My friend J is in Spain walking El Camino de Santiago. She's been talking about doing it for a long time, so it's SO amazing and awesome that she finally gets to do it. Another friend P just quit her job in NY and moved back to Cali. I'm insanely jealous of them both (but ridiculously happy for them at the same time).
No one warns you when you are young that growing up and getting a job is not all it's cracked up to be. No one warns you about the soul-crushing aspects.
I'm thankful for my job, really I am. The more I travel - whether through third world countries or first, I realize that I am very fortunate to have a job that provides not only enough money for food and shelter, but for luxuries such as travel, nice things and savings. In the grand scheme of life, I'm very fortunate.
But that doesn't mean that my job isn't also soul-crushing at times. Which is why almost every 12-18 months during my entire adult life, I've had to make either a drastic change in my life or take a few months off from my soul-crushing job to travel and restore myself and do things to be happy and healthy again.
In 2005, I opened a bakery. To this day it's probably the most awesome thing I've done. And I was really only able to do it because I was young, clueless, unjaded and didn't have any responsibilities (such as a husband, kids or mortgage).
In 2006, I sold the bakery and bought a condo. Selling the bakery was bittersweet (and also a long story about why), but as fun as it was, having the bakery made me realize just how EASY it is to be a byun-ho-sa in comparison. Buying your first home is an amazing feeling.
In 2007, I became single (which was both sad and happy but ultimately ended up leading to some life-transforming decisions). I also later met the man who would become my fiance, although I didn't know it at the time.
In 2008, I took a leave of absence and backpacked around the world, literally. I started dating the man who would become my fiance. We had impeccable timing - we started dating exactly one month before I was to embark on my trip. Neither of us made any promises to or demands of each other, which is maybe why it ended up becoming something so special. In total, I spent about 4.5 months traveling.
In 2009, I parted ways with my then-employer. For awhile, it was probably one of the most stressful times in my entire life. But things worked out. I spent the spring/summer traveling with El Hombre and my family, then moved to Tokyo in the summer. In total, I spent about 3.5 months traveling.
In 2010, after exactly a year in the most soul-crushing place I've ever lived and worked, I very happily quit. El Hombre also quit his job and we spent 3 months traveling through Europe and Asia. Afterward, we landed in HK jobless and homeless but within weeks were able to secure a flat and get jobs (which is why I call this place the new gold mountain). In total, I spent about 4 months traveling.
In 2011, we got engaged. We settled into life in HK and traveled throughout Asia, as well as to Portugal and back home to Cali.
In 2012, we're getting married! And we have trips to Bali, Morocco, Paris and Maldives planned - all around our respective work schedules.
But there's a part of me that wishes we could just be FREE from the chains of our jobs and just travel without any worries, stress or blackberries for a few months. Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya...so many places yet to be explored. Although I'd just as happily return to my happiest place on earth (Barcelona) for a few weeks - it's the only place in the world where, when I am there, I really make NO plans whatsoever and just do whatever I want in the moment, which is usually eat tapas and drink cava.
No one warns you when you are young that growing up and getting a job is not all it's cracked up to be. No one warns you about the soul-crushing aspects.
I'm thankful for my job, really I am. The more I travel - whether through third world countries or first, I realize that I am very fortunate to have a job that provides not only enough money for food and shelter, but for luxuries such as travel, nice things and savings. In the grand scheme of life, I'm very fortunate.
But that doesn't mean that my job isn't also soul-crushing at times. Which is why almost every 12-18 months during my entire adult life, I've had to make either a drastic change in my life or take a few months off from my soul-crushing job to travel and restore myself and do things to be happy and healthy again.
In 2005, I opened a bakery. To this day it's probably the most awesome thing I've done. And I was really only able to do it because I was young, clueless, unjaded and didn't have any responsibilities (such as a husband, kids or mortgage).
In 2006, I sold the bakery and bought a condo. Selling the bakery was bittersweet (and also a long story about why), but as fun as it was, having the bakery made me realize just how EASY it is to be a byun-ho-sa in comparison. Buying your first home is an amazing feeling.
In 2007, I became single (which was both sad and happy but ultimately ended up leading to some life-transforming decisions). I also later met the man who would become my fiance, although I didn't know it at the time.
In 2008, I took a leave of absence and backpacked around the world, literally. I started dating the man who would become my fiance. We had impeccable timing - we started dating exactly one month before I was to embark on my trip. Neither of us made any promises to or demands of each other, which is maybe why it ended up becoming something so special. In total, I spent about 4.5 months traveling.
In 2009, I parted ways with my then-employer. For awhile, it was probably one of the most stressful times in my entire life. But things worked out. I spent the spring/summer traveling with El Hombre and my family, then moved to Tokyo in the summer. In total, I spent about 3.5 months traveling.
In 2010, after exactly a year in the most soul-crushing place I've ever lived and worked, I very happily quit. El Hombre also quit his job and we spent 3 months traveling through Europe and Asia. Afterward, we landed in HK jobless and homeless but within weeks were able to secure a flat and get jobs (which is why I call this place the new gold mountain). In total, I spent about 4 months traveling.
In 2011, we got engaged. We settled into life in HK and traveled throughout Asia, as well as to Portugal and back home to Cali.
In 2012, we're getting married! And we have trips to Bali, Morocco, Paris and Maldives planned - all around our respective work schedules.
But there's a part of me that wishes we could just be FREE from the chains of our jobs and just travel without any worries, stress or blackberries for a few months. Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya...so many places yet to be explored. Although I'd just as happily return to my happiest place on earth (Barcelona) for a few weeks - it's the only place in the world where, when I am there, I really make NO plans whatsoever and just do whatever I want in the moment, which is usually eat tapas and drink cava.
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