Comments on: To My Family, With Love… But Mostly Frustration http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/ An epic love story of a girl and her backpack. Read about this perpetual nomad in this rtw travel blog. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:29:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Doug http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-1001 Doug Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:15:18 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-1001 Not everyone has our love for travels. My folks live maybe 120 miles from me and I only see them a couple times a year... and we both live in Florida! Great work Brooke. Not everyone has our love for travels. My folks live maybe 120 miles from me and I only see them a couple times a year… and we both live in Florida! Great work Brooke.

]]> By: Margaret Schoenman http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-1000 Margaret Schoenman Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:41:40 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-1000 Brooke, We just wanted to wish you a happy Christmas and New year. The teachers you know at Parkview are following your site. Hope to see you soon we all miss you. Margaret/Howard Schoenman Brooke,

We just wanted to wish you a happy Christmas and New year. The teachers you know at Parkview are following your site. Hope to see you soon we all miss you.

Margaret/Howard Schoenman

]]> By: Margaret Schoenman http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-1002 Margaret Schoenman Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:41:40 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-1002 Brooke, We just wanted to wish you a happy Christmas and New year. The teachers you know at Parkview are following your site. Hope to see you soon we all miss you. Margaret/Howard Schoenman Brooke,

We just wanted to wish you a happy Christmas and New year. The teachers you know at Parkview are following your site. Hope to see you soon we all miss you.

Margaret/Howard Schoenman

]]> By: Nora - The Professional Hobo http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-999 Nora - The Professional Hobo Sat, 19 Dec 2009 04:17:30 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-999 As a fellow traveler who has found (temporary) roots in Australia, I felt exactly the same way as you! However after having the good fortune to go back home (Canada) for a visit (I had been gone for a few years, so was due for it), I realized that the mammoth journey from North America is nothing to sneeze at; 30+ hours to fly to Oz is not everybody's cup'o'tea, even if somebody awesome is waiting at the other end. Not to mention cost, and ability to take time off. I don't usually recommend any family visit me here unless they have a couple of weeks to do so, since the jet lag can be cumbersome on shorter visits. Because I wound my way to Oz via a bunch of other countries, I didn't realize just how far/expensive a place it is to get to directly. And since travel isn't everybody's thing anyway, I've learned to be very pleasantly surprised if somebody does come for a visit (and I agree - people don't know what they're missing: Australia is freaking fantastic!). Our only visitors on the road thus far are my boyfriend's parents, but I imagine that over time, I'll connect with more family and friends in other worldly abodes. Cheers! As a fellow traveler who has found (temporary) roots in Australia, I felt exactly the same way as you! However after having the good fortune to go back home (Canada) for a visit (I had been gone for a few years, so was due for it), I realized that the mammoth journey from North America is nothing to sneeze at; 30+ hours to fly to Oz is not everybody’s cup’o'tea, even if somebody awesome is waiting at the other end.

Not to mention cost, and ability to take time off. I don’t usually recommend any family visit me here unless they have a couple of weeks to do so, since the jet lag can be cumbersome on shorter visits.

Because I wound my way to Oz via a bunch of other countries, I didn’t realize just how far/expensive a place it is to get to directly. And since travel isn’t everybody’s thing anyway, I’ve learned to be very pleasantly surprised if somebody does come for a visit (and I agree – people don’t know what they’re missing: Australia is freaking fantastic!). Our only visitors on the road thus far are my boyfriend’s parents, but I imagine that over time, I’ll connect with more family and friends in other worldly abodes.
Cheers!

]]> By: Steve http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-998 Steve Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:23:03 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-998 That's a Grade A guilt trip, right there. Let's hope it works! That’s a Grade A guilt trip, right there.

Let’s hope it works!

]]> By: Brooke http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-996 Brooke Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:28:55 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-996 Thanks everyone for the comments :) It's nice to know I'm not the only one and it is more common than I thought. I guess I feel like I've really set up a little life here in Sydney. I've been here for 8 months, have been working, have an apartment and a wonderful boyfriend (who I met last year while traveling). Basically, if all goes well, I might be applying for another visa in the coming months to stay longer. It would just be nice to be able to share it with my family. It's more than just the travel part in a way. Thanks everyone for the comments :) It’s nice to know I’m not the only one and it is more common than I thought.

