100 Things I Will Teach My Daughter If She Decides To Travel The World One Day

Tripoto

Photo of 100 Things I Will Teach My Daughter If She Decides To Travel The World One Day 1/1 by Trisha Velarmino

Today, while dipping in a pool in Mancora, Peru and sipping afternoon drinks (really, afternoon drinks?!), me and my traveling friends talked about how we will raise our children if we plan to have one in the future. Will we allow them to travel the world? How will we feel if they would want to do it? How did our parents feel with our life decisions?

I am not a mother yet but my mother is a great example of being a mother. She just learned how to be one, by herself, of different children who opted for very extreme life decisions and she's okay with it. I can never imagine myself being that lenient - and that awareness amazes me up until today.

I am not a mother yet and I honestly don't know how it feels but I know it's pretty scary to see your children go out there on their own, after years of raising them. It's something we don't have control of, most especially if they choose a life path that is very different from ours.

Here are some things I contributed during the afternoon drinking conversation. This might change but for now, these are the things I will tell my daughter if she decides to travel the world one day.

  1. Travel. A lot.
  2. Be fearless, but cautious.
  3. You will meet a lot of boys when you travel the world, I tell you that.
  4. They will hurt you, play with your feelings but you might also find the love of your life while traveling.
  5. All you have to do is accept and understand the miserable but marvelous world of men.
  6. They're not as complicated as (we) women are.
  7. Wake up not knowing where you are.
  8. Read a lot of books.
  9. I'd like it if you read Motorcycle Diaries in Spanish.
  10. I'd like it if you'll learn Spanish . Or French. And Portuguese as well. Or Italian.
  11. Travel Latin America. My best life experiences are from this continent.
  12. And tell me everything about it.
  13. Because you can tell me everything and I won't take it against you.
  14. Go bankrupt but never give up on your dreams of traveling the world.
  15. Even if you only have $2 in your bank account.
  16. Don't think about the money.
  17. Just make it work.
  18. Pay your own shit.
  19. Because I will never pay for your travels.
  20. Be a feminist.
  21. Being a feminist is not a bad thing.
  22. It only means you want equal rights as men.
  23. The world is not as scary as you think.
  24. Live in the present.
  25. Tomorrow is another day. Don't think about it too much.
  26. Not putting make-up is okay.
  27. I didn't put make up for over three years of traveling the world and I was just fine.
  28. Do not be shy to go to the pharmacy to buy condoms.
  29. Buy shit loads of condoms.
  30. Bring heaps of condoms all the time.
  31. You can travel the world but never ever lose touch with your best girlfriends from home. Never.
  32. They're the most real group of people you'll ever meet in this world.
  33. Plus your mother. And your grandmother (my mother).
  34. Smoking weed is okay.
  35. But don't get imprisoned abroad.
  36. You will get really lonely when traveling.
  37. So you might hook up with a lot of boys - and that's okay.
  38. There is no shame for hooking up.
  39. There is no shame for hoping for love either.
  40. The friends you will meet while traveling will also be your friends forever.
  41. And that awareness will amaze you.
  42. Traveling friends are like HIV - they will stick with you forever.
  43. I will never force you to go to University if you don't want to.
  44. The world can be your University.
  45. But please finish High School.
  46. Eat as much as you want without worrying about your figure.
  47. You will be amazed how food is served in other countries.
  48. If you are happy with what you are eating, your soul will be, too.
  49. Embrace whatever life throws at you.
  50. Pain, anger, happiness - any feeling you will encounter counts.
  51. Live with local families.
  52. Treat them as your own.
  53. Volunteer. Do work exchange.
  54. Work in a bar while traveling.
  55. Get drunk.
  56. Don't say sorry for who you are.
  57. But first, you have to accept who you are.
  58. In order to do this, you must love yourself.
  59. Dental hygiene is very important, traveling or not.
  60. And lotion too.
  61. Learn how not to judge every people you meet on the road. Their experiences are incomparable.
  62. You don't have to like yoga.
  63. But please meditate everyday. It will feed your mind and soul.
  64. Find out the beauty of being alone.
  65. Don't let a man define your existence.
  66. Refer to men as boys.
  67. It takes power away from them.
  68. You have to listen to me.
  69. But I will respect if you explore the world the way you want it.
  70. Don't let anyone touch you without consent.
  71. Your body is your kingdom.
  72. So be kind to it.
  73. I would be happy if you'll learn not to smoke a lot of cigarettes.
  74. I did and I find it hard to stop.
  75. It is important to be healthy while traveling.
  76. Travel a continent by bus.
  77. Use CouchSurfing (if it still exists).
  78. Skinny dip in Rio de Janeiro - or anywhere in the world you prefer.
  79. Be crazy. Be very crazy.
  80. It's okay to be a child sometimes.
  81. Make beautiful mistakes.
  82. And learn from it.
  83. Sleep on floors if you have to.
  84. Learn how to cook in the countries you'll be traveling to.
  85. Our lives are borrowed and it has expiration dates. Make the most out of it.
  86. You don't have a career. Don't worry about it.
  87. You have a life so live it.
  88. Make me worry.
  89. Do what you want.
  90. Learn how to live with a 75-litre backpack.
  91. Not more than 75, please.
  92. Write about your experiences.
  93. Write. Write. Write.
  94. And may it end up really really beautiful.
  95. You don't have to visit every country in the world.
  96. You will find one country that you will really love.
  97. That's what I feel about Spain - love.
  98. Call home. All the time.
  99. Home is just a plane away and I will be waiting for you, always. No matter how long it takes.
  100. Don't worry. You're not the only one - nobody's got life figured out.

Truth is, there is more than 100 things that I want to tell my future daughter. Traveling the world taught me so much about life and I want to share it to her. If you have the chance (and not a parent yet), what do you want to tell your children in the future?