Embracing the Dream: How I Quit My Job and Travel The World: Here's What I learnt
Be Present.
The purpose of travelling is to soak in the moment and experience the right there and now. This means no FOMO, no “what ifs” and no overthinking. With every passing moment, you focus on the activities you are doing and feel your emotions. The absence of a fix mobile and data plan forces you to communicate, giving your full attention to the person you are speaking to and the environment around you. You learn how to respect and appreciate another human being again. In a country where English is not the main spoken language, you feel and engage your senses more by observing and learning to read body language and facial expressions.
By being present, you become comfortable in your own skin and you could be yourself in all situations and in front of anyone from every corner of the world. By being present, you will find joy and simple happiness in life and, more importantly, in yourself. Instead of worrying about the future or outcome, why not improve on the present and what we can control?
“If we let go of what we are, we will end up with what we might be” – Confucius
Focus on your journey
You are bound to meet countless of people, locals or travellers on the road. Every single one of them has their own destinations and plans. And, they each have their own stories and experience to share. Every decision you make along the journey will open different doors, leading you to different scenarios and outcome. There are no right or wrong choice, however, the key is to create your own unique experience. This is the same way we should be approaching life. You have to create your own reality and the outlook of your life depends on the kind of experiences or emotions that you want to add to it.
You learn about yourself better
Solo travelling gives you plenty of alone time to reflect and to think about what really makes you happy. At the same time, it shuts out the external voices and societal pressures. It is as though the world came to a standstill to give you a chance to breathe, slow down your footsteps and get in touch with your inner self. As cliché as it may sound, it actually gives you a kind of peace and serenity within yourself. Travelling taught me that things do not always work in the way we want and that is the beauty of life. Amidst the chaos, you find the authenticity of life and you embrace all the uncertainty and the works of the Murphy’s Law in a foreign land. These events, in turn, make you a more patient person. In addition, you will get tested to your limits and you understand what are the extremes you can accept and you cannot tolerate.
Every Traveler Has a Story
Throughout my travels, I met many travelers and I realized a common trait amongst them. They all have a story behind their reasons to travel. Something impactful happened in their lives and that provided the push needed for them to leave everything behind and travel. I met one who travelled after a painful breakup. I met one who went to jail, came out, succeeded, and still felt something is missing in his life. I met one who survived cancer, lost a sister in the same year, and decided to quit his or her job to re evaluate life and the rat race. I met one who brought his jazz singing ambition from United States to Paris. He stuck out for 10 years, and at the ripe age of 40, he is finally getting some recognition in a foreign land. He spent time in the streets as a homeless man and also as a street artist in order to promote his work. Lastly, I met one who has been on the road for 11 years. He had experienced a traumatic childhood and bad experiences in love that caused him to have trust issues with people. Rightly so, as oddly as some may behave, I learnt not to judge their behaviors and I learnt to empathize more with other human beings. In a way, some travelers used these journeys in search for some kind of forgiveness and acceptance to their circumstances.
These are the three advices given to me by the Jazz Singer:
“Do not let anyone tell you what you cannot do. Life is like a board game, every decision will open up new doors and lead you somewhere. Do not squander you resources (e.g. financial and people’s investment in you)”
The World is Smaller than you think
Although we are from different parts of the world and we are of a different religion, race and language, we share the same hopes, fears and dreams. Conversations, with the locals, foreigners and even the homeless, were struck with perfect ease in the hostels and on the streets. Countless of stories and similar sentiments shared between these people create a kind of seamless bond. You will observe that culture differences are insignificant due to globalization. This brings me to my next point:
Do not believe the media
All the stereotypes surrounding certain nationalities and religions (e.g. Romanians being gypsies, Muslims being dangerous people..etc) were all unfounded for. There were countless of times these were the people who helped me, such as offering me free rides to showing acts of kindness.
“Whoever controls the media, controls the world.”
You do not need a lot of live
I was surviving on 35 euros to 40 euros a day budget for a period of time. That includes all food and lodging. You will be surprised with the things you actually need for backpacking. I knew a guy who travelled 3 months just with 3 sets of clothes. And even for basic needs like meals, you could easily cook up a tasty meal instead of heading out to eat in the restaurants. You will also realize that material stuff does not really matter anymore, as meeting different people all over the world will hold a new importance in your life. Although you are poorer in your bank account, you will be much more richer in your life experiences.
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