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I finally applied for my passport. It only took me a month, ha. That's the limiting step though. Once I have that, I can leave whenever I want. Well, I want to be here for my cousin's wedding in September but there's a nice feeling to it, knowing that with it I can book that plane whenever I want. I can go wherever I want.
I've been thinking lately about where exactly I'm going, and especially about where I'm landing/coming back from. London could very easily end up being the first or last city I stop at. First would be great because it would give me time to adjust to actually being overseas and all the emotions that will follow. It would also be a good last destination, as it will be much more like home than Southeast Asia will be. I'm thinking I'll probably just jump right in and land in Bangkok. Nepal was also an option, just because flights there tend to be somewhat cheaper. The problem would be getting from Nepal to Thailand and might very well end up being much more expensive. I don't want to make tons of plans though. I want to stay as open and as flexible as possible, so I know that I will somehow find myself in Bangkok, go through Cambodia, through Vietnam, through Laos, and probably down into Indonesia. Bali has my interest and Singapore sounds like a place I'll be very comfortable. I just don't want to make a plan and have to stick to it. What if I meet people I want to travel with and they're doing the other direction? What if when I'm there I find myself just wanting to stay in one place for a week or so. I'm hesitant in even buying a return ticket, just because I don't know how long I'll be there. 4 months is what I'm thinking, but what if I want to stay longer? Those are the questions and most don't have answers until I'm already there.
The funny thing, you know what really hit my resolve in this? Listening to one of Jillian Michael's recent podcasts. For those that don't know, I adore her. There was a 24 year old who called her and asked about figuring out what she wants to do with her life, since she had no idea despite trying all these options. That sounds exactly like me. And what Jillian asked was why she felt the need to have to settle into a career RIGHT NOW. Why did she think she had to? Your 20s are for experimenting, for exploring. She even mentioned backpacking, and it just hit home. I knew all of these things already, but it kind of helps hearing someone you really respect give you the permission to even want those things. My dad is incredibly supportive of my trip, as are some of my coworkers, but there are so many people asking me if I'm really prepared, if I know what I'm getting myself into. They give me a million reasons why I shouldn't and even I give myself those reasons at times. I know all of that comes from a good place. They don't want to see me hurt and to most people Asia sounds like somewhere much too far and much too exotic. That's the point though. I like living here in the United States, but it almost feels like living in a bubble at times. The father of one of my childhood friends came into work the other day and I talked to him about it. All he said was be prepared to see the world and the United States in a different way after all of it. Be prepared to have to have the lens you look through life with changed. Be prepared to be incredibly grateful that you live the life you do.
I've been thinking lately about where exactly I'm going, and especially about where I'm landing/coming back from. London could very easily end up being the first or last city I stop at. First would be great because it would give me time to adjust to actually being overseas and all the emotions that will follow. It would also be a good last destination, as it will be much more like home than Southeast Asia will be. I'm thinking I'll probably just jump right in and land in Bangkok. Nepal was also an option, just because flights there tend to be somewhat cheaper. The problem would be getting from Nepal to Thailand and might very well end up being much more expensive. I don't want to make tons of plans though. I want to stay as open and as flexible as possible, so I know that I will somehow find myself in Bangkok, go through Cambodia, through Vietnam, through Laos, and probably down into Indonesia. Bali has my interest and Singapore sounds like a place I'll be very comfortable. I just don't want to make a plan and have to stick to it. What if I meet people I want to travel with and they're doing the other direction? What if when I'm there I find myself just wanting to stay in one place for a week or so. I'm hesitant in even buying a return ticket, just because I don't know how long I'll be there. 4 months is what I'm thinking, but what if I want to stay longer? Those are the questions and most don't have answers until I'm already there.
The funny thing, you know what really hit my resolve in this? Listening to one of Jillian Michael's recent podcasts. For those that don't know, I adore her. There was a 24 year old who called her and asked about figuring out what she wants to do with her life, since she had no idea despite trying all these options. That sounds exactly like me. And what Jillian asked was why she felt the need to have to settle into a career RIGHT NOW. Why did she think she had to? Your 20s are for experimenting, for exploring. She even mentioned backpacking, and it just hit home. I knew all of these things already, but it kind of helps hearing someone you really respect give you the permission to even want those things. My dad is incredibly supportive of my trip, as are some of my coworkers, but there are so many people asking me if I'm really prepared, if I know what I'm getting myself into. They give me a million reasons why I shouldn't and even I give myself those reasons at times. I know all of that comes from a good place. They don't want to see me hurt and to most people Asia sounds like somewhere much too far and much too exotic. That's the point though. I like living here in the United States, but it almost feels like living in a bubble at times. The father of one of my childhood friends came into work the other day and I talked to him about it. All he said was be prepared to see the world and the United States in a different way after all of it. Be prepared to have to have the lens you look through life with changed. Be prepared to be incredibly grateful that you live the life you do.
