Rediscovering Excitement: Embracing Field Trips as an Adult

It’s almost here. The day you’ve been waiting for. You got your Lunchables packed in your little brown bag, and that’s when you know you have a good lunch. That is if you’re like me and typically eat lunch at school. Your permission slip has been signed by your parents (weeks in advanced I’m sure) and it’s a day off from your routine schedule. It’s possible you might be too excited to sleep, and you’re just looking forward to hanging out with your friends. When that day finally comes, you’re soaking it all in. Whatever trip you’re on to learn, to educate, but most importantly, to enjoy yourself with the wonders of what life offers you. It’s a spectacle. Having a life changing event that you would be more than happy to share with everyone the next time you’re in class.

Now, fast forward many years later to adulthood. What’s changed? Do you still feel that same excitement you had when you were a kid?

When it comes to the working class, we typically follow a routine schedule. Wake up, get your day started, head to work, eat, do an activity, sleep, and repeat. Pretty identical when we were going to school. If we’re not looking forward to the weekend, then it’s the next time we get to go on vacation. Even if it’s just a little weekend getaway. It’s something out of the ordinary. Something that hasn’t personally happen to me in a long time. But that’s probably because my schedule with work is constantly changing. Especially since I’m juggling multiple jobs at the same time. That and the fact that I can’t really afford to go on a field trip myself. Nowadays, I spend most of my extra money on groceries or going out to eat. I really don’t know how my parents were able to raise us kids and have the money they have. I’m right between the lines of surviving and living.

Responsibilities really do get the best of us. I mean once you’re an adult you have so much you have to prioritize with life itself. No wonder field trips happen only so often. But sometimes that’s what you have to do. Take care of priorities and think about something you would like to do. Something that could be educational, yes, even as adults. You’re never too old to continue learning. Take the science museum that I went to as a kid. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the details but I know I enjoyed myself and had a blast. Especially trying to spend as much time as I could with our teacher assistant/chaperone. She was definitely a fox! So anyway, the museum of science. From what I was told, so much has changed since I was last there that if I were to go now, I wouldn’t remember a thing. But there’s a lot that could be learned from just taking the time to experience this event. If not this maybe there’s something else you’ve been putting off for sometime and never have the funds for. But you have to start. Set a goal for yourself. Start budgeting towards this field trip, or vacation, whatever you want to call it.

I was having a conversation with a customer about how they just recently came back from vacation to Pictured Rocks. A destination I would have loved… still would love to go and trying out all sorts of things they had going on in the area. One thing we talked about was how you can have a much different perspective and unique experience kayaking through the rocks. And later on in the day, I seen someone wearing a shirt from the place I wanted to visit. Coincidence or a sign, perhaps?

All I have to do is a little research. Check out everything going on in the area depending on when I’d like to go or at least when I would be able to afford it. What’s it cost to visit for “x” amount of days and start prioritizing towards that goal. For instance, with summer coming to an end, if my goal is to visit next spring or early summer, I can breakdown what I’m able to put away on a weekly basis. Sounds simple enough. Now just have to execute!

What’s your field trip goal? Don’t forget your Lunchables! (pepperoni pizza for me!)

First Plane Ride & Airbnb Experience

Introduction/Wedding

Planes, Airbnb and a wedding. None of this would have been possible if not for my friends Vincent and Eddie. If I went at this alone I’m certain I would have been lost at the airport and my flight would have left without me. With that, I would have missed out on a friend’s wedding and a hidden nightclub to say the least. So, to tell this story we’ll have to go back to 2015…

A friend of mine, Wae, recently moved to Texas and was soon to be married. Our history, he is the brother of my sister’s baby daddy. We knew each other already but when I got a temp job, not only did I work at the same location as him, but we ended up working in the same department. So that brought us closer together. Wae was a big influence during my early fitness days. He got me to workout with him at the gym he went to. And as we like to call it, we were getting “swole!”

So it was a traditional Lao wedding. An event that I believe goes on an entire week. But probably ended up being 2 days maybe. From preparations to having monks come and blessed those who are soon to be, and of course, the reception. Now, you know it’s an Asian wedding if there’s Remy Martin, Hennessey, Heineken and Corona involved. So, this wasn’t one of my most proudest moments, but when I was at the venue of the wedding sitting at a table, I noticed that the servers bringing out the food was wearing the exact same thing I was. A simple white button-down shirt with a black vest and tie. One of the guest at the wedding mistaken me for a server too. I’m sure they weren’t the only one. How embarrassing for me. Eventually, after a few drinks I was able to look past that and still managed to have a great time, even though I knew almost no one.

Posing before heading off to the wedding. (Photo by Eddie)
Sangria bar?
Art inside the Dallas museum
Candy shop with a bouncer?
Hidden nightclub. (All other photos complimentary by Vincent)

My Experience

Going back to the flight, I probably wouldn’t have even gone if I was by myself. Fortunately some of my friends wanted to tag along and experiencing the city of Dallas. The worst part about the flight for me was descending. Every time I flew my ears would pop, even when I would chew gum or tried plugging my ears. So the flight was taken care of for me as I set-up the Airbnb, which was a nice cozy apartment. Only like a 5 minute walk from downtown. Thank you Natalie for the listing! I would definitely stay there again if I find myself back in Dallas.

A lot of what we did was checking out dive bars, eating a really large pizza because, well, Texas. Found a nice Mexican restaurant with cheap margaritas, checked out the museum and a couple nightclubs. And I can’t say exactly how it happened but we somehow found ourselves inside a pretty cool nightclub, which was hidden behind or underneath a candy shop. Overall, it was a great experience for me with plenty more stories like this to come. Stay tuned!