I have been putting off writing this for months. I planned to write a blog right after I returned home in January. Then I went back to work, and time just kept moving. Plus, I was uncertain what to write about. I made a huge decision (more on that to come) and that answered the question of where to start writing…and still I did not write. March came and the world changed.
On March 13th I had a full knee replacement and it was the last day that Colorado State University was open for “normal” operations due to Covid-19. While I focused on recovery, I watched in horror as the virus spread quickly around the world and particularly fast in the United States. My travel experiences felt a million miles away at that point, yet it had only been a few months. The world was so different, and still I did not write. I didn’t write because I was scared. I was scared that my life of adventure was over, and I was stuck back in a life of the same old routine’s day in and day out. The truth is I am still scared but I am ready to write.
So, now it’s September and I am finally writing. Way back at the end of January I made the huge decision to resign as the Director of Campus Activities. I still loved doing the work and at the same time I knew in my heart it was time to move on. My resignation was effective on June 30, 2020. My plan was to cut way back on expenses, drive for Lyft and travel. Even better would be to find some work abroad. It seemed like a solid, if somewhat risky, plan in January. Then Covid-19 came along. Now it seemed like an awful plan. I knew that resigning was still the right thing to do but now I was scared…really scared. My supervisor at CSU offered me the opportunity to continue to do project work as an hourly employee. I am so grateful that this amazing opportunity was presented to me. I continue to do meaningful work for CSU with a flexible schedule while also pursuing other ideas for where my next adventure will take me.
Adventure #1: I am excited to facilitate 3 sessions regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Location Indie community I have grown to love and cherish. This opportunity allows me to continue to pursue my passion regarding equity work while having the conversation in a space with fellow travelers and folks pursuing a location independent lifestyle.
Adventure #2: I have heard the saying that when one door closes another opens but I have never experienced it so directly as a I did recently. I was approached by Colin, the owner/operator of my favorite Fort Collins restaurant Jay’s Bistro, about becoming a partner in the business and leading some strategic thinking and event planning work for the bistro. I was so flattered to be asked that it took me awhile to realize I was also really excited about pursuing this new adventure. On August 3rd I officially started working for Jay’s. My first big project is creating and implementing a plan to develop a clearly articulated Vision, Mission and shared set of Values. I love this sort of work and getting to do this for Jay’s is a dream come true. I plan to make a small investment in Jay’s meaning I will be an owner of a tiny piece of my favorite restaurant. It is a scary time in the restaurant world but I am confident that Jay’s will survive this current storm and thrive when we get to the other side. I am also designing ways to combine my love of travel with creating special events for Jay’s.
So, here I am without a full-time job doing some work at CSU that is familiar and I feel confident doing while simultaneously taking on exciting new challenges. Travel is still right there at the top of my list although I know right now is not the time to pursue that dream. So instead, I will reflect on my past travels, keep in touch with some of the amazing people I met along the way (you know who you are,) and make plans for how I can responsibly renter my life as a traveler when the time is right.
After recently arriving in Thailand from my Myanmar River Cruise I was excited to start exploring. One of my first adventures was a two-day trip to the mountains outside of Chiang Mai. I was having a great day visiting with elephants and preparing for a Homestay with the Karen Hill Tribe, an indigenous tribe from Burma (now Myanmar). The plan for the second day was hiking to a waterfall and taking a bamboo raft for a leisurely float down the river.
After doing some research and armed with the advice of other travelers, I chose to book an overnight trip with Chai Lai Orchid, a destination hotel that helps rescue elephants and supports human rights. I had read some negative reviews, and with so much out there it is hard to be certain, so I am not willing to fully endorse this company. But I can say I felt comfortable with how my time with them and the elephants went.
It was an early morning and a couple
hours’ ride to the Chai Lai Orchid mountain resort. Upon arrival, I met my
guide and was immediately taken to meet the elephants.
Being with the elephants was a magical experience. I particularly liked it when I got to bathe them in the river. They are magnificent and I really hope this rescue and other rescues are doing right by them. I also recognize that doing right is complicated and there is no one simple answer.
After a morning that was instantly a
top highlight of my trip, I went back to the resort and was greeted with an
amazing Pad Thai lunch. There were friendly dogs all around and the resort was
beautiful, surrounded by lush jungle greens and fresh air.
After lunch, I had time to wander around and enjoy the resort. To my delight, there were even 2-month-old puppies wandering around as well.
This is where things went horribly
wrong.
One of the puppies attacked another one — and I don’t mean playfully — I mean attackedand went for the puppy’s throat. I acted out of instinct and tried to pull the biting puppy off the other one, but its bite was like a vice grip. While attempting to separate the puppies, the puppy being attacked bit me in fear and pain. After being bitten I stepped away and a staff member separated the fighting puppies.
But immediately, all I could think was “oh shit I did not get vaccinated for rabies” and I could hear the doctor at my clinic back home telling me to “just stay away from animals.” For 6 months I had done just that. I worked so hard to not pet the dogs I encountered no matter how cute they looked, and in fact, I think a very friendly dog earlier that same day was the first physical contact I had with a dog the whole trip.
The good dog before the bite
I don’t know if either of these two were involved but you can see how ferocious they are.
So now the adventure really
began.
I went to “Dr. Google” and got a clear answer that rabies was fatal for humans and I needed to act fast. (At that time, I did not find the CDC page on rabies, but I wish I had. Post-exposure treatment calls for immune globulin followed by the standard rabies vaccine. I didn’t find this out until later.)
