“You have almost finished your degree!”
“Have you found a job?”
“When are you moving out?”
The pressure was building to “settle down” after completing my uni degree last year and I had an odd urge to escape. We all get to that age when family, friends and society begin to expect things from us. Career, marriage, house, kids. But it all sounded so mundane to me; like the beginning of the end. The end of freedom, of spontaneity, of fun, of change. Nowadays many of us play the “gap year” get out of jail free card to avoid big commitments after finishing high school. But my get out of jail has already been played. I’m 24 with an obscure University degree, some savings to feed my travel addiction, a casual supermarket job, and a determination to make a positive change in the world.
Naturally I defaulted to another full year of travel before I would be “ready” to “settle down”. This decision was met with some apprehension, as those close to me expressed a bit of disappointment. But to me travel is the best decision I have made in life. It has taught me most of what I know about myself and the world around me. It has made me an independent thinker, environmentally aware and socially conscious. Travel makes me feel empowered and invincible.
This year it will be more than just me and a backpack jumping on a plane. It will be me, my boyfriend, and his new beaut Ute (Luxi) circumnavigating our giant island home – Australia. We are building a dream for socially and environmentally conscious travel, inspiring the Nomadic tribe worldwide to discover the planet, respect its people and protect its offerings.
So watch this space as we take a leap of faith and build a dream!
Sending freedom vibes, Lauren