I was very lucky to continue working with my Westcoast Connection family over the past two years to provide me with a bit of travel time as well as work experience. On top of my Californian adventure (the last blog post here), I had the awesome opportunity to work as a trip leader for teenage community service trips in Costa Rica (2013) and Alaska/Pacific Northwest/Hawaii (2014). I was also able to secure enough cash during my rotating job schedules to afford short getaways to Boston and Austin to visit friends of mine who were completing graduate studies in the United States.
However, I haven't done a proper backpacking trip / adventure into the unknown in a long while. My glorious red backpack has been sitting in my attic so long that I'm afraid its going to go on its own adventure (a la "The Brave Little Toaster" styles) from sheer boredom of being unused for so long! Lucky for me - thank the Buddha, sun, stars and whatever deity you want - I am finally going on a much anticipated new adventure... this time, to South East Asia!
In November, I will be heading to SE Asia for a month. Not a long time for travelling around there (most people I know who have backpacked there have taken like 3 - 6 months to do so) but just the right amount of time for me. I was able to book myself off of my supply teaching gig (the BIGGEST benefit of working temporary jobs!) and I was able to find friends who are travelling there at the same time!
I will be travelling with Simon, Karen & Amy for most of the trip. Simon & Amy were friends from high school (Amy since grade four) and Karen is Simon's better half (who I've known for quite some time too). Starting November 5th, I will be flying to Hong Kong to visit and crash with James and Krakers (two buddies from teacher's college). I then fly to Cambodia to meet up with the others and begin my trek through Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. The city wise itinerary will be Siem Reap - Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh City - Hoi An - Hanoi - Luang Prabang - Huay Xai.
I cannot begin to describe how much I have missed travelling, but I will try to paint a picture. There are so many stories, histories, wonders and cultures in the world to experience. I think that's why I loved majoring in History in undergrad - exposing myself to a different world than I was used to (albeit in a time sense, more than a location sense). When I saw places like Auschwitz, Versailles, or Churchills War Rooms, it really made all that history I studied even more impactful.
Funny thing is, I never used to like travelling this much! My family roadtripped and camped all the time but solo travelingn was not my idea of fun. I got homesick at camp and sleepovers all the time. When I was in university, I had such bad anxiety about sleeping in unknown places that I used to get panic attacks when I travelled to different ONTARIO universities for fencing tournaments.
It was only when I went to teacher's college in a city far away from my hometown, completely on my own, that I realized that it was really easy to make new friends and have a new life in a different locale. I was forced to be independent in a way I never had before and realized I was a much stronger person than I ever thought I was. I was no longer defined by my previous friends or boyfriend or athletic/academic pursuits and that was okay. After that year up north, I had the courage to plan a backpack trip through Europe with friends the following summer.
It was only when I went to teacher's college in a city far away from my hometown, completely on my own, that I realized that it was really easy to make new friends and have a new life in a different locale. I was forced to be independent in a way I never had before and realized I was a much stronger person than I ever thought I was. I was no longer defined by my previous friends or boyfriend or athletic/academic pursuits and that was okay. After that year up north, I had the courage to plan a backpack trip through Europe with friends the following summer.
THAT was the trip that really cinched my travel bug. I met new friends from all around the world with ease, saw places I had only read about in books or seen in documentaries, drank beers in steins bigger than my head, got lost, got found, kissed boys, saw art, took trains and not only survived the whole process, but FLOURISHED. I felt passion again. When I had the opportunity to live abroad in England and teach, I jumped at it. Hindsight being what it is, I wish I had stayed the full two years instead of splitting it into two and coming home early, but I do not regret one moment there.
With the past three years attempting to get a teaching job in Toronto and finally getting my toe in the doorway, its hard to pass up the travelling lifestyle. Heartbreaks and job setbacks impacted my life for a few years. After so long trying to teach in Toronto and finally getting it, I have to try it out for awhile. Maybe I'll get a full time job or in a relationship and I might even commit to a two year phone plan in the new year (BIG COMMITMENT EH?). That just means I get to be even MORE excited when I get to do trips like the one I have coming up in November. And you, dear reader, get to experience it with me.
With the past three years attempting to get a teaching job in Toronto and finally getting my toe in the doorway, its hard to pass up the travelling lifestyle. Heartbreaks and job setbacks impacted my life for a few years. After so long trying to teach in Toronto and finally getting it, I have to try it out for awhile. Maybe I'll get a full time job or in a relationship and I might even commit to a two year phone plan in the new year (BIG COMMITMENT EH?). That just means I get to be even MORE excited when I get to do trips like the one I have coming up in November. And you, dear reader, get to experience it with me.
