We've Made It A Third Of The Way Through!?
They say time flies when you're having fun. This Remote Year Polaris journey couldn't prove that statement to be any more accurate. We're nearly finished with our first Southeast Asian stop (Hanoi, Vietnam) which means we have nearly completed five months of this 12 month jaunt. That's crazy talk. It feels like just yesterday I was having farewell get togethers with my friends and family and packing up my belongings and shipping off to Lima. How are we just several weeks from being halfway done? Insanity.
If anyone knows me knows me they know I can be quite introspective and reflective in times of solidarity when I'm not playing my normal jovial, extroverted, and sarcastic self. With four full months in the books and legitimately being one-third of the way through Remote Year, these are some of my thoughts and feelings and takeaways so far:
One, and I can't stress this enough, I am so happy I chose to do the 12 month program instead of one of the 4 month programs. I was initially going to do a 4 month and really wrestled with doing a 12 month program for a variety of reasons. I went back and forth like a pendulum weighing the pros and cons of both but eventually settled on going for it and doing a full year abroad. This decision could not have been more validated and vindicated then when we got to the end of our time in Mexico City, our 4th country and city. I was just flat out not ready to leave and say goodbye to this awesome group I am lucky enough to travel with and I would have been majorly bummed if Mexico had been our last stop. Not because, contrary to popular belief, that I hated it (I didn't!) but because the first four months flew by so fast. I feel like we Polarians have really gotten comfortable with each other and are at the point now where we are getting to truly know each other and it would have been a shame to cut that off right as we'd arrived at that point. Also, if you have an opportunity to travel like this you have to take advantage of it. It's not for everyone and some of us are fortunate enough to be able to extend these adventures as long as we can make ends meet but if you can do it, you have to do it. I would have majorly regretted my decision had I chosen to do a 4 month program. I am thrilled I still have 7+ months left of this life.
Two, I'm way behind on everything I set out for myself for this trip. Personal goals and growth at least. I've managed to keep up with work just fine and I don't have too much FOMO for any missed experiences in the countries we've been thus far but when I left for Lima at the beginning of March I had a list of goals I wanted to accomplish while on this trip. It's now mid-late July and I'm not close to hitting any of them. I was going to spend more time writing my novel. I've worked on it maybe 5%. I was going to focus more on meditation and yoga and I've done 0% of that. I was going to life-plan and figure out what the next 5-10 years are supposed to look like for me and I've nary given it a thought. Remote Year has been 1000% a phenomenal life decision and I'm collecting experiences left and right. So maybe the personal growth is happening beneath the surface. Maybe I'm being Mr. Miyogi'd where I don't realize it's happening but it IS happening? I hope so. But I still want to accomplish these other things I set off determined to do and, well, I have 7 more months to get there.
Three, traveling is eye opening. This isn't exactly a new insight but it's a reminder. Even traveling in a big English speaking group where you can feel comfortable surrounded by similar people speaking the same language you still get a strong sense and appreciation for the local communities and people you encounter in each country. I have a better sense of each country's cuisines and native foods. I have a better sense of day to day life for Peruvians, Chileans, Colombians, and Mexicans. Learning about each city and country as we live each month in them has been pretty rewarding, even if we can all act like stupid tourists half the time or just go party for cheap like typical backpackers. I've been enriched just experiencing living in each city for 4-5 weeks at a time. I love it. You learn what you take for granted back home. You learn what some cultures may actually do better. You just appreciate everything.
Four, life will never go according to plan. However you think it's going to go, life will always throw you the curve when you're looking fastball. A part of the reason I chose to do Remote Year was so I could get traveling out of my system. 12 countries in 12 months? That should be enough. After that, I'd feel ready to come back to the States, refreshed, ready to settle down somewhere with my wanderlust satiated. But I'm not so sure that is how this journey will end. Perhaps it has instilled an ever greater desire to keep traveling. Maybe I will have embraced this digital nomadic lifestyle for good or for an extended period. Who knows? What I do know is that life is unpredictable and complicated and everyone has their things. You have to live in the moment and enjoy what is in front of you because you never know what life has in store for you or where it will take you next.
These whole 4+ months have been incredible for so many different reasons. The people, the places, the experiences, the rollercoasters of emotion, the uncertainty, the unfamiliarity, the comforts, the joys, the sadnesses, and just the utter awe of all of it. All. Of. It. There's no denying when I look back on these 12 months in totality, it'll go down as one of the best years of my life. Quite possibly the best year. To think I almost passed it up blows my mind. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do this and even more proud of myself for making it happen. I am truly living a dream. Thank you to those reading for following me along for the ride!
