During Thanksgiving season, we often hear reminders to be grateful for what we have. Over the years, the holiday has become filled with traditions—big meals, football games, shopping, and time spent with family—but underneath it all is a simple reminder to pause and recognize the blessings in our lives.
One of the most powerful lessons I ever learned about gratitude came from a family trip when I was in college and stepped outside the United States for the first time.
It wasn’t a grand international adventure. It wasn’t a trip where I explored a new country for weeks or immersed myself in a different culture.
Sometimes the most important travel experiences aren’t the ones where we see the most famous landmarks. Sometimes they are the moments that quietly change how we see the world.
Our First Cruise Adventure
During my first year of college, a family friend invited my family to join them on a cruise. They were experienced cruisers and had traveled on many different routes, but they thought a shorter cruise would be the perfect introduction for us.
The plan was simple: a few days visiting San Diego, Catalina Island, and Ensenada, Mexico.
My mom told us that if we wanted to go, we would need to pay our own way. So my brothers and I started saving money from our small jobs, putting aside whatever we could so we could be part of the adventure.
When the day finally arrived, we flew to California and met up with the family we were traveling with. Then came the important question: How do you get seven people and all their luggage from the airport to the cruise port?
After comparing our options, we decided the best solution was to rent a limo. It had enough space for everyone, and surprisingly, it wasn’t much more expensive than other options.
For a brief moment, we felt like celebrities.
As the long black limo pulled into the cruise port, we imagined what people must have thought. Surely they assumed someone important was arriving.
Then the doors opened. Instead of a celebrity stepping out, the group of us tumbled out in a tangled mess of arms, legs, and luggage. Whatever glamorous image people had imagined disappeared quickly. But for us, it was the perfect beginning to our adventure.
Living the High Life
For the next few days, we lived what felt like the high life.
We enjoyed fancy dinners every night, spent time by the pool, explored the ship, and even learned how to play high-stakes bingo.
Looking back, the cruise probably wasn’t as luxurious as we thought it was at the time. There were areas under construction, and our traveling companions were quick to point out every flaw.
But we were first-time cruisers. We weren’t looking for perfection. We were simply amazed that we were there.
Our excitement reminded me that luxury is often found in perspective. Something that one person might overlook can feel extraordinary to someone experiencing it for the first time.
Seeing Different Versions of the World
Our first stop was San Diego. While our traveling companions went shopping, my family chose to explore Old Town and experience the history, food, and Spanish influences that shaped the area.
From there, we continued to Catalina Island. The island was beautiful, with its waterfront lined with boats, beautiful homes, and charming shops. It was the kind of place that seemed to represent a life of comfort and abundance.
As we walked around, we noticed a different feeling from what we had experienced at home. We were visitors looking into a world that felt very different from our own.
That evening at dinner, we laughed about our experiences and talked about the contrast between the different places we had seen.
The next day, we arrived in Ensenada, Mexico. And that was the moment the trip changed.
My First Experience Outside the United States
As a college student, this was my first time setting foot in another country.
Before leaving the ship, we had been told to be thoughtful about giving money. If we wanted to help, we were encouraged to give food instead.
So that morning, we filled our bags with food from the ship’s buffet to share.
When we walked into the city, I immediately realized I was seeing a world very different from my own.
There were children trying to sell small items to tourists, people working to make a living however they could, and a level of poverty that I had not personally encountered before.
We quickly shared the food we had brought, wanting to help in the small way we knew how. The experience was overwhelming. Not because of the people themselves, but because it was the first time I truly had to confront the differences between my life and the lives of others.
We spent the day exploring Ensenada, riding around the city in a rented vehicle, and taking in everything around us.
When we returned to the ship that evening, dinner felt different. We were quieter. We were thinking. For the first time, I understood that the world was much bigger than the small circle I had always known.
Learning What Gratitude Really Means
When we returned home from the trip, I found myself reflecting on everything we had experienced. I felt grateful for the life my family had.
I was grateful for the small jobs that allowed us to save for a vacation. I was grateful for a comfortable home. I was grateful for the opportunities and possibilities that were available to us.
But I also realized something else. Gratitude is not about looking at what someone else has and feeling superior. It is about recognizing the blessings in your own life while remembering that every person has a story you may never see.
That trip showed me two very different versions of the world.
We saw places of incredible wealth and places where people struggled to meet basic needs. We saw people who had everything and people who were working hard for a little more.
And somewhere in between was where my family lived. We weren’t wealthy, but we had enough. We didn’t have everything, but we had opportunities. And most importantly, we had each other.
Years later, I still think about that cruise.
At the time, I thought the memorable parts would be the ship, the ports, and the adventure of traveling somewhere new.
Instead, the thing I remember most is the lesson it taught me.
Travel has a way of changing our perspective. Sometimes it shows us beautiful places. Sometimes it introduces us to different cultures. And sometimes it quietly challenges us to look at our own lives differently.
That first trip outside the United States planted a seed that has continued to grow with every journey since.
It reminded me that gratitude is not about having the most.
It is about recognizing the beauty in what we have.
If you enjoyed this post, here are some others you might be interested in:
How Travel Builds Confidence in Kids
Thanksgiving Reflections at the Bascilia Our Lady of Aparecida
Thanks for coming along on this first trip outside the United States and what it taught me about gratitude. May the moments between the haves and have nots remind you how full your life is.
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