Hi friends! How are you doing? It has been while since I posted anything on here so I wanted to give a quick update.

Right now Jaron and I are back in the States. We have been back for about three months now for some private family reasons. Nothing serious, we just had to come back for a bit. Don’t worry, we are definitely hitting the road again once everything at home is done. This was definitely not planned because we did plan to travel for a full year, not six months.

I won’t lie. I really didn’t want to come back. I went into sort of a “sad” period and had no inspiration to sit down and write anything. But I finally went to sit down and write this article summing up my learning experiences after my trip.

Life after our trip has definitely been different compare to before. Here are some reasons why:

I have become a cheapskate. Anytime I want to buy something or eat out, I would remind myself that this money could be going to my next adventure over-seas.

Living life as a minimalist. I might be using the word minimalist a little loosely in this case. But it just means that if I can’t fit it in my backpack, I wouldn’t buy it.

Life just seems a little less stressful. Before going on this trip, I felt stressed most of the time. Having to pay the bills constantly, wanting to know where my future was heading. Those worries kept me from living life in the moment. But after our trip, I am learning to live my life in the moment.

Be more open, mentally. I told myself before our trip that I have to discard any preconceptions I have of anybody and any country. I want to open myself up as much as possible and not let my own ignorance hinder my experience. And when my heart and mind opens, compassion and knowledge entered. I was lucky to have met many many amazing human beings and that is something I will treasure forever. I brought this mentality home with me, and this has brought more positive experiences into my life.

I believe in myself more. This may sound very strange, but let me explain. I was very worried about my future after quitting my full-time job. I was afraid I could never find another job. Even though that didn’t stop me from quitting and following my dream, that was something I worried about during my trip. But when we had to come back and find a job, it wasn’t a big-deal anymore. I know now that I am a capable human being and I will stand on my feet no matter what. 

These are just a few of many lovely experiences that long-term travel has given me. I have heard too often comments such as “I’m too old to do that”, “I don’t have the money”, “I have kids”, “I am too scared”. These are just excuses. If you truly want to experience it, then don’t give yourself an excuse, give yourself a plan. A plan to save up, a plan to bring your kids with you for three months in the summer. If I can do it, anyone can. Trust me.

As of right now, we have plans to stay in the States for a few more months and then hopefully we will be able to hit the road again soon.

It feels nice to be able to sit down and give you this quick update/advice article. Catch you in the next one soon!

Happy Travels!

Trang