Unfortunately, in my panic and anxiety, it was hard to make sense of anything clearly. I was taken to the hospital in the mountains and they quickly, although confusingly, made it clear that I needed to go back down the hill to the hospital in Chiang Mai.
After more bewildering
across-the-language-barriers and some planning, I got a ride back to Chiang Mai
and was dropped off at Ram Hospital. The good news was that the treatment for
rabies is fully effective if given in a timely manner, and I got there pretty
quickly, all things considered.
The bad news was that there was even
more confusion (yes, this is a theme) at the hospital and I was only started on
the vaccine and not given immune globulin, which is key for folks who are not
already vaccinated.
I went back to my hotel in a state of serious anxiety and updated DeeDee. Since it was morning in the US, I had DeeDee make sure my doctor saw my message. After a very restless night and some waiting the next morning, I received the message from my doctor that I had been fearing: I needed to get the immune globulin as soon as possible after the bite.
Recognizing I could not turn back time, I went to nearby CM Mediclinic where they spoke English to avoid more language confusion and potential delays. They were so compassionate and kind and for the first time in about 18 hours since the bite, I felt my anxiety going down. The gave me the 8 shots of immune globulin I needed (including 3 directly into the wound on my thumb, ouch) and told me I should be fine.
Since then I have had 3 more vaccine shots and I am now past the 10-day window so I feel very confident I don’t have rabies. This experience has been the worst of my trip and I can feel my anxiety rise as I write this. I am so grateful for the medical attention I received and recognize the class privilege that allowed me to pay for this. I hope my travel insurance will reimburse this but either way, I am very thankful I was able to get the treatment I needed without having that answer.
So let this be a cautionary tale for your travels — even the smallest, cutest puppies can pack a powerful bite when you aren’t vaccinated for rabies and are traveling. I lucked out since I was relatively close to medical attention, managed to get properly treated in time even with the language confusion causing some delays and was prepared to pay for it. But I’m just as aware things could have been a lot different. This was a somber, if alarming, reminder to not get too comfortable when traveling abroad, even (or maybe especially) when puppies are involved.
I spent a wonderful week in Myanmar on the River Cruise that legendary travel couple Kara and Nate organized, and it was a truly brilliant trip. That is not to say there were not challenges on the trip. In this blog, I will share both my highlights and challenges from my week aboard the Irrawaddy Explorer. But before I jump into that, I wanted to give a quick shout-out to Kara and Nate, the organizers of the trip.
Kara and Nate
So, in real life, I am a little bit of a cynic (and that is a bit of an understatement). Going on this cruise I was nervous that Kara and Nate would not live up to the pedestal I have placed them on in my head. Surely their videos must only show a small glimpse of who they are, right?
While I still believe the videos are
only a peek into their lives, I can now say with 100% certainty that is an authentic
glimpse, and they are exactly who you see. Kara really does have all the energy
you see in the videos (after her morning coffee) and Nate is truly a kind and
generous person.
There were several other vloggers on
the cruise and some other people in Kara and Nate’s position might have seen
them as a threat. Instead, Kara and Nate spent a week sharing their knowledge
and resources with everyone who asked. It was really great to see. A real bonus
was that Bob and Gina from Kara and Nate’s Italian vlogs were also on the
cruise. And just like in their videos, they were magnificent and sincerely
gracious. If you have not seen those videos, stop
reading this and go watch right now. I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but
my sense is that the other 35 people on the cruise would all agree about how
great Kara and Nate are.
The Myanmar Nine
Now, without further adieu, I’ve made
a list of 9 total things I both loved and found challenging, though I am sure I
will forget something. But, the starting point is easy!
What I Loved
1. My Fellow Travelers
What I loved the most was the people
on the trip. We had a group of travelers from all over the world —Italy,
Singapore, Kuwait, Australia, Hong Kong, and a scattering from across the US. I
said many times during the week that I really believe good people attract good
people, and Kara and Nate were a magnet for just the sort of people I want to
spend time with.
What was special for me is that there
were many times on the trip when I had significant dissonance about seeing the
poverty in Myanmar and then getting on a luxury boat. Fortunately, I found my
people to have those conversations with (you know who you are, and I truly
appreciate you). I am very grateful for my almost-roommate Mark (give
him a follow on Instagram to see his trip photos, they are terrific). It turned
out there were enough rooms for all of us to have singles, so we didn’t end up
rooming together. Even so, Mark and I have been messaging since last February
and he has been a wonderful point of connection for me as I travel. He is also
doing extended travel and we check in regularly.
Mark takes some great photos!
2. The Local People
In addition to the other cruisers, I
loved the people of Myanmar. They were so kind, and I can still hear “Mingalaba!”
(မင်္ဂလာပါ), the traditional Burmese greeting,
in my head. The crew on the ship was exemplary and if you ever decide to visit
Myanmar and a cruise is on your mind, I would recommend this boat.
3. Our Amazing Local Guides
I want to particularly acknowledge
Zaw and Aung, our local guides. They were both outstanding and had such a
passion for Myanmar and sharing their country with others. They were terrific
and I owe them a lasting debt. I hope to see both of them again someday in
Colorado (yes, this is a hint if you are reading this!).
Aung
Zaw (photo by Mark Austin)
4. The Epic Vessel: Irrawaddy
Explorer
The boat and the experience on board were excellent. Generally, while traveling I find that I either lose weight or stay around the same because of so much walking. But I am pretty sure during the week of the cruise I gained a little. The food was tremendous. Sometimes it felt like we did activities just to get to the reward of the next wonderful meal.
