About a year ago, I sat on the beach in Nosara, Costa Rica, where I am today, thinking about my future and – with 28 around the corner – began pondering what I would do if I had no fear. The fear of leaving a career that I’d pursued with such tenacity since 18. The fear of leaving the security of a job and a city where I was surrounded by amazing friends. But that night on the beach, the fear of feeling stuck in a rut finally hit a tipping point which made me realize that being comfortable isn’t a catalyst for change and something had to change.
I had to take a leap and a new direction with my life. The nugget of an idea was planted while listening to waves crashing and the moon reflecting in a vast ocean. What am I doing with my life? Am I happy with my current path? And, if I could step off the career train, what would I do with that freedom? The word that kept coming to me was travel. Get out, see the world and do it without reservations, commitments, or beholden to someone else’s plan or expectations. The basic idea of travel morphed into a yearlong trip that will span three continents and 11 countries. A developing world tour to get a real grasp of what life is like outside the bubble of Washington, DC, and to discover how people are changing the world everyday – and not from behind a desk.
Leaving D.C. had been on my mind for some time with passing dreams of pursuing a Fulbright in Argentina, a stint with the Peace Corps or moving to San Francisco. For me, my fears translated into finding a safe opportunity, a legitimate out that could add another notch to my resume. Needless to say the reality of every dream required applications, commitments, and, with the exception of a job interview in SF, none ever came to fruition.
This time was different. So upon arriving back from Nosara, I started talking to people about this crazy idea of travel, sought advice from those who’d done similar trips, and began putting money away whenever possible to reach my saving goal. From looking at a world map, I narrowed my list of countries to places that I’d always wanted to go and factored in my ability to travel overland (cheaper) and the cost of visas.
Like my other dalliances, I think my family and friends thought this was just another fleeting fantasy, so when I told them that I had booked my first flights, was on track to reach my saving goal, and planned on giving my work notice in November, they knew I was for real this time. While I read others’ tales of this news not being well-received, I am lucky that everyone, including my work, was excited about my adventure – well, it took a little while for the folks, but that’s expected. I’m a single woman traveling the world and they want me to get back in one piece.
So now, I’m back at the same place where it all began with no job and all the time in the world – with the exception of my daily 4-hour Spanish sessions. Marco, who runs the Nosara Spanish Institute, also works with a group, Sustainable Nosara, so I plan on getting the lowdown and reporting back for my first post on “World Changers.” I’ll also be positing tomorrow about my home-stay, Spanish, and walking miles (lost for a little bit) through the jungle. Needless to say, I’m working on getting a bike – almost like being back in D.C. except dirt roads and a headlamp instead of bike lanes and lamp posts.
Til next post! Pura Vida!
