Family Time

Angela Guiao
MSMU Class of 2021

(6/2021) When I was younger, my mother always made the effort to try and take me on at least one vacation each year. She would save up her vacation days and extra money, and we’d have a road trip to another state. So far, we have been to a total of 16 states.

So, I think it’s safe to say I know a little something about vacations. Some years, we would go with a group of friends, but recently we’ve gone with close family. And let me tell you, it hasn’t always been easy.

For my family, just planning a trip is complicated. Everyone wants to go somewhere, and it never is the same place. Then you have to adjust the schedule (then adjust the schedule again) to fit with work and school and financial obligations. By the time we actually decide on a date and destination, I am already exhausted.

But eventually we make our way to the departure date, and we head on our way. For us to have a good enough time, there are a few rules we follow.

Rule number one: No complaining. Now, I know this is a weird rule. But after a very long (11-hour drive) road trip to Maine squished in a Toyota RAV 4 where everyone growled and moaned the entire way there, it just had to be done. Also, complaining just dampens the mood. I do remember one road trip to Boston, where one particularly outspoken cousin disliked every single restaurant, we ate at, and she made sure we knew it. Every. Single. Time. I’m glad that we have this rule now as I can finally eat my food in peace.

Rule number two: No tours. Now, I am sure that you may think that this rule is obviously a result of a very bad tour. And you are correct. We tried to take a tour in Arizona of the Antelope Canyons, and to sum it all up- it was a very bad experience. It was a little more grueling than we expected, so by the end of the tour, there were quite a few of us spilling out our breakfast. While I don’t want to go too much into detail, it is safe to say that not everyone in the family is at the same skill level, hiking wise. So, we decided as a group that we would no longer be taking any tours. You know, so we could all travel at our own pace.

Rule number three: When one eats, we all eat. I personally dislike this rule the most, but after numerous occasions where we had stopped at a McDonald’s or some other fast-food joint, only to stop again at another location of the fast food joint a few blocks later, we decided it best if we all eat at the same time. It has also helped out with rule number one, as most of the complaining usually had to do with food or lack thereof. I personally dislike this rule because sometimes I am simply not hungry. But also, because it means that once someone is hungry, we have to find food wherever is nearest, and it is 99.99% a burger joint. Darn Mickey D’s.

Rule number four: Always have at least one unique experience. When rule number one didn’t exist yet, someone would always complain that whatever we did in that particular state that year, we could have done at home. And it was true. When we went to Chicago, we went to that building that had glass floors. And while it was cool when we went there. It was less cool when we saw it in New York, then again in Boston. So, we decided that each road trip we would experience something we could only experience in that state, whether it be the salt flats in Utah or the magic garden in Philly.

Rule number five (and the final rule): Always sleep at the same time. This was a sacrifice for the majority of the group but has always proven to be necessary. When I am on vacation, I can barely sleep I get so excited. My mom, on the other hand, sleeps insanely early. As a result, there is always a big difference in energy. I wake up groggy and grumpy from the lack of sleep, and my mom wakes up a touch too perky. She also misses all the game nights and campfire songs, which results in a lot of huh’s and who’s during the conversations the next day.

But despite all of these rules, the most important thing, I think, is to go on vacation with people you love. It sounds cliché, but it is impossible to enjoy a vacation with people you don’t enjoy being around, I think.

The bonding time, inside jokes, games, and experiences that you share with your family will stay with you for a lifetime. For me especially, as my mom gets older, I have learned to treasure these moments with her. Sometimes, we forget to cherish the moments with family since they are always there, but I think it is important to have a little change of scenery. New experiences result in a new understanding, of family, of life, and of the world.

While every family may have their own personal set of rules, I know the trip always ends with the sense of appreciation for being able to experience such adventures. Each year, I appreciate the growth I see in my cousins and my family, and I have learned to cherish the fact that despite living very different lives, we always make the effort to come together for our yearly road trip. No matter how complicated and new and fun and sometimes annoying the trip could get, I am thankful to be able to have done it surrounded by people I love.

As the world starts to open up, and travel restrictions lift, I urge you all to value your time with your family, wherever you may end up going. After a year secluded from my own, I know I definitely will.

Read other articles by Angela Tongohan