International Travel
Opening minds
I was bitten by the international travel bug as a teenager. When I was sixteen, I auditioned and made it into the Michigan Lions All-State Band. The band traveled to wherever the Lions Club International Conference was that year. In 1991, it was in Sydney, Australia, with an afterstop (not a real word) in Oahu, Hawaii. The only time I had been out of the country before this was when I’d been in Canada. Living 20 minutes away from the Detroit/Windsor border, this generally isn’t a big deal where I live. The prospect of going to Australia, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, was exhilarating.
My best friend and I both made it in the band, which made it even more exciting. The price tag was expensive so we had to get creative about affording it. We played duets for clubs like the Lions, Elks, and I don’t know what else. We sold candy bars. We worked. We did chores for family. (Washing windows with vinegar, anyone?) We received family donations.
We both got to Australia
After more than 24 hours travel time, we arrived. Being in a different, if similar, culture, was exhilarating. Even after suffering through a particularly nasty stomach bug and missing the big…