The boat itself was gorgeous and
the rooms were posh and comfortable. Even though I was looking forward to
rooming with Mark, it was really a treat to have such a luxurious space to
myself. The amenities were great as well and it was one of my most comfortable
weeks of traveling.
5. The Experiences on Land
The excursions off the boat were
intentional and insightful. There are A LOT of temples in Myanmar and having
Aung and Zaw share their knowledge as we toured them was amazing. During my
travels, I have learned that Buddhist traditions are practiced slightly
different in each country, and because of Aung and Zaw’s choice excursions, I
now have the most new knowledge about Myanmar’s style of Buddhism.
I am often skeptical about gold and
fancy decorations on temples, but after having shway (gold in Burmese)
explained to me, I have a better appreciation of the gold temples. Shway
is considered to represent the most highly valued things. So, you might say
your partner is your Shway partner to express the deepest love and
gratitude. This helped me see well beyond the materialism of gold.
As a funny aside, in many of the
villages we visited I was an oddity due to my size and long beard. Luckily for
me, there was another traveler who is 6’7”, so he got most of the picture
requests.
The Challenges
Even with all these incredible adventures, I also experienced some unique challenges throughout the week.
6. Loneliness Reared Its Head
The first challenge was that I often felt lonely. I have loved traveling solo but during this week, in particular, I really wished DeeDee was there with me to share this experience. I think since it was one of the best experiences I have had so far, it made it harder not being able to share it with her. For some reason feeling lonely when you are surrounded by an amazing group of people is one of the worst kinds of loneliness. In January, Kara and Nate are throwing a party in Nashville to celebrate reaching 100 countries traveled, and I am very grateful that DeeDee will be joining me for this quick weekend adventure. I tried to convince Jared to go but he was not sure, now he does not have to make a decision because the event sold out in just one day.
7. Cognitive Dissonance About
Poverty
The other thing that was difficult
for me was the strong dissonance I felt every day we visited a village in
Myanmar. The poverty in Myanmar is obvious, so I felt a deep and humbling
gratitude for people opening their lives and sharing them with us. In many
villages most of the families do the same sort of work, so in the “basket
weaving villages” everyone is weaving baskets, with the exceptions of the
teachers, monks, and a few other odd jobs.
8. Uncomfortable Local Terms About
People
Visiting the villages really allowed us to see a day in the life of the local people. They were always so generous and seemed excited to see us. In many villages people were trying to sell us things and if you gave any indication you were interested, they followed you for a long time. The other local people called them “mosquitos,” but I was quite uncomfortable with that description. While I did not want to buy the stuff they were selling, I always wanted to see them as fully human. By the end of the week, this was harder to do, and I was frustrated with myself. Fully holding someone’s humanity while saying no to their offers is a fine balance that I don’t think I ever got right.
9. Adjusting to the Contrasting
Environments
It was a sometimes jarring contrast
leaving the villages and walking back into the luxury of the boat. I suppose I
could have tried to not overthink this, but I really wanted to sit with this
dissonance and make meaning of it. In the end, I was faced with my race, class
and gender privilege, and I wrote
more about that here.
I was also confronted with the fact that I have been socialized to believe that a capitalist western lifestyle is the best lifestyle, and while this was not new to me, I had to examine it in a new way. Overall, despite the internal discomfort, I am just as grateful for the dissonance and reflection on it as I am for the exceptional cruise and sightseeing experiences. It is all part of my journey and I want to be fully human and experience it all, not sugarcoat or hold back from the uncomfortable parts.
Conclusion
I am so grateful that I got to go on this cruise and expand my community. Thanks, Kara and Nate and for putting this together and for pulling off such a great week!
Below are links to the online presence of many of the talented
people that I shared the week with:
Writing the blog has been
much harder since I have been in Asia. I have reflected and thought about this,
but I think I have known from the beginning why it has been hard.
I am much farther out of
my comfort zone here. This part of the trip has stretched me as a traveler. The
cultural differences have been stark beginning in Japan, and have continued to
be significant in Vietnam, Mandalay and to a lesser extent Thailand. The things
that have really kept me from wanting to write are being forced to more deeply
examine my privilege and many times consider how I have internalized dominant
beliefs about many of my identities. I have been socialized to believe these
things and while that is not my fault, I do believe it is my responsibility to
acknowledge my privilege and try to make positive change toward a more just and
equitable world.
In his book Privilege, Power and Difference, Allan G. Johnson defines social power as the “access to resources that enhance one’s chances of getting what one needs or influencing others in order to lead a comfortable, productive, and safe life.” He continues by defining privilege as “…the unequal way in which it [social power] is distributed and the effect it has on elevating some people over others.” I have been thinking a lot about things I have access to or are easy for me simply based on the social identity groups I belong to.
Based on my identities, I experience a lot of privilege. When I am travelling, I have realized there are new privileges I have not critically examined. In general, I experience white privilege, male & cisgender privilege, heteronormative privilege, class privilege, and many others. While traveling I have been made very aware of class privilege, having a United States passport, and the privilege of speaking English. A new privilege I probably would not have noticed outside of foreign travel is always being able to keep up with what is going on in the US. In most hotels I have found news channels in English that focus heavily on news from the US. No matter where I go, I never feel very far from what is going on in my home.
