A Letter To You
“I want to change the way things are supposed to be
I want to take everything I can feel from the universe and put it into action
I want to get back into a new language
I want to wander around cities getting lost
I want to fall in love with a new community
I want to find something that will help bring my dreams to reality…”
-M
May 3rd, 2019
I’ve boarded the plane, buckled up and committed to closing the chapter that I dreamed would never come to an end. 5 months and 12 countries full of unexplained experiences, unfamiliar languages, unforgettable new friendships and relationships that will now be life-long. It’s almost like I closed my eyes and my entire life, including myself completely changed. When I first left for this trip I had no idea what to expect, and I never knew what I was truly looking for or what I was truly hoping to find. Now that my travels have come to an end, I can see how everything has unfolded. Everything I questioned, suddenly has all the answers. The quote from the top comes from the first couple pages in my journal that I wrote on December 19th, 2018 on my way to Europe. Looking back 5 months ago, I’ve seen much of what I wanted, all come to life.
One big reason I’ve always loved traveling is because you create this entire global community that reaches farther than any borders can contain. You build an entire new window of perspectives and insights just through the people you meet. I know some of you reading this will understand how magical it is to be able to sit in a room with people from all over the world and somehow we all connect with each other and are so relatively similar, sometimes you meet someone and you feel like you’ve known them for years yet its only been 24 hours. From living and working in Budapest & Prague, making my way throughout the hostels down to Croatia and up through the Balkans, visiting bits and pieces of Europe from west to east, I have met the most fulfilling amazing individuals that have all taught me something new. I’ve shaped who I am now by learning from all the other people who are also searching for similar answers. I’ve realized you can travel the entire world yet you will still never truly be satisfied because you can’t put a number on experience.
I’ve talked about the thrill of taking the leap of faith for chasing your dreams and traveling solo. I’ve also talked about all the good and bad choices you stumble across along your way. Now in the end I am feeling more alive, full of life and ready for the next big chapter that is about to begin the moment I land in Seattle. Looking back, everything was worth it. I think about every place and every person I have seen and met, and I can’t imagine my life now without these experiences. Every horrible last night of having to part ways and say goodbye, or re-packing your backpacks over and over again, never getting enough sleep in a 12 bed dorm, having the worst knots your neck was even able to have, when our biggest worry was was having to decide which country to go to, or what city to sacrifice for the other.
I can’t express enough every single thing I’ve learned because some experiences don’t have enough words. You can read all about it, you can watch movies you can listen to stories. But until you go out and see the world and all that is has to offer for yourself, you’ll never truly get it. I’ve learned more in the past 5 months about the world, cultures, family, friends, and most importantly myself. Each place I’ve lived/visited has left me with something. I never knew that traveling to eastern Europe, throughout the Balkans and down to Croatia, that I would find such a great love. Many people think that traveling is some exotic way of finding the love of your life. Which, yes there are lots of those stories. Plus, I have some very good stories myself. This trip I found a different kind of love. A love that’s bigger than any man with European tan and beautiful accent. I found love throughout family, throughout a city and the magic of how it brings people together. I found love in traditions and language. And the craziest thing yet, I found that I finally found and love the person I’ve become. I’ve never felt so connected to who I am and who I feel like I was born to be. I’ve always had this strong lust for seeing new places and getting outside my comfort zone, I’ve always wanted to help inspire and teach others, and now I’ve felt more connected than ever before.
In the end, no matter what path your on in life, whether you are in your dream career, married to the love of your life and having kids, traveling the world, or buying your first house. None of it will matter if you aren’t connected to who you really are and love the person you are while on the path your taking. Its not about what you have and what you present to the world. But what you can give to the world, and do for yourself.
So I dedicate this letter to you. This letter to you who also has questions. To you who is searching for something that you may not even sure what you are searching for. To you who is unhappy with where you are in your life, and where you want to go. To you who is too scared to follow your dreams or go find that love you’ve always wanted to have. To you who doesn’t believe in the power that the universe holds. To you who doesn’t believe that the unexpected will bring you everything you need the moment you finally decide to let go of both your past & future.
And most importantly, to you who was a part of my story.
I will be returning to Washington to work in Seattle for the summer and build up a savings again and take a break from living out of backpack. I know it’s going to be hard, returning back to a life that’s going to be completely rebuilt again from the ground up. But it’s time to see where the universe is going to take me next. I would love to share any information on travels throughout the places I’ve lived and worked! If you have questions on hostels, cities, transportation, money, even questions about other pieces of my trip, I would love to share more with you.
Another chapter may have come to a close, but another journey has just begun.
-M