Phamily in the Bahamas
Let me begin by saying that this is the first trip I have ever taken with my family, and it was the most amount of time that I had spent with them since I moved out of the house five years ago. As we all know, spending extended periods of time with family isn't always pleasant, but we made the best of it. I would like to believe that this trip brought us closer together in one way or another. It was nice to spend some time with them before I leave for two years.
This photo was taken towards the beginning of the trip. We spent this whole day with a salesman that took us on a tour and kept trying to sell us a timeshare. My mother booked this trip, because she heard about some deal that was really cheap. Little did she know that with this booking, there was a mandatory timeshare touring and they basically would not give us our boarding passes for the cruise unless we bought a timeshare. It was a dreadful day, and there was a lot of yelling and arguing amongst our family.
We did, nevertheless, make it aboard the cruise and to the island. I've been to many islands in the Bahamas, but this was my first time to the Grand Bahamas, so it was a little different. I really enjoyed exploring the island with my family. Our fist destination, after checking in to the resort, was the Banana boat tour. We saw a bunch of million dollar houses while touring around the island, and a few dolphins as well.
We stayed in a pretty decent suite at the Grand Lucayan, This was my first experience at an all-inclusive resort, and I've gotta say, it was pretty dope. I'd wake up super early to run out the back door and see the sun rise on the beach every morning.
This trip really brought me back to earth and made me realize that my family will always be there at the end of the day, whether I want them to be or not. My family may not always agree with me, or support my decisions, but they care. And sometimes, that's all that matters, because there aren't many people you'll meet that genuinely care about you.
When I told people I was moving to New Zealand, one of the first questions I was asked was, "How do your parents feel about you moving?" It honestly took me off guard, because I honestly had no idea. I don't think I actually ever sat down and told my parents that I was moving either. I think they may have just overheard me talking to friends about it. It didn't occur to me how my move would affect them, and to be honest, I wasn't really concerned about it.
I'm appalled at my failure to notice that my brother will also be impacted greatly by my moving across the world. When we were younger, my brother and I were so close. We were inseparable. I guess after I moved out, he had to continue living life at home without me there, and I was busy with my life in college. Somewhere along the way, we lost touch, and it really kinda hurt to think about it. There years are usually when a person needs guidance and support most, and I haven't been there hald as much as I should have for him. So I made a promise to both myself and to him that I will make a fighting effort to be there for him and stay more in tune with his life, although I will not be there in person.
All in all, this was a good trip. I had a lot of fun and there were a lot of chances to meet new people and have some fun adventures, but it was ultimately a family trip. I spent a lot of quality time with my family, and I will always hold these moments dear to my heart.
