New Passport- Old Friend

Immigrating is hard.

I'm starting to assume that anyone who has a black & white opinion 

on the rules and policies that should be enforced

towards immigration & deciding who-should-be-allowed-to-live-where

has never actually tried to immigrate.

We are working on getting our visas renewed

so that we can stay here longer

and I can continue to eat my body weight in puff pastry & dairy products.

While we are working towards this exciting goal

{that will be a big sigh of relief for us},

I found a small hitch that caused me some slight grief:

I would have to renew my passport early

in order to have my passport valid

for the entire duration of my new visa.

Blah.

After 8 years with this passport and some heavy traveling, 

my passport has become something I really treasure:

it has 7 visas, 1 hand-stitched extension, 104 stamps & 13 empty spaces.

I'm so proud of it.

goodbye 19 year old picture... goodbye sparkly purple signature from a jelly pen.

My parents always worked hard to show us the world.

They wouldn't indulge us on trendy clothes

{oh heavens, did they believe in the hand-me-downs}...

but they did spoil us with traveling.

They always said that the stuff would turn to junk,

but the memories would turn into a life well lived.

And something about that idea seems to have stuck with me.

my first stamp in my passport. touch down in rome for a semester in italy.

my first uk visa

I mailed my new application & photos in today,

I realized that it wasn't my worn passport that made me a world traveler...

it's the collection of thoughts, memories & impressions that shape who I am.

And besides...

even if I do have to start over

 with a stark & empty passport,

I'll always have my facebook albums.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy