Update on my world

[djphatmatt]

Hey guys and gals, has been quite a while since I last posted. Never took a trip. Except up to Vermont (which is awesome) and Vegas. I am living in Dallas and have been my whole life but ideally want to travel off this big island called the USA. I have put it off and put it off and now will be putting it off longer seeing how I got my own apartment and havea a year lease and am just now at the end of my first month. I really wanna go to Europe for a few months but that seems unrealistic right now.

I sit back while all my friends are planning their futures with school and furthering their education and I am thinking what do I want to do with my life? When I was a kid I wanted to be a DJ (did that for a long time) or be a chef or own a nightclub. And nothing I dreamed to be as a kid interests me anymore. When I think of careers or life aspirations all that comes to mind is waiting to travel the world and have no set time limit or plans. I dont want to go to school or work as some exec in a big company. I wait tables at an airport right now and sure as hell dont want to do this forever.

Any kind words are greatly appreciated.

Matt

[florencia9699]

Originally Posted by djphatmatt

I sit back while all my friends are planning their futures with school and furthering their education and I am thinking what do I want to do with my life?

I already finished school and all that and NOW I get the whole "what do I want to do with me life" too... I've been so structured all my life that not having a structure right now is killing me!!

I totally know how it feels to not wanting to settle for what's here right now. But as I was reading your thread I thought... instead of giving up the Euro trip, why don't you just change it and adapt it to your life right now? I mean, you obvioulsy can't give up the apartment and all that... but swurely you could pick a country, or two or three and go abroad for 20 days or so... You'll love it, and you wont spend as much money as you would if you had to leave fort like 3 months or so. Sure.... you'd rather take off for goood (I soooo get that) but sometimes you just have to take it as it comes.

With the € rate here in Argentina it was almost impossible to cross the Altantinc over to Europe... but instead of cancelling the trip I decided to go for less days (35 instead of a couple of months) and I just looooooved it!! And even if I had 3 weeks I'd still do it!

If you dont wanna leave the apartment emplty or something, you can always ask a friend to stay over for the amount of time you'll be gone.

That's my two cents!

[djphatmatt]

Thanks, that is a different perspective I really didnt think too much into but should given my circumstances.

[AKguacamole]

I know exactly how you feel. It sounds like you and I are at similar points in our lives. So I don't exactly have any great advice, but I can empathize! (I'm sure you've all heard this before), but I just graduated college with a vague degree in international studies, and have been working a boring, repetitive job since then that I've been swearing I'll quit any day now, but my town just has no other employment or opportunities so I have nothing else. And it just barely pays the bills. I have no idea what I want to do, and I'm in a serious relationship so I feel like my options are limited.
What I try to do lately is to completely relax in my free time, and think about what it is I really want to do - if I had the choice to do anything in the world. So far I have concluded that I would love to scuba dive, and become a scuba instructor. I would also really like to work with animals in some way, or I would love to own a spice company, or yerba mate! But these may not be too realistic given my background and studies. Don't set your expectations too high, just get down to the basics of what you want, and when an opportunity or an idea makes sense, don't be afraid to go for it. Because life is short, right?
Also, I'm always looking for cool programs and opportunities online, such as volunteering somewhere, summer camp leader positions, etc. Don't get too down on yourself for not having it all figured out, cause you're not alone! Don't forget to enjoy your time now too - read books you've wanted to get to or teach yourself something cool (like a language!)
Hope it helps a little!

[Elizabeth]

Things don't just happen. People make them happen. If you want it bad enough you will find a way. Move back in with the rents, get another job to save and pay off any existing bills, go for less time like others have said. Sell all your stuff. Going to Europe probably won't help you find out what you want to do in life but it will remove this mental roadblock to your life you seem to have going on.

The truth is you should probably go to school. Yes people can be successful as college dropouts, such as Bill Gates...but how many Bill Gates are there versus people who end up working retail and food the rest of their lives? Dunno how much education you might have already, but even at a community college you can take a variety of classes and maybe something would pique (sp?) your interest. If you're stuck in your lease for a year might as well make the most of it. One semester...whats the worst that could happen? For example, AKguac has a poly sci degree. If worst comes to worst she could prob teach high school social studies. Maybe its not her dream job but I'd rather do that than be the one someone takes their bad day out on (food and retail!!).

[maracle]

A degree in international studies could maybe let you become a spice buyer (if not run a company)...or maybe an importer? Call Penzey's stat!! You can go find farmers in madagascar to get vanilla beans from or something

as for Matt, maybe you could get a job for an airline, seems like that can really open some doors for travel and maybe for working you way up in one of the unions or something.

[expatben]

I know how you feel man, I too am waiting tables at 24 and to be honest "normal career" intrests me. I dunno why, it just doesn't. I just want to travel the world and drift. I wish I could say something helpful. Just try to imcorperate travel with a job?

[djphatmatt]

Great to see I am not alone in the world of life and travel. I would love to do the flight attendant thing but the pay sucks as far as the amount of money I need to earn currently for my bills.

[earth2doty]

You can use me as an example of what happens to people who wait for "the right moment" to take off and be "frivolous". I'm sure my first trip in October will be a blast, but seriously, you don't want to be planning your first trip at my age if you can help it. I say make whatever sacrifices you have to make to travel now and give yourself a chance to be inspired. Whether travel inspires you or not, you'll still have a thousand opportunities to go back to school, get a better job or figure it out somehow...

[djphatmatt]

Well, I have decided I really have no desire to get a career or further my education. All I want to do is backpack the world for an undetermined amount of time. With little to no money. Only enough to get me where I need to be and a food and a roof over my head at times. Now I really dont want to mess up my credit so I plan on continuing my lease and bills and maybe not even going until those are taken care of.

[LaurieL622]

Matt, my best advice is don't push anything that doesn't feel right. If you don't want to work in the corporate world or go back to school....don't do it. Life is all about timing, and when you push something that isn't right for you, you 1.wont be happy 2. Won’t get the most out of the experience.

We are not all meant to follow the same path. I finished my undergrad at 22 and started working in corporate america shortly after. I've also done a fair bit of travel in between jobs. Like you, I have always waited for my next trip. I have been passionate about travel since I was a kid….and at 26; it’s not dying down in the least bit.

I'm planning on leaving for the Peace Corps at 27. I remind myself that that life is short and we are not guaranteed the next 50 years, 10 years, 1 year, or even the next week....you have to do what makes you happy. I try not to get attached to things like a career, a job, a city, or even traveling. Once you let go of the attachments you're able to do what you want (focus on a stable career, or world travel) and enjoy it on a different level because you're not doing it for anyone else but yourself.

Remember that you are on your own timeline.

Joseph Campbell said "the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are" I know it's hard when you dont know who you are or what you want to do...and that's ok. that is exactly who you're meant to be.

[AKguacamole]

Sounds like you have a good plan Matt. I say make it happen. I think not having money connects you with more people!