Life on the Road: Adapting
[singlepic=1223,175,,,right]Adapting to life on the road can be a very subtle transition - and in most cases you don't even realize it until you find yourself in a more familiar situation. In this excerpt from Sherry's travel blog, she realizes how much she has gotten used to living out of a backpack and other small adjustments to living on the road.
After 7 months of traveling around developing countries with my backpack I feel like I’ve changed. I used to have a closet full of clothes and shoes, more than I ever needed. I could have clothed some small towns in Cambodia with my closet. Now I have learned the fine art of how to wear the same outfit multiple days in a row (this all depends on the climate that you are traveling in). I seldom wear make-up anymore and normally am walking around in my tattered tennis shoes. Hair conditioner (or any styling products) and a washcloth are a luxury. I have definitely adjusted to not needing much!
However, with this change in hygiene, also comes that feeling that I’m completely frumpy. I used to use the construction workers on my commute to the subway as my gage for if I looked ok that day…if I got a look, then I must look ok. I doubt they would even flinch these days. Hence, I think it’s been months since a guy has ever given me a second look. Gone are the days where I felt hip - now I’m just happy when I get to use a hair dryer. Since I was moving on to Europe for the next few months, I tried to pack nicer clothes and ship back home my fleece and hiking pants in hopes of maybe cleaning up my act and feeling attractive again!
[singlepic=1143,175,,,left]I arrived in Europe with a short layover in Dubai. I was exhausted since I haven’t really experienced jet lag since October. Arrival in Greece also exposed me to something I hadn’t experienced for a long time – there was no arrival card to fill out.
At first I thought maybe I had too much wine on the plane and some how I missed the flight attendants passing them out. But as I looked around I noticed that no one else had one either. Strange – no visa, no arrival card – I felt cheated! I have spent the last 7 months memorizing every bit of data on my passport. I now consider it a special skill that I could put on my resume. It could go right next to the skills of shooting automatic weapons, eating rat, and can drive a manual transmission vehicle. With a resume like that I figure I can get a job patrolling the border of Afghanistan. Who knows maybe that can be my next career.
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2 Responses to “Life on the Road: Adapting”
Other comments
9 Comments on "A Year in Paris"-
Leah on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:12 am
I really enjoyed reading your post. I am thirty-two soon and have itchy feet that are ready to try out foreign soils.
It is a fear of leaving the security of the day to day grind of paying the bills and living a safe and non-challenging way of life that has put me on hold for some time.
I hope (as it has I) your post will inspire others to go and follow their bliss – Leah 🙂 -
Patricia GW on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:54 am
Travel and experiencing a new culture really has put it into perspective, and filled that void with purpose (and joy).
In three weeks I’ll be moving to Paris myself for one month. I have the same feeling – the incredible surreal realization that I’m going to be living there…. it’s thrilling!!
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Abby on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 2:11 pm
Oh, Jenny! Escargot isn’t palatable — it’s delicious! I love your writing style; it’s so fun and energetic. Can you believe how far we’ve come? Everyone, Jenny and I were in the exact same industry and have known each other online and via work emails for years and years. But we’ve only met once, many, many years ago. And one of those jobs she was sleeping next to her BlackBerry for was one I’d just left. And now she’s 33 and living abroad, just like I was last year. Kindred spirits. Jenny, you’re a true inspiration — I can’t wait to see how your adventure unfolds!
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Debbie Beardsley on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 3:22 pm
Your life in Paris sounds ideal. It is nice to read about people who follow their dreams instead of wishing they had! Enjoy the rest of your journey.
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Terriaw on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 1:40 pm
Wow, fabulous and well said! I love your new outlook on like. After experiencing career burnout and feeling a little lost and purposeless lately, you have encouraged me. I look forward to seeing Paris someday!
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Jenny on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 6:50 pm
merci for all the sweet comments! @abby we are soooo kindred spirits! well except when it comes to our differing feelings on escargot…;) and congrats patricia on the move! thrilling indeed!
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shawna on Thu, 9th Jun 2011 1:32 am
you’ve reawakened my travel bug. must. return. to. france. (someday.) eat a croissant for me!
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Weekly Travel Blog Links — LandingStanding on Mon, 13th Jun 2011 6:16 am
[…] how badly I want to go to Paris… If only we could afford living there for an extended period of time during our travels! Any […]
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G. Michael Schneider on Sun, 19th Jun 2011 3:36 pm
I am a firm believer in living and working overseas, just as you described. However, many of us actually like our jobs and our homes and are simply looking to renew and refresh our lives, not change it. However, you can have the same type of cultural experience without having to reach into your own wallet and without having to quit your day job–by taking what I call a “working vacation.” My wife and I have done this 15 separate times, from Australia to Zimbabwe, Turket to Tibet, Mauritius to Mongolia. I describe how to do it in my blog otherguysdime.wordpress.com and via Twitter at @otherguysdime. Learn how to have fun without having to have burn any of your bridges behind you.
2009-11-21 06:23
i hear you!!! i feel so frumpy, it's not funny....the other day i got a pedicure at a beauty school and thought i was in heaven...i have looked at my toes today a million times admiring how 'normal' they look.....we are in melbourne, australia right now and there are a lot of lovely, beautiful people.....i think it will be easier to be frumpy when we go to s.e. asia.....great to hear, i am not alone, christine
2009-11-22 19:06
Christine - it's much harder to accept/deal with the 'frumpiness factor' in nice big/hip cities. NYC does me in! However you're totally right - once you get to SE Asia - you will fit in just fine! Good idea to 'pamper' yourself every so often so that you feel human again!