I have returned from a school reunion trip—an amazing, week-long vacation to with eight friends from four different countries. To mark our 40 birthdays, the nine of us left our , kids, in-laws, parents, work, household chores and jobs behind to come under one sky, 25 years after we finished school. Social media abounds with videos that advocate the school reunion trip, especially the all-women holiday.
They all rehash the same words: it makes for a lifetime of memories; it’s not only fun but also rejuvenating and therapeutic; it forces you to reflect on how far you’ve come; it allows you to borrow from the . My was great, but not as glorious as the internet makes it out to be. There were a few hurt feelings, bruised egos, temper flare-ups, uncomfortable words and silences amidst all the fun and laughter.
Let’s face it—when nine strong-headed individuals from different walks of life come together, there are bound to be differences. Whether it’s about dates, destinations, budgets, hotels, hygiene standards, chores while living in a villa, sightseeing or food, everyone has different priorities and preferences. And that is grounds for .
Ours started with money. I was on a shoestring budget and everyone scrambled to work around my . I was grateful for their understanding, yet I felt guilty, ashamed and financially inferior to my friends throughout the trip.
Despite my best efforts to shake off these uncomfortable thoughts, they snowballed into larger doubts. I wondered.
