I have been away from home for a little over a year now and in Vancouver 9 months. Although I love the city and my life here I have begun to feel restless - that I am back in to a mundane routine and I was missing the excitement of moving from place to place.
We originally came away again because we were looking for something. Yes, we wanted to see the world but we also knew that we wanted to experience as much as we could before we settle and, I know it's a cliche but, I think I have been doing some soul searching more recently, trying to figure out what I want from life and what my priorities are. I haven't quite figured that out yet but I feel I did get a bit closer this weekend.
I have just arrived home from a weekend away in Portland with two other ladies, one who I have known for a few months and I see her most weeks at our art nights - Rachel. The other I just met on Saturday - Lorena. We had a great time, I thoroughly enjoyed their company and we spent the whole weekend talking about all kinds of issues, from Monsanta, LSD, ethical farming of marine life, sustainability, the after-life....pretty deep stuff!
Our weekend was also helped along tremendously by our host, Gina. I have to say we were a bit cheeky because we only messaged her on the way to Portland to ask if 3 rather than 2 of us could stay with her (not really acceptable Couch Surfer behaviour) however she took it in her stride and was the most amazing host. She too is an incredible person, with lots of interests and lots to share. She took us all over her city.
And although it was great to visit a new place, and I thought that's what I needed - to get out of Vancouver. It was spending time with and meeting these great people that made the weekend. I have come away invigorated and excited about the way my life is going. And just chatting to each of these individuals, each sharing their perspective, experiences and ideas, it feels like I have broadened my outlook on life and the possibilities. I have confirmed some of my own ideas and questioned others.
And surely that is what travel and life is about; asking questions of yourself, challenging your pre-existing ideas? I think sometimes what happens when you have an established life and routine in one place is that you don't as frequently interact and talk with different people and this is what limits us. So maybe we're more inclined to accept a path and we stick to it.
I've always had an idea that I should find a career, make some money and settle down and that we were going travelling before we did this. That this was our 'last chance'. The biological clock is ticking and all that. But I'm finding the longer I'm away, the more places I visit and the more people I meet from different backgrounds, the goal posts shift. I see different possibilities for myself and although I have vague idea which direction I want to go in, there are so many possibilities and I'm not so worried about how long it takes me to get to my destination but more about taking the scenic route!
This was one of the realisations I came too this weekend but also that you can have new and exciting experiences where ever you are just by interacting with stimulating and inspiring people that ask meaningful questions.
We originally came away again because we were looking for something. Yes, we wanted to see the world but we also knew that we wanted to experience as much as we could before we settle and, I know it's a cliche but, I think I have been doing some soul searching more recently, trying to figure out what I want from life and what my priorities are. I haven't quite figured that out yet but I feel I did get a bit closer this weekend.
I have just arrived home from a weekend away in Portland with two other ladies, one who I have known for a few months and I see her most weeks at our art nights - Rachel. The other I just met on Saturday - Lorena. We had a great time, I thoroughly enjoyed their company and we spent the whole weekend talking about all kinds of issues, from Monsanta, LSD, ethical farming of marine life, sustainability, the after-life....pretty deep stuff!
Our weekend was also helped along tremendously by our host, Gina. I have to say we were a bit cheeky because we only messaged her on the way to Portland to ask if 3 rather than 2 of us could stay with her (not really acceptable Couch Surfer behaviour) however she took it in her stride and was the most amazing host. She too is an incredible person, with lots of interests and lots to share. She took us all over her city.
And although it was great to visit a new place, and I thought that's what I needed - to get out of Vancouver. It was spending time with and meeting these great people that made the weekend. I have come away invigorated and excited about the way my life is going. And just chatting to each of these individuals, each sharing their perspective, experiences and ideas, it feels like I have broadened my outlook on life and the possibilities. I have confirmed some of my own ideas and questioned others.
And surely that is what travel and life is about; asking questions of yourself, challenging your pre-existing ideas? I think sometimes what happens when you have an established life and routine in one place is that you don't as frequently interact and talk with different people and this is what limits us. So maybe we're more inclined to accept a path and we stick to it.
I've always had an idea that I should find a career, make some money and settle down and that we were going travelling before we did this. That this was our 'last chance'. The biological clock is ticking and all that. But I'm finding the longer I'm away, the more places I visit and the more people I meet from different backgrounds, the goal posts shift. I see different possibilities for myself and although I have vague idea which direction I want to go in, there are so many possibilities and I'm not so worried about how long it takes me to get to my destination but more about taking the scenic route!
This was one of the realisations I came too this weekend but also that you can have new and exciting experiences where ever you are just by interacting with stimulating and inspiring people that ask meaningful questions.
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