Wanderlusting Mama

There’s no better time than summertime! Sunshine, flip flops, pools, sandy beaches, beach curls and cocktails! What’s not to love?

Tulum, Mexico

One of the perks of being a teacher is that I get to be off for two months. Leeloo and I usually take this time to be together, hangout with friends by the pool, do daughter mama things, and most importantly, travel!

Travel has always been a priority of mine since I was very young. Au contraire to what people think, you don’t have to be rich to travel around the world. Putting a little bit of money away all year in a travel fund really makes this possible. Of course, having family and friends in places I visit is always super helpful! But I make sure my summer trip always happens as a self-care ritual after a long and hard year of work.

Bouznika Beach, Mororocco

Hilton Head, SC

Travel nowadays for me has shifted a bit. What used to be spontaneous road trips with friends, hopping around from North Africa to Europe (since they are conveniently close and make for very affordable weekend trips) is now all about the two of us. Leeloo is an amazing kid; she adapts and adjusts very well to different environments and different cultures pretty well. However, trips are now way more structured and planned than before. I remember just traveling with a backpack, a couple of outfits, and the best foods came from local street food stands, meeting and mingling, dancing and watching the sun rise on a beautiful beach with new friends.

El Jadida, Morocco

Paris, France

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Let me take what I said earlier back; travel has changed a lot post Leeloo! 🙂 if you’re a mother, and are putting off travel because you’re nervous about traveling with a kid, YOU SHOULD BE! Hahaha

It IS scary, exhausting, and will get on your last nerve! But believe me when I say, it is the most important gift you can give to your little human you are forging for this planet. Watching your kids interact with local cultures, try to pronounce new words in different languages, explore local wildlife, try different foods and see a mosaic of different faces and voices is worth every difficult step of the way.

Now, let me give some tips if you do wanna “go there”. 🙂

Your kid is not too young to travel; they remember smells, voices, music etc..
Kids under 2 travel free all over the world; take advantage of that! It gets way more expensive once you have to pay a full-price ticket for your little one.
Take night flights, and let your kids run around the airport to tire them up.
Have plenty of entertainment, toys and snacks throughout the whole trip. Last thing you want is a “hangry” kid! Omg!
Relax, and take the time to enjoy the full experience. Try not to freak out, hence, a nice martini at the airport, and you can keep those cocktails flowing your whole trip if you want; you’re on vacation! Treat yourself!
Find the time to take a GIRLS TRIP! If you can squeeze it in, time-wise and money-wise, DO IT! Even if for just a weekend, you gotta. It’s good for your soul, and you go back home a better mother when you’ve relaxed and gotten some you time.

And last but not least, when there’s a will there’s always a way. Seeing the world is a very special and precious adventure that we should all be willing and able to experience. If we don’t see who the other people are, how can we understand our differences? Trust me when I say, “just go there”!