The Beginning of Something...

Greetings to everyone who wishes to read my blog, and will follow along on my journey commencing in June 2008. I'm hoping to post as often as I can throughout my travels not only to keep you (my friends and family) up to date, but for me to remember everything that I've done once I return!

This trip came together very quickly, the initial idea was brought to my attention by my cousin Jillian in December when I was visiting in Montreal. I wanted to go to India to study yoga and experience the culture, as well as go to Australia to visit a few friends. The rest generally fell into my lap. It is now the beginning of April and I have less than two months to finish planning, leave my job, move my things back to my parents home and say my goodbyes.

You could say that this trip has come into fruition because of a 1/4 life crisis. I'm not sure if such thing exists, but it seems to fit in this case. After a Reiki Retreat in Orgiva, Spain in October and an unfortunate breakup soon after, I began questioning my life path/purpose and my desire to travel only became stronger. It's funny how one event can seem to become the catalyst for wanting to redirect ones life. October and the months to follow brought on a great feeling of unfulfillment within my design job, a questioning of family and societal expectations, and a quest to find happiness...something despite my comfortable life, I have not frequently experienced.

Being naturally too serious, too intense, too internal, it was easy for me to go straight into college, into working and taking on far too much responsibility for someone in their early 20's. I realized I was already bitter, and was afraid of getting stuck, forgetting that I had a life to live and desires (yoga teacher training for one) I still wanted to see come to fruition. Our society is so focused on working, money and materialism that we forget that we have lives that are meant to be enjoyed, experienced and shared. Perhaps I am an idealist (or have turned into one), but I don't think its wrong or one should feel guilty wanting to truly experience life and to make a living doing soemthing that is completely fulfilling.

I should mention that I do have days where I question if I am making the correct choice. If I really am sane, wanting to take off for a year, partially by myself, but I'm choosing to do it anyway, to leave the 'safe' path behind and face some lingering fears. I will learn things that no book could ever teach, about life, about cultures, about faith. I don't believe anyone can travel the world for a year, and not be changed...in what way is up to them.

This trip is dedicated to my grandfather, Melvin Overholt, who passed away when I was 6. He loved to travel, and I've felt his guidance as this trip has come to fruition. This is my way of getting to know him on some level...I know he'll be proud.