Long term travel has also
challenged me to consider my privilege in some new ways and I am grateful for
that. Most recently in Myanmar, I have been reflecting deeply about my class
privilege. I saw a depth of poverty I have never experienced before. It is
important to note that not seeing it in other places is also part of my
privilege and it exists much closer to home. In many places, I can choose to
move through the world and ignore significant poverty. In Myanmar it was
unavoidable, and because of that I was able to think critically about my
response.
I noticed how easy it was
to feel sorry for people and that is a response I am unsatisfied with. I am
unsatisfied because I believe it is rooted in my internalized ideas that
western capitalism is the best way to live and surely everyone would be better
off living similarly to me. I also don’t think sympathy is a helpful response.
My hope is to be empathetic and try to learn from the people I meet while
traveling.
The important questions I
have been asking myself are what does this all mean to me and what is my
responsibility to address my privilege?
The first thing I will
acknowledge is that I am still reflecting and processing much of this, so I
don’t pretend to know all the answers. My first step to issues like this is
always educating myself. While I know I will learn from the people I meet I
cannot expect or demand that those who are oppressed educate me, this is just
another form of oppression. I must find the resources and do the work myself
and with other people who share my dominant identities in addition to learning
from those I meet.
I must be willing to name
when I am experiencing dissonance about something. This has been challenging
when I am moving from place to place and almost always with new people. I don’t
want to name things that make other travelers uncomfortable, but I do think it
is important to find like-minded people who I can talk to and so far I have
been fortunate to be able to do this.
Some of the things I can
do while traveling are the same as at home and some are new, for example:
-Not manspreading on a plane (thanks becky for the reminders)
-Not talking over women
-Recognizing when I am
making assumptions about my western life being better than others and
interrupting this thought process. This is very hard because the ideas I have
internalized about US superiority run deep.
-Buying local, as a tourist, this feels particularly important to leave money behind in the hands of local people.
-Be thoughtful about how much physical space I take up. I have found this to be particularly true when using public transportation.
-When I have the opportunity to talk to people from the country I am in, I can listen without judgment to hear their story from their perspective while recognizing they don’t owe me their story.
-Read more about travel
through the lens of social justice. There are many resources and I just have to
choose to use them.
-Researching organizations that are doing good work in the countries I visit and support them. For me, a primary resource has been micro-financing through Kiva. I have specifically been supporting women in countries around the world.
I realize me doing these
things will not change the world or end oppressive systems, but I also believe
we all have a role to play in pursuing a more equitable world.
I realize this post has
been different from my past posts and, like always, I am open to feedback. I
recognize this post may cause some discomfort for some of you and I am
certainly open to that feedback as well. I do think discomfort is part of
growth and I hope you will sit with the discomfort as well.
I am currently working on
a post about my cruise in Myanmar and a surprising and scary day in Thailand
and my commitment is to continue to examine my privilege in future blogs.
Now that I’m about halfway through my travels, I wanted to share more about my experiences with Workaway. I have done four Workaway experiences on three continents; three I found on Workaway and one was offered to me through the platform by the organizer. Each one was unique in its difficulty and time requirements, but all of them featured amazing hosts and volunteers that made each place feel like a second home. This is a breakdown of my latest three Workaway visits in Poland, Maine, and Japan.
Most of the Workaway opportunities I have seen require four to five hours of work per day, five to six days per week, similar to a part-time job. By contrast, Angloville requires engaging with the program all day each day you are there, much more like full-time work.
In exchange for your work, like other Workaway experiences, Angloville provides lodging and food, but most of your time is scheduled to help others learn English. Before getting to work, they start off with a bit of orientation and social time in Warsaw.
The Angloville experience began with a guided walking tour of Warsaw along with the other volunteers. It was a nice tour that explored the history of Warsaw. In many ways, the city feels very new because it was so devastated during World War II. The tour piqued my interest and I would definitely like to go back and explore it more on my own schedule.
Yes, they tasted as good as they looked!
The tour concluded with lunch at a local restaurant, where I tried pierogi and loved it. After a few free hours, I spent enjoying the Hilton and taking advantage of the Executive Lounge, we met again and went to the immersive English program site. The site was a couple of hours outside of Warsaw at the Kuklowka Conference Center.
I volunteered for two sessions, with one short weekend session and one week-long session, for a full eight days overall. The students were all native Polish speakers learning English for different reasons. The premise of the week for the students is a very good idea. It combines the convenience of staying close to home with the benefits of traveling to another country for an immersive language experience with native English speakers.
The main “rule” for the program was that all communication was done in English. As a volunteer, my role was mostly talking to people in English and giving them support and feedback on their language skills. It was a lot of fun meeting the Polish participants and doing my best to help them learn English.
Another highlight was meeting the other volunteers, a diverse group from all over the world. Many of us were traveling through Europe, some came to Poland just to do Angloville, and some were international students studying at nearby universities.
I had a pleasant experience with Angloville, my favorite part being all of the people I met. The facility where we did the session was standard and no-frills but provided all the basic needs. I think Angloville is a great option especially if you want to learn more about teaching English, you are ready to put in long days, and understand that you will not have much free time to explore the area.
This was far more work than the other Workaway experiences, something to keep in mind when considering what might work best for you and your travel plans. Overall, I think this is an ideal fit for someone pursuing or considering a TEFL or other English teaching certification.
