Final Blog

So here is my long-awaited, final blog… I’m back in America and it feels great! There are definitely a few things that I miss: the freedom of being unknown, discovering/experiencing something new every day, the increased likelihood of meeting people as well as learning about a different culture and about myself. Although that is true, I couldn’t be happier to be back in the company of my friends and family, in familiar surroundings and to be at peace with where I’m at. I’m still trying to accomplish all of the same things that I just mentioned that I miss about my travels but it can never be the same, now can it?

Australia was the most amazing trip of my lifetime! I did so much in the span of 5 weeks… I saw a ton of the country in a short period of time so it was a bit hectic but that also meant that I cherished each place I was in that much more. I spent almost 3 weeks with my Mom and her boyfriend and we went at a non-stop, frenetic pace. Those of you that know Tom won’t be surprised with that at all! We saw the New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, went White Water Rafting, hiked Uluru, the Olgas and King’s Canyon too. These are some of the most amazing things I’ve ever done! Also, it was great to spend that much time with my Mom and Tom as you don’t really get the opportunity to do so as an adult very often. Kim joined us for a while and that was great too. She has always dreamed of seeing the Great Barrier Reef and that wish came true on this trip. Sydney is such a thriving city and I once again, had the best experience there thanks to all of the wonderful people I have met along the way. I also volunteered at a meditation resort for 10 days outside of a tiny town called Murwillumbah. It was such a relaxing and peaceful time for me... I was really able to get back in touch with myself, understand the inner-workings of me, think about my time in Thailand and practice some much needed self-forgiveness. I will always cherish that time although it was hard work-both at the resort and personally… I was quite disciplined in my routine, even though I didn’t have to be, and my goal was to focus on the things that make me happy. I guess it worked! I also had the pleasure of making a lovely friend, named Sam. She imparted her simple wisdom and wowed me with the many stories of her life. I will never forget her!

Arriving back in the States caused me a bit of anxiety because I felt like I was returning to my “real” life that is fraught with responsibilities, endless daily duties and the overwhelming task of deciding what I want to do with the rest of my life. Although I still feel that somewhat, it has been assuaged by the love and support that I am surrounded by every day. Just one example would be that my friends and family picked me up from the airport in a Limo and then we went out to the clubs, all of us equally excited to be in each other’s company. I didn’t sleep a wink that night which is very unlike me! That week was filled with homecoming events, good times and the feeling of all-encompassing joy and gratitude for all of the people I am blessed with in my life.

Since then, I’ve been living in Wimberley at a family friend’s ranch just doing random ranch-like things. I have been mostly doing manual labor and I love it! For example, I have de-weeded the organic garden (by hand), sold some chickens and a ram but mostly I’ve been busy trying to remove rocks out of a field. It is so gratifying to clear a field and to look at the piles of rocks that I’ve created. It has also given me some time to clear my head and think. This really has been a great way to re-acclimate to the States and to my life here again… I have decided, at this point, to open a restaurant and that is very exciting! The focus will be on fast, local, healthy food surrounded by a casual and welcoming environment. I just want to make a place where I would hang out and I hope that people will respond to it in the same way. That being said, I have no real restaurant experience so I’m taking baby steps for now and I will be getting a job in a restaurant once I move back to Austin in a couple of weeks. From there, I will focus on creating my business plan, finding a location for my restaurant and working on all of the practical logistics that go into it. So, it may not happen for another 6 months, but that is ok… I am excited to be creating something that makes me feel good and I just hope that success follows my passion.

For my part, I am thankful and happy for the days I spent abroad and I will never forget the wonderful people I met, the experiences I had and the memories I created. Although it was the most difficult year of my life and it definitely didn’t pan out the way I had envisioned, I would never take it back and I have no regrets. I have grown so much over the past year and the fact that I finally did something scary and huge, something that I had always wanted to do but never quite had the guts to do, has given me self-confidence, an increased amount of knowledge and awareness and a different perspective of life. These kinds of things don’t come easy, they are earned, and I am so glad that I put the time and effort into learning and understanding such things. I now walk through my days with an open heart, a huge smile, more appreciation for the important things and a lot less stress about the little things. Life is so good right now and I plan on reveling in it for as long as possible.

Here’s a big thank you to everyone that has been and is part of my life and my journey. Much love!