Oct 31
For 13 months I lived out of my backpack or out of a suitcase or out of the back of my car. I never slept in one place longer than a night – two nights. Except for 5 or so weeks on an air mattress while I tried to figure my life out or two weeks in Huaraz or three weeks in Patan. I moved, ate out, people watched, followed my whims.
This time I will get it right, I thought to myself. I left early, I studied maps, and I got on all the right buses and trains. Everything seemed like it was going to work out just fine.
The last night we were in Ecuador, I realized that it was my last night of my 'year' of travel. I sat with my journal, after evening meeting and reflected on where I had gone and where I was going. Here are my thoughts from that night....
My day started fine - head to Manhattan to meet with a colleague. I made it there just fine, found the coffee shop and had a great productive meeting. But from there.... it started to go downhill.
Now, first, let me tell you about what I know in New York City.
As most of you know, I have taken a job in New York City as an School Designer, working for NYC Outward Bound Schools. Which basically means that I will be supporting schools in NYC that are implementing the Expeditionary Learning Schools model. Does it sound like the dream job for me? Yep, pretty much.
I am sitting in the sun, overlooking the city of Otovalo and Imbabura (a mountain). We are arrived at the Rose Cottage cabanas today and now everyone is either chilling in hammocks, reading their summer reading (so responsible) or playing table tennis. Life is good....
Hearing the Spanish soon after arrival thrilled me... it was so good to be back. Driving through the streets after our late night arrival, seeing the signs in Spanish, speaking with our driver.... so good to be back.
At the tail end of my adventures, I felt pretty sure of what I wanted. I wanted to keep trekking, keep traveling, keep alive the feeling in me -- the feeling of adventure and freedom and quenching my wanderlust
I have been back in the states for a little over a month now. In some ways, my life has slowed down a lot. I go to the same place for work every day, I see my old friends. I just got my car back. I do 'normal' life things -- like get my car inspected. But at the same time, I am still in flux. Still very much in transition - sleeping on an air mattress with my sleeping bag as a blanket. Still unsure of where I will go beyond July 27th. Still unsure of what I want.
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