Out of all 7 of us, I think traveling might have happened at the worst developmental time for my oldest sister, Amal – puberty. I can’t imagine what she must have went through; having to struggle with her own insecurities that come at that age and having to constantly re-acclimate to a new group of bullies, mean girls, cliques, outcasts, potential friends… sounds like pure hell. I guess that’s why out of the whole family, she has done the least solo-travel. I mean sure, she desires it, who doesn’t. I remember her excitement when she was planning to go to a summer course in Spain during her undergrad. When that course got cancelled, she decided to go to Honduras for an Engineers without Borders project. I think it was a 2 week trip. But in the past 10 years, other than a family trip to Egypt, she hasn't "wandered".
She’s now married and lives in New York, working at an engineering firm. She talks often about all the places her and her husband will visit one day, like Bosnia and Turkey.
Amal currently gets 11 vacation days per year. I don’t think she’s going anywhere anytime soon.
