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| Looking out over the real world |
I’ll be the first to admit that of this
crime, I am a culprit. It doesn’t happen all the time, but when the words
emerge from behind my teeth, catapulting off my tongue into existence, I
immediately feel guilty. Whether or not the transient, travel, and abroad
lifestyle is something one adopts for the short or long term, the truth is, this
existence is, in fact, real life.
For those of us who have shed our homeland reality
for the unbridled freedom of being abroad, we’ve definitely experienced similar
results from our friends, family, and acquaintances. Some are very supportive
of the choice. The ability to learn, grown, and experience in an atypical
fashion is something they admire. Others are not as keen to the idea. Marred
with conversations about money, future, and personal health, those unfamiliar
with this very normal lifestyle tend to believe it exists outside of the “real
world.” As if the experiences, places, people, growths, emotions, falls,
triumphs, cuts, scraps, scars, sounds, smells, tastes, loves, laughs or lessons
presenting themselves each day are not as relevant as those that exist within
the paradigm of our homeland. While the world we all see every day is very
tangible, the idea is that only certain aspects of it can be considered “real.”
This frame of mind is a misconception.
The problem with the idea of travel being
of the fabricated nature is that, if it isn’t real, what the hell are we doing?
If experiences in different cultures aren't part of the
existing world, what does that mean for the places, the people, and the past times
which we have all imbibed in for some part of our reality? I’ll give you an
example. An absolutely stunning
friend of mine has spent the better part of the past 6 years imbibing, surviving, and most importantly,
thriving in southeast Asia. She has spent time in a multitude of different
cities, has worked as a teacher, dancer, and currently as a blessed jewelry
designer. Profession aside, overall she is a highly intelligent, spiritual, and
beautiful person who has seen both her quality of life, and more importantly, overall
health greatly improved since leaving her humble abode. In the same light, she
has a boisterous, supportive community of other fellow travelers (wanders,
tumbleweeds, hustlers, gypsies) who have also chosen the same lifestyle.
Because these folks decided to take an irregular approach to life, does that not
mean their triumphs have not been exceptional?
There are setbacks, naturally. Many of us
do exist in a world of duality. We may be able to permeate boarders with chameleon
like grace, but keeping a balance between our home and our home sometimes poses
a problem. Choosing to travel can put strain on relationships with those not along
for the ride. In the same regards, remembering and realizing pressures from the
west can often times combat the beautiful reality staring you in the eyes each
moment. Learning to juggle, though, is a small price to pay for creating a
reality you see fit.
Whether you are a person who aspires to
live abroad or not, calling this lifestyle unreal is belittling. It
takes away from the amazing efforts of those who have chosen to design a
reality they adore, as well as the people they are meeting, the beautiful
countries they visit, and the aspects of new cultures that keep them hustling
everyday to stay afloat. The next time you find yourself in this conversation,
realize reality is subjective. While some may chose the school, family, career,
death lifestyle, it is OK if some don’t. Reality is what we make of it, and sometimes
it is just a bit brighter when it involves beautiful mountains, dancing
peacocks, and a strange land you are eager to become acquainted with.
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