MARIAH
BOISE,IDAHO
"I?ve always been a runner, I run from friends, family,
love...anything really. I?ve run to new cities and
changed addresses more times than I can count. I never
wanted to face my problems head on, I just like to run.
Most of my late teens and early 20s consisted of
unhealthy and verbal manipulative relationships of all
kinds ? friendships, love, and empty one night stands;
it became very hard to find good people in my life.
One day I was scrolling through Facebook and saw
that a recent friend had posted about a trip she was
taking and needed a travel buddy - This was it! just
what I needed.
We took off and I suddenly felt that I became the
person I really was?no one knew me, I was running
free.
After some ups and downs, some romance and
adventures in the 5 weeks, I began learning and
growing more with each day that passed until it was
the final few days. My friend and I skipped our last stop
in Dublin and went straight back to London for a
festival? and for some boys we had both met and
kindled a romance with while we had been traveling. I
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THOSE WHO WANDER
had met an Italian man and needless to say, we ha
fun and decided to keep our romance alive long
distance.
When I got home I was on a traveller's high, I was
finally happy, I had met someone, I looked good good! One week later I booked a one way ticket ba
Europe to see the Italian.
But the high of my new found self and my Europea
romance suddenly began to subside. Old habits ca
back in full force and my Italian romance and long
distance relationship began to crumble (along wit
free place to crash and a job in London) but I was
determined to embark on my adventure in 2 weeks
despite me questioning why was I even going anyw
I kept telling myself the flight was non-refundable
I might as well just go for it right?
I arrived in Utrecht and met some cool people, too
day to myself riding my bike for hours to make it t
beautiful castle and explored the city. On my last d
as I packed up I realised suddenly that my iPad ha
been stolen?my dads iPad to be specific. With only
hour until my train, I just left with no hopes of gett
it back.
My next three cities consisted of beautiful people,
crazy times, hostel families, some cute men and lo
booze. But It didn?t feel quite right. I was bingeing