Many nights I second guess my lifestyle. Especially since I love to be one to settle down. I am probably the worst at being alone. However, once you decide that you are going to leave for a long period of time, like I am going to do, people do not want to get into something serious. I don't blame them...but it's not like a lot of relationships last that long anyways...yet I am stuck alone..just my dreams of travel and I. For this reason, I feel that I am so deep into all of this, that it is travel or nothing. My life, once so clean and determined, feels so free yet such a mess.
Tonight, I am finally downloading pictures of my trip from Ghana. I actually never really get around to downloading many of my pictures from any of my trips usually, but I want to change that. I feel that one of the greatest things about traveling is sharing your experiences with others. Honestly, as I was downloading and looking back at my pictures, I felt a greater closeness with my experiences and the people that I met during my trip to Ghana than I have before. I love what I have seen...Mexico, Central America, Africa, and soon South East Asia....it makes me who I am today.
Not only do I grow as a person when I travel, but I get to see another side of others too. When I was in Ghana, I saw this amazing side of my mom. I have always loved my mom. We are so much alike and that is probably why we had a little falling out when I was younger. I can't even explain how I see her now, how proud of her I am. Our trip to Africa was her first trip out of the country. She's 50 (sorry mom) and she didn't mind the cold showers, the food, the dirt roads, the bugs..she was amazing, young, vibrant, and beautiful. I have never lived in such "harsh" conditions, and while I don't mind it, to have my mom's first time out of the country to be a place that is more impoverished than I have seen, makes me so incredibly proud of her!
So I guess my point of the night/ debacle is that to be a nomad is a lifestyle. It is an amazing opportunity that not everyone gets. I love to see the world...to see how others live so that I can live my life more fulfilled, less naive.However, I lose a lot too. It's a compromise. Right now, I feel that as much as it hurts, the compromise is worth it.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
First step: when to leave
So I guess that the biggest question that I have to answer/ choice I have to make right now is whether I want to leave in two months, which will be in the beginning of November or four months, which will be in the beginning of January. There are definite pros and cons for both departure dates.
If I leave in November, I will be able to meet up immediately with my friend Dani from work, who is beginning her trip in Thailand with her friend at the beginning of November. I could also choose to meet up with my friends Anne and Dixie in the Philippians. This is actually the most enticing plan for me. Anne is from the Philippians and has family there, so she would be able to show me around, make sure that I am seeing all the most important places, and I might even have a place to stay. I have traveled alone in Mexico for two weeks, the first time that I had been out of the country, and I was not able to eat for most of the two weeks because I was so scared. For this reason, beginning my trip in November seems like the smartest plan. This way I would be able to ease into my mostly solo adventure. It would act almost as a crutch, a safety net of sorts.
Also, I don't really have much to stay for in Seattle. I have been here for over 7 years. The scene is getting old and is so small. The girls are killing me! And I am soon to be "homeless" in a month. I will be staying with an ex in a studio with 2 dogs and 2 cats for a month (we are good friends and strangely I truly believe that this will be a good idea), then I believe my best friends girlfriend will be taking my cats and I will live with my friend Maritza for a bit, or whoever will take me! With this being said, I might as well leave earlier, right?
Then there is January. The biggest draw for this departure date is that I have a lot of things that I have to do and small trips that I have to take before then. Kammy and I are going to San Francisco to learn how to sail, I should visit my family in Connecticut, and I should probably stay through the holidays and make as much money as I can before I go. I also love the holidays and don't know how I feel about spending the holidays in Asia. My favorite part of holidays is being with my friends and people I love and I might be too upset and lonely if I am in a foreign county for those special days.
I am also in school right now and the semester is done at the end of December. When I traveled to Central America for three weeks I was taking three classes. Luckily I had internet access everywhere I went, but it was not even close to easy to take tests and complete my homework when I would have rather been on the beach, or having fun. Even worse, it could have been like when I went to Africa, with unpredictable, slow, and hard to access internet. I don't think I really want to take my chances...but maybe. Plus, I think it might be fun living with friends for a bit...a Seattle Nomad
If I leave in November, I will be able to meet up immediately with my friend Dani from work, who is beginning her trip in Thailand with her friend at the beginning of November. I could also choose to meet up with my friends Anne and Dixie in the Philippians. This is actually the most enticing plan for me. Anne is from the Philippians and has family there, so she would be able to show me around, make sure that I am seeing all the most important places, and I might even have a place to stay. I have traveled alone in Mexico for two weeks, the first time that I had been out of the country, and I was not able to eat for most of the two weeks because I was so scared. For this reason, beginning my trip in November seems like the smartest plan. This way I would be able to ease into my mostly solo adventure. It would act almost as a crutch, a safety net of sorts.
Also, I don't really have much to stay for in Seattle. I have been here for over 7 years. The scene is getting old and is so small. The girls are killing me! And I am soon to be "homeless" in a month. I will be staying with an ex in a studio with 2 dogs and 2 cats for a month (we are good friends and strangely I truly believe that this will be a good idea), then I believe my best friends girlfriend will be taking my cats and I will live with my friend Maritza for a bit, or whoever will take me! With this being said, I might as well leave earlier, right?
Then there is January. The biggest draw for this departure date is that I have a lot of things that I have to do and small trips that I have to take before then. Kammy and I are going to San Francisco to learn how to sail, I should visit my family in Connecticut, and I should probably stay through the holidays and make as much money as I can before I go. I also love the holidays and don't know how I feel about spending the holidays in Asia. My favorite part of holidays is being with my friends and people I love and I might be too upset and lonely if I am in a foreign county for those special days.
I am also in school right now and the semester is done at the end of December. When I traveled to Central America for three weeks I was taking three classes. Luckily I had internet access everywhere I went, but it was not even close to easy to take tests and complete my homework when I would have rather been on the beach, or having fun. Even worse, it could have been like when I went to Africa, with unpredictable, slow, and hard to access internet. I don't think I really want to take my chances...but maybe. Plus, I think it might be fun living with friends for a bit...a Seattle Nomad
Saturday, September 3, 2011
And it begins..
Hello internet world!
This is my first time as a blogger. I have begun to travel pretty extensivly and think that it would be fun to share my experiences. I am traveling to South East Asia in either two months or four months for either six months or a year. I know that it seems a bit early to begin blogging, but I am no good at remembering to write every day, so I figure that I should start early. This way, by the time I go, writing this blog will be second nature. The other reason to begin this blog is that it will help me to make some decisions about the trip, as well as create a travel plan of sorts. I am usually a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl, packing my bag for any trip the night before and usually pretty intoxicated. I have gone on month long trips to Mexico and Central America with little to no plans, only a lonely planet travel guide in hand. I am not saying that that isn't a interesting and exciting way to travel, but for South East Asia I have weather and festivals to think about, as well as some friends to meet up with who will be over there around the same time. So, let the planning begin.
This is my first time as a blogger. I have begun to travel pretty extensivly and think that it would be fun to share my experiences. I am traveling to South East Asia in either two months or four months for either six months or a year. I know that it seems a bit early to begin blogging, but I am no good at remembering to write every day, so I figure that I should start early. This way, by the time I go, writing this blog will be second nature. The other reason to begin this blog is that it will help me to make some decisions about the trip, as well as create a travel plan of sorts. I am usually a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl, packing my bag for any trip the night before and usually pretty intoxicated. I have gone on month long trips to Mexico and Central America with little to no plans, only a lonely planet travel guide in hand. I am not saying that that isn't a interesting and exciting way to travel, but for South East Asia I have weather and festivals to think about, as well as some friends to meet up with who will be over there around the same time. So, let the planning begin.
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