I used to love to write. I’d write when I felt inspired, and felt that I had things that people would appreciate learning from. I say used to, but I’m still not sure what happened.
Maybe I was new to traveling, and felt that everything was exciting. Maybe now I’ve started to take my adventures for granted. Maybe I wrote when I was passionate, and I have become a bit lackluster. Maybe I’ve turned some of my emotions off this past year, and am working on turning them on again.
Just because I haven’t been writing, doesn’t mean I haven’t been tackling my goals of visiting all 196 countries before I turn 50!
As a reminder, that’s an average of 6-7 new countries each year! So far in 2017 I’ve visited 4 new countries – Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and Canada!
Not only that, I’ve visited a few new states and landed in Fort Myers, Florida for the foreseeable future.
Here’s a few highlight photos and stories!
Part 3: Funemployement.
I took 3 weeks between jobs to travel from RI to Montreal to Portland, OR, to driving all the way to Florida!
My friend Chris was the first friend to come visit.
Part 2: Quitting my job
This was one of the most nerve wracking things I’ve ever done. I learned a lot from it though, and I have a couple of things to note here.
First, note what I kept on my cubicle walls.
- A list of every country in the world, with some already highlighted
- An article from my grandma about a woman who quit her job at 33 and has been self funding her travel ever since, with a handwritten note from my grandma that says, “This has shades of you!” I can’t wait to travel more!
- A list of books that I’m going to read this year
- Soft goals of possible grad programs or other future possibilities
Which means… all I thought about at work was getting out of there.
I wrote this note to myself about a year ago when I started my old role. It says, “WE all want to be valued members of a winning team on an inspiring mission:.
Which sounds great, except…
I eventually turned it over and wrote this on the other side. I didn’t realize the symbolism behind what I wrote on either side, and that I had all but given up on the ‘inspiring mission’ team quote until I was getting rid of all my things at my desk.
Read that one out loud to yourself, though..
“If you can’t change your situation, change your mind.”
I needed to get out of there, and I’m so glad I did.
Part 1: Using the last of my PTO
I had planned for several months to visit Copenhagen. Once I got there, I spent time in Sweden, Copenhagen, and even flew to Gdansk, Poland for a long weekend.
