to a T. I first caught the travel bug when I was in high school. Since then, not one place has been able to contain me for a full year. I’m always on the move. And there has always been one person in my life who has encouraged me to chase my dreams and to travel anywhere I want at any time. She is selfless. She teaches me to be fearless. She motivates me to try new things. She is, as she always says, my number one fan. She’s my mom, Alice.

My mom encouraged me to visit my father in California, to take the chorus class trip to Canada, to attend the National Student Leadership Conference in our nation’s capitol, to study in New York and England and to do so much more. It is because she has always believed in my determination, my spirit and my dreams that I have seen so much in this great world. I dedicate this blog to my loving, supportive mom on this day, August 16th, her birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom.

*My mom attempts to focus my attention on the

photographer for my Indiana Beach pool pass photo.*

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There are a few more people to whom I owe a bit of gratitude.

Laura: My sister is what you call a homebody. She doesn’t like to travel, unless she’s driving to a White Sox game or attending a local concert. However, she is the first person to greet me at the front door of our house when I return from a trip. Not just because she demands, “Where is my present?” But she wants to see my photos and hear all about my travels, as well. She also misses me terribly when I am gone for extensive periods of time, even if she starts making plans to redecorate my room. I’m her Bunch. She’s my big sister. My family is amazing, enough said.

Amber: Back in December 2006, I applied for an editorial internship at an upscale Chicago tourist magazine. It was my dream job. Amber, the Editorial Editor, gave me the internship. I never once made coffee or bought lunch for anyone in the office. I was given articles to write and edit. I interviewed former SNL star Rachel Dratch, and my article was published in the magazine! I also attended and worked events for the company. It was a dream come true! Amber has moved on to bigger and better endeavors, but I will never forget what she did for me and for the magazine. She is a tourism genius.

Shannalee: She’s my boss, my co-worker, my friend. Shanna gave me my very first official writing/editing job. She has taken a one-year-old department, from its creation, and built it up to be a power house in the company. And she has allowed me to be a part of it. She also loves food, and she is always so excited when I tell her a travel story or when I plan another trip. She encourages me to do my best and to follow my dreams. She also gave me the idea to start a blog. Shannalee (and Peyton) are simply inspiring. CBS/SBC/The Writettes for life!