How To Survive Being The Traveling Friend

You see the inside of airport terminals more than you’ve seen your friend’s (not-so) new apartment. You feel like an outsider at brunch because “you should’ve been there last Sunday to see blah do blah blah & blah”. You’ve had layovers that lasted longer than girls’ night.And while you love your friends, you love exploring new soils more. I’ve noticed that the more trips I go on, the more distance there is between my friends and I. This recent trip has brought more light to my eyes than any other. When I first came back from my move to Milan, they were excited to have me back but of course I was greeted with the famous question “So when do you leave again?”

That’s also my family’s number one topic! “What?! You’re in town? Must not be for long, when do you leave? When is your next trip?” While I would love to say that there is a loving tone when asked but more often than not its more a tone of resentment. Towards me, or the fact that I’m always on the go. At first, I was sad about it. I should be able to travel and have friends, right? I mean it makes no sense that I can make and keep in touch with friends from all over the world but I’m not even be able to connect with my friends from back home. I think its more of a travelers woe. After talking with a friend (she gets me, she’s a traveler too) she let me know that it happens to the best of us, and I’m not alone.

Of course you can’t help but wonder though, is there a remedy? Even if there is, is the relationship worth fixing? I think with many test and trials, the strong will survive. I may lose friends to traveling, but its shown me friends that I should value a lot more. Muneek said it best “Not everyone signs up to be a long distance friend.”

While any departure is typically sad, these lost friendships haven’t been. People come and people go, myself included. But what makes this sorrow a little sweet, is that I am a traveler, I’m an expert at moving on. That’s how you’ll survive.