Celebrating a successful week
Full Circle Farm, Vassalboro, Maine, United States
From Poland, I flew back to the United States to Vassalboro, Maine to work and stay at Full Circle Farm for ten days. Returning to the states to see DeeDee and Jared was always part of my travel plans, and since I’d always wanted to visit Maine, this seemed like a good way to squeeze that in before my midpoint travel break back home.
I worked hard at the farm doing chores I mostly enjoyed, but I’ll be honest, there were a few tasks that weren’t the most fun and pretty taxing, like raking trash from the yard of a rental property. But that is part of the deal—some of the work you will like and some not as much. Though some of it was tough, I felt my efforts made a significant contribution to the small farm and that left me with a good sense of satisfaction.
As with Angloville, people were the best part. The farm owners, Bernie and Jody, were very warm and kind, both with an interest and passion for travel and who fully opened their home to me. I truly hope our paths cross again someday so I can repay their hospitality.
I also lucked out with two great fellow Workaway volunteers, Angel from Mexico and Isaac from Spain. They were both fantastic young men and it was welcome to have others to work with on the farm and spend time with when we were off. We all drove to Pemaquid Point on the coast, explored the rocky shore, at lobster and it confirmed what I suspected: I need to go back and spend more time in Maine. It is breathtaking from the green forests to the vast coastal views, and I left wanting to explore so much more.
Isaac
Angel
Angel and Isaac at Pemaquid Point
Homestay with Emi-san & Mitake-san, Ome, Tokyo, Japan
After the farm, I took a brief solo-travel break spending some great times back at home with family and friends. Refreshed from quality time with loved ones, I flew on to Tokyo for my next Workaway experience and my first visit to Asia.
This Workaway was a homestay in Ome with my two hosts Emi-san and Mitake-san. Ome is in the Western Tokyo Metropolis about 90 minutes by train from the city center. When I arrived there was another volunteer named Yoni who had been there for a couple of weeks. Yoni is a regular traveler from the Netherlands and I’m very grateful I got to spend my first day volunteering there with her. She showed me the ropes and helped me feel comfortable, as my transition to Japan was difficult (that is for another blog).
At their house, I did general chores and gardening, and like all my Workaway adventures, I felt I made an important contribution and helped them out a lot. They have a very traditional Japanese home with many wood frame and paper movable walls. Working and staying there was an honor.
Beautiful Gardens
When I wasn’t volunteering, I visited a Sake Brewery, Mount Mitake Shrine and many of the towns in the area. Ome is a gorgeous, forested area painted in natural beauty, not at all like the crowded, concrete jungle of Tokyo’s city center districts most people think of.
Love Sake
Temple in Ome
Mt. Mitake Shrine
Emi-san and Mitake-san were gracious hosts who shared meals with me and made me feel welcome. I am so thankful for them and for Yoni who helped me settle in. You’re probably seeing the trend, but like every other travel experience so far, the people were again the top highlight for me in this Japan Workaway experience.
Workaway Takeaways and Tips
Overall, I highly recommend Workaway for those who want to travel, meet new people from all over the world, and experience local cultures and lifestyles that differ from your own. After my four Workaway experiences, I feel I’ve gained a huge network of new friends in Switzerland, Poland, Maine and Japan, plus the Netherlands, Mexico, and Spain by way of other volunteers’ home countries.
I’ve always felt that meeting new people changes you and this seems particularly noticeable when traveling to new places. From Veena, I learned about being a traveling chef, and from Angel, I saw the passion of a traveler looking for a new place to visit. I am so glad to have been changed for the better by all the people I met through Workaway, and this was more than I could have asked for.
Budget Your Money and Your Time
While Workaway offers a great way to travel on a budget and gain exposure to local cultures, it’s important to keep in mind how much time and energy volunteering requires. Volunteering needs your full attention, and combining this with the tiring effects of traveling and crossing time zones might leave you feeling a little fatigued.
In hindsight, I probably would not have scheduled so many Workaways back to back. I would plan to travel at my own pace for at least a week between each experience. Instead, I had an almost non-stop Workaway schedule except for my visit back home in between!
I started my Workaway in Switzerland on August 5th and was continuously volunteering or traveling until September 11th. After spending a few weeks back home, my next stop to kick off the second leg of my journey was the Workaway in Japan that started on October 7. By the time I left Ome on October 22nd, I was ready to just travel without the responsibility of volunteering. Looking back, I’m amazed at how much I did in that span of time, but see that I could have slowed the pace down just a bit. Travel and learn!
Final Thoughts on Workaway
In spite of dishing myself a very full Workaway plate, I enjoyed the experiences with my hosts so much that I plan to put together a Workaway at my home to host travelers in Fort Collins next Spring or Summer.
If you are reading this and looking for an affordable way to see the natural wonders, historic districts, and so much more that Colorado has in store, please let me know right here.
And if another destination is in your sights, check out Workaway and see what they have to offer the world over. They offer an incredible opportunity to truly live and experience a foreign culture and the hospitality of its people.
Volunteering while traveling has been a great way for me to make new friends, visit places I’ve always wanted to see, and genuinely help a lot of people all while having fun. While the work isn’t always easy, neither is everything about travel. But the outstanding people I’ve met along the way more than make up for any challenges.
Part of being back home is visiting familiar places. Another part is visiting family. I love doing both of these things and putting them together is even better. I’m midway through my 7-month travel adventure and while exploring new countries, cities, and cultures is incredible, I’m feeling very lucky to have this opportunity to visit home.
