No place like home?

After a year of journeying through some of the most exotic places on Earth, I've found myself back in my home town of Red Deer, Alberta. If the name wasn't enough indication, this town really doesn't have much going for it.

In the heart of the prairies and oilfields, Red Deer is a town of nearly 90,000 people. I was born here, raised here for the majority of my childhood, graduated here, and someday, I'm sure I'll settle down here. Despite my dislike for this place, my family is here, which makes it home.

Have I mentioned my friends?? I have amazing friends. When I moved back to Red Deer in 7th grade, I met a few girls that remain my best friends to this day. The group has grown through the years, and is full of drama, gossip, and everything that comes with friendship. I left for 12 months, and within 5 minutes of being reunited it was as though we'd never been separated. My friends mean the world to me, we just live incredibly different lives.

I'm 22, and I guess that's the age when it becomes "okay" to start settling down. I have friends with babies, husbands, SUV's and houses. And hey, I'm happy for them. They have everything that they want in life. Me, on the other hand, I need to travel. I need to get out, see as much of the world as I can, and live a jet-setting lifestyle. I need to fill the world map on my wall with star stickers that show everywhere I've been. Being here feels like suffocating sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I want kids. In fact, every time I come home from visiting one of my new nieces or nephews, I want a baby. That's just the girl in me. But I'm not ready for that yet.

Honestly, I've spent the past 8 years in a desperate attempt to figure out what it is I want out of life, and I still have no idea. I want to travel. I know that. It feels as though I'm on a mission to find something but I don't know what it is I'm trying to find. I guess I can only keep doing what seems right at the moment and hope that maybe, one day, I'll figure it out. And if not, at least I'll have enjoyed the journey.

I still want to get a job as a flight attendant. At least I think I do. So for now, that's my goal. Everything I do, is working toward achieving it.

On Friday I recieved an email inviting me to an open house for a particular airline that I really, really, would love to be employed with. It was essentially a first interview. The bad news? It was in Vancouver. The worse news? It was the next day. I could have drove there, or maxed out my credit card buying flights, but for some reason, I thought I'd be better off waiting for another opportunity. Who's to say that will come? What use was going to Australia, promising myself that I'd be more spontaneous, if I won't jump at the chance to chase my dreams?! I'm really not sure why I didn't go. I don't have any money, it could just be an expensive weekend with no guarantee of a second interview. I was thinking logically. I really need to stop doing that. I don't believe in regrets, but I know without a doubt that I'm never going to stop wondering what could have happened had I headed for the coast that day. Next time Krysta, next time.