Coming of Age (Rough Draft)

My mom and I were in the car driving down the street to the airport. We were getting closer and closer to the airport; my heart was beating with anxiousness. It would be my first trip off the island without my parents. I've always loved going to sleepovers but this was different, I wouldn't be able to see them the next day. We drove up to the curb to drop me off. There I saw my friends and my church leaders, I was ready to go. My mom came out to help unload the car and say our goodbyes. She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a hug before I left. It was going to be 3 days away from home, a bitter sweet experience.
We boarded the plan and off we went. I've never been to Kauai so I was excited to experience new things and new sites. On the plane I looked out the window to see our island getting smaller and smaller. The plane ride was only about half an hour to an hour. I wanted to get off that plane as soon as possible. Walking off I looked all around me observing the things about Kauai. We packed all our bags onto the truck to head to the camp site. As we unpacked our belongings, I found little notes from my mom in my socks. She told me how she misses me and that she hopes I have a great time. To my surprise, I wasn’t all that sad that I was away from home. Instead, I wanted to explore the new beaches and shops.
I was able to feel independent, something I haven't experienced all that much before. I didn't need my parents with me because I knew that I was going to be okay and I could handle this. The whole camping trip I didn't think about leaving, in fact I wanted to stay much longer. After this trip, I was able to do many things on my own. I didn’t rely much on my parents anymore. I could make my own decisions, go out on my own, and plan events by myself. I was becoming more mature day by day from something that only lasted a few days. It was during this trip, I discovered my coming of age.