While I’ll share my adventures on my Workaway experiences in Poland and Maine soon, one of the special things I got to do while back in the United States was visiting my son Jared at the University of Kansas. It was great spending time with Jared and even better when DeeDee drove in for Parent’s Weekend. I’m a KU alumnus myself and getting to see Lawrence through Jared’s eyes is a real gift.
Celebrating DeeDee’s Birthday in Lawrence.
Rock Chalk Jayhawk
Go KU!
After some terrific family time in Lawrence, DeeDee and I drove back to Colorado across Kansas. I regularly hear from people how they hate driving across Kansas, so in this blog I’m going to explain in no uncertain terms why those folks are simply wrong! Contrary to those doubters and naysayers, Kansas offers so much to see off the beaten path.
As we often do when we drive through Kansas, the first thing DeeDee and I did was to look at our Kansas Guidebook 2 for Explorers from the Kansas Sampler Foundation. We decided that when Jared chose KU we would use his time there as the perfect reason to really explore a different side of Kansas we’ve always wanted to check out.
Below is a list of some of the places in Kansas we visited:
On our trip home in September we stopped at Monument Rocks. We took a little longer to drive home and had some great time with each other, which felt extra special after mostly solo travel the past few months.
Monument Rocks is also known as the Chalk Pyramids and is listed as one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas. Aside from that special distinction and the unique natural rock formations, the thing it has in common with all the other places listed above is that we LOVED stopping there. We saw something new and it made us appreciate the charm of Kansas even more.
In addition to all these great stops and sights, the infamous plains in Kansas are beautiful and are a sight unto themselves. The wide-open spaces, rolling hills (yes, there are hills in Kansas), the tall prairie grasses, and the amazing sunrises and sunsets all make for an enjoyable and gorgeous natural scene best appreciated in real life.
There’s beauty all over the Kansas plains and if someone tells you otherwise, that might be more about them than the plains. A real treat is watching a thunderstorm rolling in from the west, which is an epic sight to behold if you get lucky. It might be one of the few times in life where you actually want a storm to show up!
We have only scratched the surface, sticking to things that are within about an hour or less of I-70. There is so much more to see, learn, and eat that we’re already excited to explore next time around.
So let this little glimpse of Kansas be a lesson. The next time you find yourself someplace and you think there’s really not much to see there, think again. Do a little research and you just might find that there’s a treasure trove waiting to be discovered that you otherwise would have missed. Kansas is the perfect place to remind anyone to never believe everything you hear—find out for yourself and you just might be pleasantly surprised.
If you need ideas for things to do in Kansas, send me a message and I’d love to share more great places with you.
While I hope you see all this in person to really appreciate it, check out the pictures from some of our Kansas adventures:
This is post is being published with the permission of my son, Jared. Thanks for your support buddy.
Dear Jared,
I have been traveling now for nearly three months and I have a confession to make to you, son. Despite what I’ve said before, I didn’t set out on this journey just for myself. It might sound strange, but one of the reasons I wanted to travel was actually for you.
I set out on this trip to be a role model of doing what you want to do instead of settling, chasing your dreams instead of sitting still. I wanted to bring you along for some of my time traveling so you could experience a little of that feeling firsthand, and our time together in Croatia, Albania, and Greece has been a highlight for me. Now I hope you will follow your own dreams to travel somewhere your way on your terms.
While I’ve been traveling alone, I’ve had the time to reflect on some other things that I want to tell you about. The first one is that I hope you will travel your whole life. I hope you will start having these experiences now. I want to be careful not to put my dreams on you, but I know that you like to travel so I am basing this advice on that knowledge.
Take every opportunity that comes your way to explore this world, whether it’s a new small town in Kansas, or somewhere in Lawrence you’ve never been, to an altogether different country like Laos. (I am so excited to discover Laos with you soon.) Go anywhere and everywhere in between. Get out and see what the Earth has to offer. There is so much there for you to discover.
Another thing I have recently realized is that right now, I am having a unique experience that allows me to take a step out of my normal life while still watching it unfold from a distance. This feels very different than times when I have changed jobs or moved to a new city. In those cases, I was very focused on the transition and what was coming next in that novel place. In my current situation, I know I will be coming back to my “normal” life in January, so I have a keen interest in what is going on while I am away.
As I pay attention to what is going on back home, I have been reminded that I am not indispensable in any one facet of my life. Things move forward whether I am there and involved or not. The Campus Activities staff at CSU are gearing up for a new school year and doing a great job. You moved back to Lawrence and are ready for your new year as well. In some ways, this is a humbling recognition of my own mortality. In another sense, it has been very liberating.
I have this one little life and knowing that the things I am involved with will go on with or without me has helped me finally understand that I don’t need to be motivated by obligation to others. This belief has been a hang-up for me much of my life. I want to please others, including you. While that is not a bad thing, it can sometimes become stifling and lead to a lot of self-doubts. This new awareness of my own mortality has been a great reminder that I want to do the things that bring me joy and maximize my time on this floating rock. Right now, that means seeing as much of the world as I possibly can, but also, encouraging you to do the same if it’s in your heart.
The world is an amazing place and despite all else, we do live in a wonderful time for travel. Technology allows us to keep in touch with the people we love from all over the world. From what I have seen on my journey so far, it is a particularly good time to travel as a young person. So, if it will bring joy to your life, son—travel now. Don’t wait like I did. It is up to you. You are loved and you are supported no matter what, so be free to pursue your dreams and passions while knowing that DeeDee and I will always be in your corner.
