Every family has their own unique values and believes which are passed down generation to generation.Some of the examples are; some family has to have a male doctor, some has to have a female teacher, some has winter family vacation and etc. Simultaneously, in modern times with modern problems, family tradition is often forgotten. However, my family tradition is something that's quite versatile and fun to do.
My family happens to be a wanderlust.
From my great grandparents to my grandparents to my parents, we all share a collective hobby, traveling. This hobby was more of a way of life. We simply grew up with it and found enjoyment learning other cultures, seeing new places, eating new food and meeting new people. This has becoming a part of our family identity.
Both of my grandparents from my paternal and maternal side, grew up with traveling and moving around the country. That being said, my parents and their siblings grew up the same. When my parents raised me, I was taught to find enjoyment in a long road trip and meeting new people while learning the local's way of life. For my peers of my age, by 10 years old I was already well-traveled. I had to skip so many classes due to their hobby. Then, this goes on, I carry the torch of their wanderlust tendencies.
However, the highlight of our family tradition is when my grandfathers were still alive. Every new year, we would go to a villa or vacation house in another province. Sometimes, we would go visiting another island for a week.This was something I enjoyed as a child, traveling with my family. We were bonded over conversation during the road trip, silly little things I said since I was a blunt kid with no filter whatsoever. And most of the time, my grandfathers just sat and talk with strangers around him.
Apart from that, we would do weekly traveling but this one was only for family members who can make it. My aunt was studying in college so she was often left behind. However, since my grandfathers died, we no longer travel as much as we used to. Since both of my grandfather died, we only travel occasionally and often independently.
Interestingly, before my grandfathers passed away, they both wanted to travel. My grandfather from my maternal side took us to tea plantation picnic, a place he enjoyed because it was serene and peaceful. A few days after that travel, he was hospitalized and then some days later he passed away.
Similarly, a few weeks before my grandfather from my paternal side passed away, he also took us traveling to a new bridge which connects my island to another island. It was a long, tiring ride especially that we traveled on a 4wd Jeep. My grandfather was ill but he got to see one of the greatest bridges in the country before he died.
Sure, time has changed but I want to keep the spirit of it alive. This was something I only realized recently. I used to travel alone because it is much more efficient for my budget and my way of traveling. But ever since I took my mom with me, it was more fun. Walking become more enjoyable. We got to be bonded all over again; talking about our dreams, our goals, what we wanted, while also reminiscing about the past where we still had our family close. In the end, my family tradition is part of my identity.