P.S. I was originally planning on making this a recap post about the four LATAM countries we've visited but I got too into the introspection of the past four months as a whole. I'll post a brief recap on the first 4 countries this week before we wrap up our Hanoi stay and head to one of my favorite countries in the world... THAILAND... where we'll be at some point be celebrating our 6-month benchmark. Craziness!
Until then...
#ThisIsLife
If anyone knows me knows me they know I can be quite introspective and reflective in times of solidarity when I'm not playing my normal jovial, extroverted, and sarcastic self. With four full months in the books and legitimately being one-third of the way through Remote Year, these are some of my thoughts and feelings and takeaways so far:
One, and I can't stress this enough, I am so happy I chose to do the 12 month program instead of one of the 4 month programs. I was initially going to do a 4 month and really wrestled with doing a 12 month program for a variety of reasons. I went back and forth like a pendulum weighing the pros and cons of both but eventually settled on going for it and doing a full year abroad. This decision could not have been more validated and vindicated then when we got to the end of our time in Mexico City, our 4th country and city. I was just flat out not ready to leave and say goodbye to this awesome group I am lucky enough to travel with and I would have been majorly bummed if Mexico had been our last stop. Not because, contrary to popular belief, that I hated it (I didn't!) but because the first four months flew by so fast. I feel like we Polarians have really gotten comfortable with each other and are at the point now where we are getting to truly know each other and it would have been a shame to cut that off right as we'd arrived at that point. Also, if you have an opportunity to travel like this you have to take advantage of it. It's not for everyone and some of us are fortunate enough to be able to extend these adventures as long as we can make ends meet but if you can do it, you have to do it. I would have majorly regretted my decision had I chosen to do a 4 month program. I am thrilled I still have 7+ months left of this life.
Two, I'm way behind on everything I set out for myself for this trip. Personal goals and growth at least. I've managed to keep up with work just fine and I don't have too much FOMO for any missed experiences in the countries we've been thus far but when I left for Lima at the beginning of March I had a list of goals I wanted to accomplish while on this trip. It's now mid-late July and I'm not close to hitting any of them. I was going to spend more time writing my novel. I've worked on it maybe 5%. I was going to focus more on meditation and yoga and I've done 0% of that. I was going to life-plan and figure out what the next 5-10 years are supposed to look like for me and I've nary given it a thought. Remote Year has been 1000% a phenomenal life decision and I'm collecting experiences left and right. So maybe the personal growth is happening beneath the surface. Maybe I'm being Mr. Miyogi'd where I don't realize it's happening but it IS happening? I hope so. But I still want to accomplish these other things I set off determined to do and, well, I have 7 more months to get there.
Three, traveling is eye opening. This isn't exactly a new insight but it's a reminder. Even traveling in a big English speaking group where you can feel comfortable surrounded by similar people speaking the same language you still get a strong sense and appreciation for the local communities and people you encounter in each country. I have a better sense of each country's cuisines and native foods. I have a better sense of day to day life for Peruvians, Chileans, Colombians, and Mexicans. Learning about each city and country as we live each month in them has been pretty rewarding, even if we can all act like stupid tourists half the time or just go party for cheap like typical backpackers. I've been enriched just experiencing living in each city for 4-5 weeks at a time. I love it. You learn what you take for granted back home. You learn what some cultures may actually do better. You just appreciate everything.
Four, life will never go according to plan. However you think it's going to go, life will always throw you the curve when you're looking fastball. A part of the reason I chose to do Remote Year was so I could get traveling out of my system. 12 countries in 12 months? That should be enough. After that, I'd feel ready to come back to the States, refreshed, ready to settle down somewhere with my wanderlust satiated. But I'm not so sure that is how this journey will end. Perhaps it has instilled an ever greater desire to keep traveling. Maybe I will have embraced this digital nomadic lifestyle for good or for an extended period. Who knows? What I do know is that life is unpredictable and complicated and everyone has their things. You have to live in the moment and enjoy what is in front of you because you never know what life has in store for you or where it will take you next.
These whole 4+ months have been incredible for so many different reasons. The people, the places, the experiences, the rollercoasters of emotion, the uncertainty, the unfamiliarity, the comforts, the joys, the sadnesses, and just the utter awe of all of it. All. Of. It. There's no denying when I look back on these 12 months in totality, it'll go down as one of the best years of my life. Quite possibly the best year. To think I almost passed it up blows my mind. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do this and even more proud of myself for making it happen. I am truly living a dream. Thank you to those reading for following me along for the ride!
P.S. I was originally planning on making this a recap post about the four LATAM countries we've visited but I got too into the introspection of the past four months as a whole. I'll post a brief recap on the first 4 countries this week before we wrap up our Hanoi stay and head to one of my favorite countries in the world... THAILAND... where we'll be at some point be celebrating our 6-month benchmark. Craziness!
Until then...
#ThisIsLife
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