Category: Cruise

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. 

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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. 

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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!). 

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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: 

Kara and Nate’s vlog from the cruise – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2AuzWJNj80&t=3s

ArcesAdventures is one of the funniest travel families I have seen – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbSUXcE0eQwSSz1v5BWVbww

For all you book and travel lovers check out – https://asuitcasefullofbooks.com/

Foxes Gone Astray is another great travel couple – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdaWBSnBJVegUXvKjDVnOtw

Steve from Foxes Gone Astray also does cool art – https://www.instagram.com/foxoodle/

Traveling couple Patrizia and Melinda – https://www.instagram.com/photozigner/

Patrizia also has a great Instagram of landscapes – https://www.instagram.com/patriziaaccophoto/

If you prefer blogs over vlogs check out Amy at – https://funsizedescapades.blogspot.com

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.

Angloville, Radziejowicka, Poland

After my first Workaway experience in Switzerland, I went to Poland to volunteer for a week with Angloville. This was the most different from my other Workaway experiences because of the time commitment spent volunteering. This was also the only Workaway experience I didn’t seek out on my own—an Angloville staff member contacted me through the Workaway site. After a simple interview with them, I accepted their offer. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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: 

• The World’s Largest Painted Czech Egg, Wilson
• Wilson State Park and Lake
• The Garden of Eden, Lucas
• The City of Lindsborg, also known as little Sweden
  • Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, Lindsborg
  • Coronado Castle, Lindsborg
• Mushroom Rock State Park, Brookville
• Brookville Hotel for their incredible fried chicken

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: 

Worlds Largest Painted Czech Egg

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Garden of Eden

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Grassroots Art in Lucas

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Lindsborg

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Mushroom Rock State Park

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Brookville Hotel

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Monument Rocks

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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. 

Love,
Poppy

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.

The most common question I have been asked after telling people about my travel is, ”Why start in Albania?” This is an excellent question. It is not an obvious choice and is a little off the beaten path. Tourism in Albania is growing in recent years, but certainly for people from the United States it is not yet a big tourist destination. When I would tell people at home I was going to Albania, most of them knew next to nothing about it. 

But I’m skipping ahead. The truth is, I didn’t know much about Albania either until right before I decided to visit!

I first got inspired to learn about Albania from a friend Melia Dunn who spent two years there serving in the Peace Corps. She had a passion for the country that was infectious and hearing her talk about the people and the natural beauty had me instantly hooked on finding out more about this country that I had hardly heard of.   

After talking to Melia, I started to research the country. At this point, I knew I wanted to travel, but had no idea exactly where, and Albania had me curious. I wanted to go to a country that had natural beauty, was full of kind people, had some people who spoke English and was inexpensive. It was a high bar, but hey, start with high expectations, right? 

I was also drawn to a place that would push me and challenge me as a traveler. Choosing a place that had fewer travelers and less infrastructure for travelers was appealing.

In addition, I sometimes like to be the center of attention, so the idea of going to a country where I would be unique and stand out was appealing. (Those of you who know me will not be surprised by this.)  I think this is borne from some level of insecurity about my desire for people to like me, but as I’m being honest here, it was a motivator. 

One of the most compelling things I found was Dear Albania, a film by Eliza Dushku. I watched it multiple times and was enchanted. The film speaks not only to the natural beauty of the country but to the heart and soul of the Albanian people. The story Eliza shares is one of discovery and as I watched, I felt like I was there discovering the country with her. From food to mountains, to art and music, this film brought Albania to life for me.

After doing all this research and watching Dear Albania,  I realized I had two very strong, intelligent women saying, ”Go to Albania!” It has taken me awhile to fully integrate this idea, but for me, listening to strong, intelligent women usually pays off. I decided to listen, and it definitely did!

After spending a month in Albania, I can confirm that it is a country with great natural beauty. It has a full coastline of Mediterranean goodness, with gorgeous mountains and rolling hills throughout the country. 

The people are generally kind and always willing to help a traveler. Most of the young people speak some English and it was easy to navigate across the language barrier. Finally, it is inexpensive, everything from food to accommodations is much less expensive than the US. I spent $12 to get a forty-five minute shave and haircut that would have easily set me back $60 at home. 

I was grateful for how inexpensive it was, but it seems that it would be better for some of the population if some things cost more and salaries went up. These details were unknown to me when considering Albania as a travel destination, but everything I read that said it is a very affordable country turned out to be true. It’s just unfortunate to learn that at least part of this affordability seems to mean some people here are struggling to make a livable wage.

In spite of my feelings about the low wages of some Albanians, I am very thankful for the memories I made while there and the people I got to spend some time with. I think about Ledion, the bar owner at my favorite spot for a beer, and how kind he was to me. He let me know if I needed anything I could reach out to him at any time. He even invited me to this birthday party but unfortunately, I was not able to attend. Their hospitality and kindness made my visit to Albania a special one, and I would recommend anyone travel there who is interested in a country that is rich in culture, history, and friendliness.