I am just finishing up my first Workaway experience in Switzerland and wanted to share my reflections, plus some things to consider for those wondering if this type of travel could be for you. My first experience was in Schwarzenburg, which is half an hour by train from the Swiss capital, Bern. You can check out the description on this specific Workaway here.
Overall Experience
I have loved my first Workaway experience. It was a great way to figure out if Workaway and volunteering in exchange for lodging and (sometimes) food was going to work for me as a traveler. While this setup may not work for everyone, for me it has been a cool new way to spend some time in a beautiful country. I have done work that made meaningful contributions to my host, explored a new area, saved money by not having to spend on lodging or food, and most importantly, I have felt accepted and invited to join my host family. This host-traveler interaction is one of the biggest differences from my traditional solo travel, and it’s also turned out to be one of my most rewarding experience so far.
Host Family
My host is Monika. She has three boys ages 13, 15, & 17, and her mother lives in a connected apartment. They are a wonderful family and I feel very fortunate that my first Workaway experience was with them. They are kind and very excited to host travelers from around the world in their home. Based on my experiences with them, I’m trying to figure out how we might be able to host volunteers back in Fort Collins once I return home.
One particular thing I am really grateful for is that Monika was so willing to share the area with me. We did a wonderful hike and visited the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum. It was spectacular to explore some of Switzerland’s countryside and history with them, and was a much richer experience than if I had been venturing out alone.
Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
The Work
While I have been here, I’ve done a wide variety of work, mainly in their garden and yard. I now consider myself a weed-puller of the highest order. I even enjoyed mowing their small yard, which is not something I typically like doing. I have done a few small carpentry projects that have been really satisfying and allowed me to challenge myself in ways I did not expect. I have cooked for the family and folded laundry, and have tried to help in any way I could. Overall, I had a lot more fun doing these things than I could have anticipated and ended up surprising myself with how enjoyable it all turned out.
Before WeedingAfter weeding, removing rocks, putting down weed barrier and replacing rocks
The Location
Switzerland is fantastic and I have to come back to explore more. I arrived in Bern to stay a few days before starting my Workaway, and immediately had the feeling that it was a city where I could live. The Aare River runs right through Bern and swimming in it is something I will never forget. The mix of old warm charm and sleek modernism is very attractive to me.
The Aare River, beautiful color and beautiful sound! BernUniversity of Bern
Schwarzenburg is a beautiful area of rolling hills with access to the Swiss Alps in just under an hour by car. It is a small, quiet village that is filled with green, natural beauty. I have swum in two rivers and a lake and loved all of them.
View from the deck of my host’s houseHouse in Schwarzenburg…I could live here. It is so green Trümmelbach Falls (at least one of the TEN waterfalls at this site)The Eiger from Grindelwald I love Switzerland!!!
Switzerland is a small country with a wonderful train service so getting around is easy. It is also a VERY expensive country so this affordable and convenient local travel made it that much better. Thanks to their excellent infrastructure and Workaway, I have been able to enjoy so many incredible experiences and spent less money here than any of my other stops.
Should You Consider Workaway
My first Workaway experience exceeded my expectations, and I am excited to use it in my traveling toolbox going forward. But this approach to traveling might not work for everyone. If you’re wondering if it might work for you, here are some realistic things to consider:
– If you don’t mind working hard while you are traveling…
– If you are willing to talk about expectations and work to fully understand what is expected of you…
– If you want to travel to new places and you are on a budget…
– If you like meeting new folks and interacting with people a lot while you travel…
– If you don’t mind creating a strong profile and selling yourself a little when you message potential hosts…
– If you are open to new experiences and are willing to be flexible if things are different than you expected…
– If you like sharing meals with people (and understand this may not be true in all locations)…
– And if you will take the time to fully read the description of the opportunity BEFORE messaging a potential host…
… then Workaway might be just what you are looking for.
I went into this not knowing exactly what to expect, and while that initially gave me some anxiety, now at the end of it I am so grateful that I took a chance on opening myself up to new experiences. It was so wonderful that I hope to be able to provide this opportunity to other travelers once I’m back at home (with DeeDee’s blessings, of course). This certainly built up my confidence in being able to travel this way and has only gotten me even more excited for my next volunteering travel adventures to come.
If you have any questions or want to talk more about Workaway feel free to email me at wrightus@gmail.com.
I am sitting in Switzerland in the beautiful home of my Workaway host and I wanted to share a schedule update. I have been here volunteering here since August 5th. It has been a wonderful experience and I am glad I took a chance on Workaway.
Since I have been here I have done some serious travel planning. I was contacted by Angloville through Workaway asking me if I would be interested in doing an immersive English program with them. After some thought, research and an interview I decided it would be a great opportunity so on August 22 I am flying to Poland to do an immersive English Camp until August 31st. Most of my time will be spent practicing English one on one with someone from Poland. I think I will meet some wonderful people and really enjoy it.
Then the I am throwing a curveball and doing another Workaway back in the states. I will be in Maine from September 2nd-12th working on a berry and mixed vegetable farm. I have always wanted to go to Maine and I will be a couple of hours from Acadia National Park which is high on my travel list. I was always planning to come home in September between time in Europe and Asia so this is only a small departure.
On August 13th I will head to Kansas City for my 30th High School reunion and then head to Lawrence to crash with Jared for a week. He is thrilled I have chosen to stay with him in his new off-campus house. September 21st is Parent’s Day at KU and then I will head to Colorado with DeeDee who will meet me in Lawrence. In Colorado, we will celebrate DeeDee’s birthday.
