Traveling isn’t alway’s easy.
It’s tough to say goodbye to new places and friends that I’ve grown to love. Rarely do I visit a new place expecting it to change me. ‘It’s just a vacation community’ I tell myself. Then, a week later, I can’t seem to remember what the world is like outside of paradise. Do people really work to support lives they can’t afford? Why doesn’t everyone make just enough coconut oil in their kitchens to support their surfing habits and rent?
Thus, travel can be professionally taxing. Everywhere I’ve been has challenged me to explore whether or not the path I’m on is ‘right’ for me. I’ve been resisting the idea of corporate America for years, yet I’ve accepted a position right in it’s core. What is really so wrong about living without a 401k and disability benefits? Where does the line lie between following a passion, doing what one is good at, and supporting a given lifestyle?
Traveling is hard. It is hard to accept that two weeks in an immaculate hostel cost me less than a week of rent will out East. My lifestyle on the road is less expensive than at home. No car insurance, rent, electric bills, or tuition. It’s difficult to see that as I nickel and dime my way into less expensive surf lessons, my instructor has to decide between traveling to see his family or giving weekend instruction.
It’s challenging to be away from my own family. I feel such deep empathy for my brother, and when he hurts, I hurt. When my best friend is going through something, it’s difficult to not be able to call. The world is getting smaller with technology, but until I can hug my parents from another continent, I’m not buying it.
Sometimes, it’s hard to swallow the things I see. Is that child alone? It’s 11pm on a weekday. She’s in diapers. Is she eating that? Oh, yeah. Yeah she is. It looks like so much fun to be a child in Brazil! They play all day in the streets without fear. Isn’t that better than the suburbs? Who’s at home waiting for them? Do they have access to medical care? Why is his foot turned like that?
With travel, every day is an adventure! What will I eat, and where will I find it? Where will I sleep, and how much will it cost? Who will I meet, and how will their story intertwine with mine?
Travel is a privilege that I try to never take for granted. Every day I learn a great deal about the way our world works.