I've never traveled abroad and like everyone in the history of ever it was a life goal.
When I was younger I thought perhaps I might honeymoon in Europe.
Then there was the whole 'backpacking trip' that every young artiste is supposed to take.
But I really don't want to sleep in a hostel (steal my stuff and I will fucking lose it) and I'm actually not cool enough to want to travel alone.
I'm such a communicator and I love to share everything I just know I'd keep turning to strangers like, Ohmygoodness! Did you see that?!
So with no husband and no desire to be all alone in this vast world, what excuse would I have to travel?
Cue Instagram.
That's right.
I said Instagram.
Hashtag for reals.
The incredible thing about IG is that it connects you with people ALL over the world.
And these aren't just the assholes you went to college with that find you on Facebook, these are random motherfuckers that you would never talk to for any other reason except you use the same hashtags.
Marjolene and I found each other through the Pinupworship page on IG.
Where photos are posted daily of all kinds of pinup loving dames, some with 37K followers, some with 307.
And not only did we get connected and start following each other, we started commenting on each other's photos.
She even made me her woman crush Wednesday.
I felt purty.
The most successful Instagrammers are the ones whose page reads almost like a diary.
They aren't just pretty selfie after pretty selfie, but the pictures share captions about what's really going on in the persons life.
They say when they're grumpy or feeling silly, when they're struggling with anxiety or missing an ex.
Suddenly the person whose style we adore is REAL.
We empathize with them.
We relate.
And now we're in love because we know them.
This is what I strive to create with my own page, in addition to simply promoting my blog & my vlog.
It's creating this whole network of friends and supporters.
I genuinely miss the people I follow when I don't log on to IG for days.
They inspire me.
They make me smile.
Their support lifts my spirits when life kicks me in the vagina.
So because of these interactive online diaries Marjolene and I started to get to know each other.
Soon we were exchanging private messages and it wasn't long until we were texting and even Facetiming.
I had found a kindred spirit, a soul sister, a confidante, someone who GOT me, who even looks just like me, who was born on the other side of the world.
When talk of visiting each other first came up I thought it was a pipe dream, the way friends who live near you will run into you and say, We should grab coffee sometime! even though you both know lattes and scones will never happen.
But one day we realized it actually could happen.
My work approved my vacation time.
And with the money I made doing the musical I could buy a plane ticket.
I was finally gonna use my passport.
What's even more incredible than the trip itself is the timing.
This summer has been the background for some overwhelming heartache and the idea of an adventure happening right on the heels of that pain is so delicious it feels too good to be true.
2015 had housed the end of a career, the loss of a best friend, the demise of a love.
But it had also been the background for my return to the stage, my reconciliation to my lost friend of five years, and now, the chance to finally use the passport I got with such hope all those years ago.
It was as though life was lovingly nudging my soul--
Hey girl. I can make anything possible. Just give me time. And I'll hand you the world.
Up first--
SPAIN.
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