Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Introdution

So, it is now 2011 and I am 29 years old; damn has it been that long since I was a child? My hair is thinning and I can begin to see some gray poking through my once nice locks.

Due to the lack of funding for public education and my procrastinating ways, I have had a difficult time getting classes at Sacramento State. In the last four semesters, I have only taken six classes that are associated with my degree. The others were extraneous and only selected as a means to receive my financial aid.

If I was to stay with Sacramento State and continue at this pace, a pace that will most likely get worse before better, I would be 33 years of age upon graduation. Instead, I have decided to enrolled in a private institution that promises to help me earn my degree in eight months.

Although, I am very excited about this accelerated program, it is not the aspect of this school that excites me the most.

Since I can remember, I have dreamed of traveling the world and experiencing life as it exists outside these restricting boarders. My hippie friends say I am a free spirit; a statement that I would have to agree with wholeheartedly.

When I was 18 years old, I moved to San Diego, by myself, with no other reason than I just wanted to go. In 2003, I moved to South Lake Tahoe with a good friend. Then for a few months in 2008, I moved to Los Angeles to stay on my brother's couch (well my couch that he was using) before moving to Santa Cruz alone.

Every time I return to Sacramento, not because I get homesick, in fact I don't get home sick, but because of money issues. See, I hate the 9-5 schedule or working retail or in a restaurant. I feel that I have the ability and knowledge to contribute much more to the world than a cosmopolitan, a sweatshop t-shirt, or an automobile.

The aspect about my new school that excites me most is that instructions are done in an online format. That means I can finish my degree from any where in the world where there is internet access!

As I mentioned before, I am 29 years old; almost 30. If I am going to exit this mundane way of life, I feel that I must do so before I hit, what to me has always seemed like, that magical age; one where you must grow up or be a hobo. Knowing that I do not want California Redemption to provide me with my rent, I began applying to jobs abroad.

I have now received offers from Beijing and Hardin, China, Jakarta and Bogor, Indonesia, Istanbul, Turkey, Guayaquil, Ecuador, and Cancun, Mexico. They are all offering a free and private room, meals, and pay in exchange for teaching English or working in a hostel.

Thus far, I have not made my decision as to which place will be my first stop. Nor, do I have any set plans on where I will go next or when, and if I will ever return to the United States. Currently, I am leaning toward Cancun and then working my way through Latin America and the Caribbean.

Yes, I understand that Cancun is a tourist spot. However, I believe that it would be a smart idea to immerse myself in a place where there is still a degree of U.S. customs so I am not completely culture shocked. Although, I am not sure if my reasoning is logic, I feel that this method will help me adapt to living abroad the most efficiently and effectively. Then again, maybe I am just justifying my desire to party.

My departure date and the location I choose is all contingent upon a court case that I am currently involved in regarding a private student loan company. They are trying to screw me and, if it wasn't for my parents being involved, I would just leave. Oh well, I have waited 29 years. I guess I can wait a couple more months.

Along my travels, I will post on this blog a minimum of once per week. My postings will be about my daily life and will be used as an attempt to give America the temperature of whatever city/country I reside. My main focus will be the socioeconomic climate, but politics and environment will be of major concern as well.

There will also be a lot of extreme activities on this blog which, I must apologize about before hand. I am a thrill seeker and I just wouldn't feel right to not report on a 10 foot overhead day of surfing or jumping from a perfectly good plane over a rain forest.

My weekly posts will begin the week before I set off. I will also update you on my departure date and destination as soon as I purchase my first plane ticket.

I hope you all enjoy my blog. Please, leave comments and suggestions.

5 comments:

  1. I found this to be very inspiring. Not everyone gets to start over so to speak or go after their dreams. I am excited for you and hope everything turns out as expected. All of it sounds like a great opportunity, a great way to travel, and a great way to to help make a difference. Sounds like a good move, you will not only get to travel the world, but you will be able to do what you love, enjoy life as well as become successful doing it. Unlike most of who do sit at a 9-5 job living paycheck to paycheck and do not get to enjoy the life they have. Make an example for those who still have the opportunity to make a change. I look forward to reading your future blogs and wish you the best of luck on your adventures!

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  2. your netflix post caught my attention, so I'll follow your blog. Might as well kill time at my 9-5.. I bet Latin America is one of the most culture rich places in the world. $20 say's you'll end up in Colombia and not want to leave, but I'll be curious what you think. be our eyes and ears and make it good, damnit!

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  3. Hi! i saw your blog in a post in couchsurfing.
    Im in the same same same situation like you, i have the 29 year ( 1st july), and i want to fly away and live anothers thing here in this world. I feel i will be very usefull in ong for example, or working helping the enviroment, people, etc. So , great blog and i will follow u. My cs profile is www.couchsurfing.org/dldiego im from Uruguay , if you need something , try to be in touch with me.
    Best Regards.

    diego

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  4. Hi Mike,

    I saw your link on CouchSurfing so I thought I'd have a look.

    The only thing I can say is GO FOR IT, you can do it! Life is short so enjoy it as much as you can! Why stay at a 9-5 job wasting time and energy on non-important things when you can discover the world and have fun while doing it!

    I am also 29 (seem to be a pretty popular age :) and last year, the year before now, in Dec 2009 I quit my job and went on a 1 year long holiday starting in Cancun traveling through all the central ame countries down to Panama with a 5 week stop in Colombia! Then off to Miami-new york, London, Finland and now I am trying to settle in Amsterdam. :) yeah why not??

    I will tell you that you will have a goooooooooooood time! I had the best time ever!! You can work along the way at hostels, volunteer with kids or building schools, teach English, or do some Wwoofing (wwoof.org) by helping a farmer. There are plenty of choices. So go for it and have fun! I couchsurfed in Colombia and the US for 2 months :)

    I also kept a blog of my travels on blogspot, you can check it out here http://anettesadventure.blogspot.com and you will find plenty of info on these countries and my journey and soooo many pics!

    "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the places and moments that take our breath away".

    Anette from Finland now in Amsterdam. You are welcome on my couch :)

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  5. Subscribed.I hope it's gonna be an interesting journey for you and nice reading for me :)
    p.s. I'm leaving to travel(hitchhike) worldwide too after ~5 months so it'd be cool if you left some tips how to survive on extremely low budget

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