Tis the season to be thankful, and today, I’m thankful for Skype because it allowed my husband and I to have a wonderful visit with family half way around the world. My brother-in-law and his wife have embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime, a trip around the world. They have been traveling for 379 days and are currently in South Africa, where they have encountered beautiful locals and landscape. We had a fantastic time catching up and listening to stories of their travels, learning about the history of places they have visited and getting a crash course in some interesting language tidbits–street lights are called robots in South Africa. Who knew?! Silliness aside, they are truly making the most of this life. My husband and I talk about how incredibly brave we think they are, for leaving the life they know behind to travel to places that many would hesitate to visit, and to be okay with starting over again when this is all done. They have seen gorgeous places, but most importantly, they have not stayed at 4 star hotels but rather participated in WWOOF (learn more here) and have really immersed themselves in the culture of the places they are visiting. They are seeing the world from a different point of view and really understanding what it means to be grateful. Their stories inspire me and although we miss them, we are thankful for Skype to reunite us. Please read up on their travels at Our First World Trip. Understandably, this sort of travel may not be for everyone (myself included) but a friend once told me that there is a job for everyone, so today, my job is to spread the word about the amazing things that Sal & Maria are doing.

Maria & Sal on their wedding day

Maria & Sal after 379 days of travel

 What are you thankful for today?

xo