Ah the mid-20s. The time to advance one’s career. The period to make financially sound decisions towards the future. The phase to refine the framework built up through post-secondary education and a few years of work experience. Over the next few months, these are all the things that I will NOT be accomplishing. As I officially enter the upper echelon of my mid-20s in a couple of weeks, I will be embarking on an adventure where I will resign from a comfortable job, deplete most of my savings and revert back to a stage of discovery. This may sound perplexing to some, but I do believe this is the best decision I can make at this point in my life for the following reasons:
- There’s no better time to do it
Besides for retirement, there’s no other stretch where I can step away from my responsibilities to travel. Unburdened with the costs of owning a mortgage, student debts or raising a family, this is likely the only time I’ll have such financial flexibility. Plus, based on all the health problems I already have and my lifestyle choices (such as my love for Kentucky Fried Chicken) the chances that I’ll be alive at 65 are quite slim anyway.
- To gain new perspectives
I’m grateful to call such a diverse city in Toronto home. With over 200 ethnic groups living throughout the area, you’re exposed to many unique customs, traditions and food! I can’t wait to further immerse myself into all these different cultures in order to become a more well-rounded individual. Living in Canada all my life, I’ve pretty much seen the world with a set of blinders on. In fact, my perception of reality on the global scale has some significant blind spots. It’ll be interesting to discover how others approach life and how they perceive my own culture. They say that there’s no better way to evaluate your point of view on life than seeing the way others live.
- To try new things
A few months back, when I was discussing with a friend how I wasn’t sure a career in accounting and finance was right for me, she asked “Well, what are you passionate about?”. I was astounded that I wasn’t able to provide an answer to such a simple question. I do find enjoyment in an array of activities, but no one thing really stands out. Over the course of the trip, I hope to learn more about myself by capitalising on every unique opportunity that I come across. For example, I do intend on attempting various odd jobs that I never would’ve had the chance to if I continued my daily life back home. Who knows, maybe picking grapes and making wine is my life calling.
- To learn what I truly value
Living in the North American bubble, especially in a privileged city such as Toronto, I often take a lot of things for granted. I find myself complaining when the toilet paper at home isn’t Charmin for heaven’s sake (shout out to P&G, keep up the great work). Travelling to some of the less privileged countries in the world, where clean water, food, shelter and even safety are considered luxuries rather than the standard will really put my own miniscule problems into perspective. Witnessing these circumstances first hand will really help me understand what I value in life and motivate me to come up with ways to make a difference.
- Swapping material purchases for experiences
For the duration of my journey, the only possessions I will have will all fit in a carry-on backpack. To make matters worse, half of the backpack will be filled with extremely necessary medication (ie. My Lactase pills so I can eat cheese…). Due to these limitations, I likely won’t be making any sizeable purchases along the way. I’ll essentially be trading material purchases for experiences, which I’m actually much looking forward to. In my opinion, things are typically satisfying or exciting for a short period of time, but eventually they fade and within a few weeks or even days, you’re looking for that next purchase to preserve the sensation. In contrast, memories of experiences last a lifetime. They become a part of our identity that will never fade.
- To leave my comfort zone
Pretty much every day of the trip will pose a number of new challenges, which is both exciting and frightening. If I really want to make the most of this trip, I need to seize every opportunity that presents itself. In my opinion, one of my main weaknesses is that I’m afraid of failure. Even the thought of failing has prevented me from taking chances that could have significantly benefited me. I hope to learn that failure is unavoidable and that it’s all part of the learning process. Throughout this trip, I hope to conquer a few of my fears. I’ve been avoiding this for ages, but this may be the year I finally grow a pair and use a squat toilet. I just hope to God I don’t fail attempting that challenge.
- To bridge the next stage in life
As I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed lately, I’m reminded of where I should be at this stage in my life. It seems like all my friends are either getting married, having babies or purchasing homes, while I just ordered a Nerf gun on Amazon. I’m hoping this trip will help me reflect on my current accomplishments (or lack thereof) and determine where I want to be.