I know that for a lot of people, the thought of leaving everything behind to travel for 4 months is crazy. When I tell people about my plans, responses always vary. They range from “That’s amazing!” to “I’m so jealous!” to “I could never do that.” to “That’s going to be an incredible experience.” and finally, to “Why?”

“Why?”

I personally am shocked when someone asks me why I would want to leave the country for more than 2 weeks. My response is generally always the same: “Why not?”

The world is a massive place, with so much history, so much culture and so many beautiful places that I haven’t seen, explored or experienced. I haven’t even remotely scratched the surface and my whole being aches with the desire to see it all.

I’m a travel junkie. I live and work to travel.

My mom once said to me, “Alysha, I don’t think you are ever going to find a “career”. To you, a job is simply that. A job. A means to an end. A way for you to make money and go on your next trip.” I had never really thought of that before, but in all honesty, it’s so true. Just take a look at my life over the last 8 years since I graduated high school and that’s proof enough.

I graduated in 2008 and didn’t go to Post Secondary right away. I got a job working at ATB Financial, lived at home for a year and saved money for a trip to Greece for 2 1/2 weeks by myself. After getting back from my trip I worked, and then moved to the Edmonton in August 2009 to go to Grant Mac. I was accepted into the Education Program and I was going to be a teacher! A year and a half later, I dropped out, and started working full time at ATB. Fast forward a few years, its 2016, I work full time as a Legal Assistant for Bennett Jones LLP and I’m leaving in 31 days to go traveling. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. It’s interesting, pays the bills and I get 3 weeks vacation every year. But if I could travel for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t hesitate.

For so long, this trip was a dream. Ask any one of my friends or family and they would tell you, this has been what I’ve wanted and have been talking about for YEARS. I remember learning about Greece in Grade 6, and desperately wanting to see this place (I can still see the yellow textbook in my head). It was something I wanted to do, but didn’t think I could actually do. Where do you even begin? 

My cousin Sommer has done a great deal of traveling. Her and her sister Tasha, currently live in Abu Dhabi and work for Etihad Airways, and the one piece of advice I remember her telling me, was to buy my plane ticket, and figure the rest out later. She said that when you have the firm date that you’re leaving, you’re more likely to work your ass off until you make the money you need. As T-Day (travel day) approaches, this couldn’t be more true for me. 

It’s funny how things change as you speak them into existence. I said I was going traveling for 4 months before I even got the time off work. Now I know I’m lucky. Not all employers would consider giving one of their employees 18 weeks off. And to go traveling none the less. So believe me when I say I’m not taking any of this for granted. I am so grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given. 

For perspective, I’ve been trying to come up with a comparison I can give you for the feeling I get about traveling. One that could possibly answer the “Why?” I keep being asked. I can only think of one way to describe it. Think of something that makes you happy. Makes you smile, makes you laugh, gives you butterflies, gives you that rush of adrenaline that makes your heart beat faster, makes you catch your breath. Maybe even makes you cry at times. Got it? That’s what traveling does to me. That’s the feeling. That’s the thrill I get when I think about boarding a plane to a place I’ve never seen.

I finally get to plan my dream. Talk about the best feeling ever! 

‘Till later…
Ciao!

Alysha ❤