Travel is the best teacher with lessons that will last for a lifetime. Travel Ed is not something you can learn in a classroom setting. It requires hands-on, in-the-moment rawness. Travel taught me acceptance, forgiveness, and compassion for others and myself as well as some dope vegan recipes! I’ve learned that the way the East views the world is different from the way the West views the world, however, at the end of the day, we all want the same basic things: *certainty, uncertainty, significance, growth, and a sense of contribution. These are the basic human needs and we value two above all the others. Travel teaches what ones are the top two which gives clarity on how to navigate through this life we are living. I get questions often on how to go about long-term travel… After all, it can be intimidating, to pick up everything and move across the globe for mind expansion and introspection for an extended time. Here are some tips to prepare for your trip.
Take a look at what you are packing and MINIMIZE, less weight means happy shoulders and a happy back. Our *back represents the support of life and if it is in pain we will not feel supported which is vital when in an unfamiliar place. After minimizing, research the climate and what the country you are traveling to has to offer. Make a list of items that you need and cannot get in the country you are traveling to. For example quality shoes, a camera, or a piece of outerwear that makes you feel that sweet homey comfort.
Financial prep is the biggest question that is asked. I save up beforehand, do research, and volunteer. Workaway.info created momentum and inspiration w opportunities in many different categories so there is something for everyone. I find a lot of opportunity comes when connecting with people along the journey. You attract the life experience that you need to grow. Yogatrade.com was very fruitful in my journey and the creator is a great guy who lives in Costa Rica. Money is merely an exchange of energy and comfort comes when that channel is open and flowing. Give to receive.
Buy the ticket and put away a chunk every month. This will create a vision that will make the monthly contribution feel ecstatic. To get the amount of monthly contribution is the next step. Get on Google Maps and search for your destination. For example, “Hostel Amsterdam” to see the cost of hostels in the area or Airbnb to gauge price. Multiply this by the number of days that you will be in the area. Next research the cost of meals and if there are places to get food around the designated residence. If your selection has breakfast included deduct that from daily expenses. If the place doesn’t have clean water, invest in a SteriPen and add bottled water* to your expenses. An airplane ticket makes the trip official and when the trip is official you will talk about it. By talking about your trip you will come across people that have been where you are going or know someone who has. This means inspiration, encouragement, and excitement for the future and your departure.
Balance is preparation and also freedom without expectations. If you line up a place to stay the first night and go from there, it is easy to meet people at hostels and hotels to decide to move from there. I suggest booking a spot on the first night before landing because it makes entry into the country smooth and on the landing card, it will ask for the address where you will be staying. Research if you need a departing flight or visa to enter the country.
The time spent in a specific spot depends on personality. I notice when I move very frequently I lose grounding and become uncentered. For a short time this is doable. For long-term travel, I suggest staying in one place for at least one month. This opens the opportunity to both make an impact on the community and gain friends from all around the world. When I travel, it brings me to a vulnerable state where growth and connection percolate. The people we attract in this state can be life-long friends. By staying in the same place it creates a grounding, free, healing energy that you can tap back into when you return home. It is your happy place, bring it back when you feel lost.
Electronics depend on if you want a disconnect or if you plan on working. I’ve traveled with an IPad mini 4 armored with a waterproof screen protector and carry case. There is a Bluetooth keyboard magnetized to the case. The ergonomics of this have been travel-friendly because I can whip it out on a bumpy train or an airplane when the desire to write surfaces. The Macbook Air is lightweight and thin with storage capability which is great if you plan on working while abroad.
Travel will expand your mind if you are open to receiving the lessons. Self-introspection will magnify, so be ready to learn and accept. Remember we are all humans and we make mistakes. It’s not about the mistakes but the focus. Life is so perfectly flawed that if we can find beauty when ugly hits, it’s is one of the greatest lessons to take.
*Tony Robbins UPW
*Louise Hay “How to Heal Your Life”
*When you get bottled water, look for mineral or spring water. Ionized water is tap water that has been purified with sterilization.