I guess I feel like I’ve really set up a little life here in Sydney. I’ve been here for 8 months, have been working, have an apartment and a wonderful boyfriend (who I met last year while traveling). Basically, if all goes well, I might be applying for another visa in the coming months to stay longer.

It would just be nice to be able to share it with my family. It’s more than just the travel part in a way.

]]> By: soultravelers3 http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-995 soultravelers3 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:08:48 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-995 Please don't go into debt to try and force your family to visit! I can understand your point of view and why you felt a need to express your truth, but the great thing about life is that we don't all like the same things. Travel is not for everyone! There is a huge difference between a flight to Vegas from Chicago and a flight to Oz. They just aren't apple to apple comparisons. You can't force anyone to do anything. You CAN change the frustration and judgment inside of you about this issue. I understand, this is our 4th year in Europe and we have invited everyone to visit. We have had one lovely 3 generation visit/tour together, (and stage 4 cancer prevented the other side from a planned visit), but bottom line, they would much rather we just move back home. Better yet, never have left. Yet, Skype keeps us closer than ever. I'd hope they would at least send the teen age cousins so we could show them a bit of Europe, but no one is biting. Such is life. Seems like their loss to us maybe, but perhaps it is all just perfect. Your family (and mine) is doing what they feel is right for them. You might be just as frustrated even if they do come as they will not understand or appreciate it like you do. They might never "get it". YOU "get it" and that's really the only one that matters. What is good for your soul might not be good for their soul. Wishing you peace with this issue and sending a cyber hug to you and your family! Please don’t go into debt to try and force your family to visit! I can understand your point of view and why you felt a need to express your truth, but the great thing about life is that we don’t all like the same things.

Travel is not for everyone! There is a huge difference between a flight to Vegas from Chicago and a flight to Oz. They just aren’t apple to apple comparisons.

You can’t force anyone to do anything.

You CAN change the frustration and judgment inside of you about this issue.

I understand, this is our 4th year in Europe and we have invited everyone to visit. We have had one lovely 3 generation visit/tour together, (and stage 4 cancer prevented the other side from a planned visit), but bottom line, they would much rather we just move back home.

Better yet, never have left. Yet, Skype keeps us closer than ever.

I’d hope they would at least send the teen age cousins so we could show them a bit of Europe, but no one is biting.

Such is life. Seems like their loss to us maybe, but perhaps it is all just perfect.

Your family (and mine) is doing what they feel is right for them. You might be just as frustrated even if they do come as they will not understand or appreciate it like you do.

They might never “get it”. YOU “get it” and that’s really the only one that matters. What is good for your soul might not be good for their soul.

Wishing you peace with this issue and sending a cyber hug to you and your family!

]]> By: Brooke Schoenman http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-997 Brooke Schoenman Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:28:00 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-997 Thanks, Drew :) You're a peach. Thanks, Drew :) You're a peach.

]]> By: Brooke http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-994 Brooke Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:37:06 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-994 I'm pretty sure I just made my mom upset. sigh. I’m pretty sure I just made my mom upset. sigh.

]]> By: Michelle http://brookevstheworld.com/to-my-family-with-love-but-mostly-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-993 Michelle Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:00:47 +0000 http://brookevstheworld.com/?p=1750#comment-993 I think it's just a matter of understanding where your family is coming from...they'll never understand your passion for travel, and perhaps they'll visit you once...but you never understand why they DON'T. (granted, I'm with you, so I don't either), but I don't foresee any resolution. It *may* be time to accept the limitations of certain individuals of your family. Although, I would never stop pestering them to visit! They're the ones truly missing out! I think it’s just a matter of understanding where your family is coming from…they’ll never understand your passion for travel, and perhaps they’ll visit you once…but you never understand why they DON’T. (granted, I’m with you, so I don’t either), but I don’t foresee any resolution. It *may* be time to accept the limitations of certain individuals of your family. Although, I would never stop pestering them to visit! They’re the ones truly missing out!

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