I plan to head to Asia around October 5th but those plans are not yet done. It feels great to have so much planned and all of the necessary transportation and lodging scheduled.
Thanks to these gigs with Workaway from August 4-September 12th I will only be paying for lodging for 3 nights. It is a great way to see the world.
I hope to see you if our paths will be crossing during this time.
Recently I had the good fortune to come across two cool opportunities. While deciding what to do, I realized that making decisions can cause me significant anxiety. I am not asking anyone to feel bad for me by writing this, as I know my life (especially right now) is amazing. I am writing this because I think it is important to acknowledge how anxiety impacts me while traveling and how I deal with it, and not only write about my fun, picturesque travel experiences.
When this anxiety struck me, I was in Switzerland doing a Workaway volunteer assignment. Workaway is a website that matches travelers with volunteer opportunities in exchange for lodging and other accommodations like food. When sending a message to a potential Workaway host, you don’t know if you will get a response, so my strategy has been to send multiple messages with hopes of finding an opportunity. Hosts can also look through the volunteers and send you a message.
On August 2nd, I got a message from an organization called Angloville asking if I might want to volunteer with them in Poland. They host week-long English learning camps across Europe. Most of the volunteering is spent one-on-one with individuals having conversations so they can practice their English. It took a while to set up an interview but on August 9th I got the official word that I had been selected to volunteer at one of the camps.
I also had sent out messages for other Workaway opportunities including some in Maine, since I am headed back to the US in September for a few weeks before the next leg of my journey in Asia. On August 10th, I received an invitation to go to a wonderful farm in East Vassalboro, Maine to volunteer doing helping in the garden, around the house and at sales where their produce is sold. I have always wanted to go to Maine, with Acadia National Park at the top of my list of must-see places. It all sounded wonderful because I need to be in Kansas City on August 14th for my 30th High School reunion and Parent’s Weekend at the University of Kansas the next weekend. This would also make my travel to Kansas City so easy. Great, right?
The catch was that the volunteer dates offered by Angloville and the Maine farm overlapped.
For many of you this might seem like a no-brainer: Go to Poland while you’re still in Europe. This was my first thought, but I also had some doubts. Most of the Workaway opportunities I have seen ask for about 25 hours per week, usually 5 hours per day 5 days a week, in exchange for lodging and food. The English camp is much more intensive with some days being 9am to 9pm. So, my mind started running. “Was this a fair trade? Is it even worth it to go to Poland if I can’t see much with those long volunteer hours?”
Twelve-hour days in Poland compared to everything about the opportunity in Maine seemed like I should be headed to the farm. I was ready to commit to Maine, but then the fear of missing out set in. My thoughts started running, “Could I really say no to Poland? I might not get to see everything I wanted to, but in terms of a cultural exchange, what could be better than extensive time talking to people who live there?”
Less easy to admit, I started wondering if people would judge me if I went to Maine. “Would people see me as a quitter for going back to the US for this experience?” I can be pretty harsh towards myself about what people might think of me. The irony of this is that I don’t even need to care. From the beginning, I have been clear that this adventure is an experience in self-care for me. Even though I reminded myself of that, the fear of judgment was powerful and quickly became paralyzing.
My mind started to spin. One moment I was ready to go to Poland, the next I was sure Maine was the answer. I got angry with myself for being stressed about this. “How entitled do I have to be to get stressed about these sorts of opportunities?” I thought, my anxiety quickly spiraling out of control. For one full day, I tossed the two options back and forth in my mind with no resolution and felt more unhappy with every minute that passed.
I have struggled with anxiety long enough to notice it follows a pattern, and even as I struggled to regain control, I saw the pattern playing out. Self-doubt will get high and then I’ll catch a glimpse of my primary mental nemesis: shame. Dancing with shame is really dicey because I know it means I’m right on the edge of depression.
This time was no different. After a whole day of battling myself, I felt the depression pulling at me. My energy sank. I felt so badly about myself that the world around me lost some of its brightness and joy. My anxiety didn’t care that I was in one of the most scenic countries in the world. It still managed to convince me I was some kind of terrible person for having all of these thoughts.
At the moment where it could have gone from bad to worse, I had a flash of rationality and did what was the best thing for me. I reached out for support and called DeeDee. She listened to my fears and as we processed everything I’d been beating myself up over alone, I started to feel much better.
Talking things out together, I realized that I might be able to visit both Poland and Maine, a possibility that did not even exist in my head until DeeDee and I talked. As I swirled in anxiety on the edge of depression, I did not have the capacity to think of the simple solution of finding a compromise between these two opportunities.
I mustered the courage to message the Maine Workaway and ask if I could do a shorter stay with them. While this may not sound like a big deal, with the shame voice telling me I was a bad person, it felt like a big risk. As is usually the case with my anxiety, I soon discovered all my fears were unfounded. The farm quickly responded with a generous acceptance. A shorter volunteer time would work just fine for them. I am currently waiting for a final yes from Angloville, but it looks like I will be doing an immersive English camp in Poland and then heading to Maine to work on an organic farm. This time I can say I did not let the anxiety get the best of me for more than a day. Unfortunately, it does not always work out that way, but what’s important here is this instance taught me that I can see the direct line from deciding between wonderful opportunities leading to full blown anxiety with depression right around the corner. I see now that is the line I walk most days. But I also see that if I keep aware of where that line is, then the time anxiety knocks me out and steals my joy will hopefully keep growing shorter.
