Channeling the Caribbean: 4 Months til Takeoff

Spring break is next week and it could not come soon enough. T and I are taking off for Jamaica this weekend!

Bamboo rafts, bioluminescent lagoons, snorkeling, cliff jumping, *all* of the food and fun in the sun.

    This is the last “vacation” before I start my year of traveling full time.

It’s all starting to feel real. 

I signed my intent to resign papers at school last week and had my final teaching evaluation yesterday. I started doing what I do to numbers and the 3 months that remain of the school year are already flying by.

    I am starting to get scared. I have had moments where I want to (or actually do) cry because I’ve thought of another thing that I’ll miss, or realize it’s the last time I’ll ever do ______.

    But mostly, I’m excited.

    It’s really strange and wonderful to feel so close to something so huge. 

Now that everyone at work knows, I’m starting to see coworkers comparing their lives to mine. I, too, look around at others’ lives and the strings that bind them to places or people, and I just know that the nomadic lifestyle is the right choice for me. At least for now.

Every trip that I’ve taken over the past few years has just left me more convinced of that.

    I don’t need to be afraid of leaving my job because I’m smart, hardworking, and a great teacher (my eval went great!). I will find another. 

I am so privileged and lucky to be able to take this risk. I am grateful for the opportunity to travel at all!

I’m hoping that this next year of working and volunteering to fund my adventures will be filled with opportunities for learning, growing, and meeting new people.

But, the self discipline it took to work and save, the trust I grew to have in myself, and the bravery it will take for that final leap are worth all the stress already.

I’m 4 months away from reaching a goal I set 3 years ago. I can’t wait to see what I’m going to do next!

The whole world is waiting.