There seems to be no straight forward answer to my life. Living on the road, on and off, for 7 years now. Living in hostels and shared accommodation more than my own space, living from a rucksack and never having plans, it's the norm for me. Calling Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Thailand and Greece home, including traveling every continent but the Antarctic, it's fair to say I have been on the move.
A decision was made to explore this planet and immerse myself into the unknown. Letting my curiosity and interest take me on a journey around the entire planet.
'but, what are you running away from?' everyone asks.
I've spent years explaining that I am simply not running away, I love my life at home! It's filled with love, fun, hard work, relationships, comfort. Incredible family and friends, love and support. I am certainly not running away from this.
It recently dawned on me after a conversation with my sister, Maybe I actually am.
How did I only just look at it like this!
I am totally running away.
I'm running away from the norm. For settling with something that doesn't fuel the fire inside of me. I'm running away from society, what they portray as substantial, as a life.
Running away from the same roads, around the same people having the same conversation.
I have to run away, to see what else is out there. To make my own decisions on the life I can live. I have the privileges of a passport that entitles me to travel almost anywhere in the world and a first language that is universal. Support that entitles me to come back home where people are waiting for me. I know, most people do not have this.
For many, this is ok. People need comfort, routine, stability. People want to be around loved ones and the familiar. People are genuinely happy in their bubble. I do not criticise anyone for being happy with that. It is totally normal and needed.
But, You think traveling is lethal, try routine.
I have to run away, from the closed minded, the racist, homophobic, the ones who think that life is about only earning money, running away from greedy people after nothing but status, power and control. Running away from throwing my money at the major superstores and expensive materialistic goods polluting planet earth.
I'm running away to encourage freedom, independency and adventure for myself and others around me.
I need to engage in different cultures, understand different religion.
I crave to meet people from every single background and actually understand as much as I can about their lives. To find the complete opposite to what I am used too. To learn the lessons that I will never learn in a book. I am running to learn things I can only find out for myself. To escape the comfort zone we all have and adapt to things whether I want too or not. Running to the new interests and opportunities out there that I don’t even know of yet. To learn hello, thank you and goodbye in every language. Budget with every different currency and live in all different conditions.
Next time I get asked if I am running away. My answer is yes. I'm running fast and I know I will keep running. Running into experiences, opportunity. Running to feel alive and free. To see for myself how the word works. To challenge myself and push myself more than ever.
I'm running away.
