I’ve read some of the cute and corny and heavily-clichéd posts about dating or not dating a person who travels, and whether you like them or not the point is the same:

For good or for ill, travel will instill certain qualities in a person. Independence, self reliance, adaptability, uncertainty, disinterest in material things, easy-going temperament, thirst for adventure and so forth.

Whether this makes the person good in a relationship is really up to you. Overall I’m just glad that so many people are talking about traveling, because I think we all should do more of it. If a few people are inspired to buy a plane ticket and get out of their comfort zone then I think that’s great.

Nonetheless, here’s my cute, corny and heavily-cliched contribution to the slush pile!

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Don’t date a girl who travels…. Fall in love with a woman who wants to see the world. Who loves the world from top to bottom, who wants to be a part of it all. And maybe, if you are lucky, to share it with you.

She may leave her home as a girl who travels, but at some point in her journey—not in one defining moment, but in a series of random, intangible experiences—she will find herself and her place in the world. She will discover that her place in the world is exactly wherever she is at that moment. She will be fully comfortable in her own skin, and will inspire you to feel the same way in yours.

She will be a woman who will find humor in tense situations, who will see every misstep as a learning experience, who will never take for granted the simple things in life like a beautiful sunset, the kindness of a stranger, or a quiet night at home.

True, her desire to roam may seem insatiable, because as soon as you start to see the world, the first thing you learn is that there is SO much world out there to see. This does not mean that she will be hard to impress. Travelers often find charm in the simplest gestures, as long as they are sincere. She will see right though any bullshit or dishonest intentions. And she will not pretend that she knows everything about the world, because the more you travel and the more people you meet, the more you realize how little you know and how much you have to learn.

Fall in love with a woman who sees the world as a big adventure and wants to share it with everyone she meets.

She will have big eyes that take in everything around her and a big appetite for everything new. Most of all, she will have a big heart and compassion for people from all levels of the human experience. She will make you push your boundaries, and you may find yourself lost or in places of discomfort, but you will never forget the times you have, especially when they are challenging.  You will always appreciate the new things that you learn about yourself. And you will always have good stories to tell. 

If you fall in love with a woman who loves to see the world, you will never be bored or grow tired of the routine, because you will always find exciting ways to fill your days and hours together. But best of all she will know that the most important part isn’t just how you fill your days, but who you spend them with, and she will cherish every moment.

But if you fall in love with a woman who loves the whole big world, be true to her, because she will not wait around for things to get better. She will move on to new horizons. Because she knows with so many choices in this life—where to go, what to eat, who to be with—the best path is the simplest: just choose the things that make you happy and you’ll never lose your way.