I wanted to travel to become a confident, independent woman, to prove something to them, to me. Turns out, I didn’t have to. From the day I was born, I was a confident, independent woman. So now, I travel because I don’t know how to do anything else.
Sage Grey
I was born and raised in Minnesota. That state in the middle of the United States, right up there at the top bordering Canada, known for crazy winters, “You betcha”, and “How ya doing, eh?”.
(I have never met anyone who actually talks like that. It usually only comes out when we’re making fun of the stereotype.)
It’s a land of nice people (or suppressed, depending on who you ask), 11,842 lakes, lots of plaid, hot dishes, the Mall of America, hunting, fishing, camping, boating, kayaking, and all that crazy outdoorsy stuff. It’s home to many and a place to leave in the rear view for others.
Personally, I love my home.
I’m proud of it.
I find this ridiculous pleasure in traveling somewhere warmer and telling the people there that it was 19 degrees below zero (fahrenheit) when I left home.
But it is also a place where you don’t hear much about traveling.
Some people want to leave, to go live in other states/countries, to vacation every once in awhile, but going somewhere to experience a culture that’s different from our own…I didn’t hear much about that.
I had several years of arguing to contend with before my first trip abroad. Everyone said they supported me, but they certainly had their own opinions about how I should go about it.
(Thankfully, I have an aunt that steps in and ends the conversation when it goes on too long. Thanks, Aunt Judy!)
I’m still in my twenties. No significant other. No kids. No real career yet.
I have all the freedom anyone could ever have.
It’s a beautiful thing.
It’s also a terrifying thing, because while I’m not being pressured to do anything, I also feel like I’m stuck in one place. Like I’m not accomplishing anything. No direction.
One part of me is just yelling, “GO!” Go anywhere, do anything and everything.
But because I love my family, I have an obligation to explain myself. To tell them I’m leaving, that I’ll do my best to be safe, that I’m probably not going to follow a traditional path.
So here I am. Writing a blog to share myself and my experiences, to grow as a person, to learn about this beautiful world.
Because that’s what you do when you love someone: you get to know them better.
To Travel the Great Beyond 