The universe from a different angle.

I am 23 years old, on the brink of existential crisis number two, year eight of self-refinement and still riding the emotional roller coaster of life as an adult (how is there not a handbook for this yet?).  I have two years of my bachelor of Ed and the only applicable thing I took for that (minus my mad drinking skills) is a new learned appreciation for good parenting versus the ever prevalent my-baby-is-an-accessory-how-cute-is-he/she stance that TOO many people take.  And double back to self-refinement... (This is why it's been eight years, I am a slow learner, judgmental who?).  So what does this have to do with the Camino?  Why is it that when people ask me what made me want to walk 800km across Spain I resort to blinking doe eyed and unsure?  I don't know why I agreed to the Camino, it's just that simple.

I relented to the offer with little to no understanding of what I was accepting back in October; I had at this point come to terms with quitting my job and fulfilling my deep seeded desire to be a hippie (circa 1970s -apparently today's hippies suck), so what if I have a car to make payments on and a student loan I was trying to forget.  After aquiring a second job, a journal and a new obsession with The Way, my trip had started.  The best way for me to explain the blaze of an adventure that has recently consumed me is to point out that something cannot be found if at first it isn't lost.  Des and I will start our pilgrimage mid-May and while some of it is solely tourist driven I do believe somewhere along those 800km I will find my answer.  I don't know why, but I do know without a shadow of a doubt that I must.

Also. Wine.  Spain because wine.

Why Des is going to walk El Camino de Santiago

I've been thinking about what to write here for a couple of days and all I could think of was "Well I was so sad when I got back from Africa that I had to start planning my next trip.  That seemed lackluster, but then I realized the answer to this is virtually the same answer as to why I went to Africa.

I don't want to be on my porch swing when I'm 80 reflecting on my life and have the highlights be Vegas, Phoenix, Mexico, Vancouver, anything that comes in a package deal on expedia.  I'm not judging anyone who gets a lot out of those trips, I personally just would not feel fulfilled if I didn't push myself to the limits of my comfort zone in the time I have on earth.  I think bucket lists should be a mandatory part of life.  I think people need to be more selfish.  I think that the family I'll have in 10 years will get a lot more from me than the family I could have had 5 years ago.

I want the majority of the vacations I go on to make me grow as a person.  That being said, after this trip my next vacation is going to be to cheap-hot-beach.  I'm not a big drinker.  I make my own relaxation mandatory in the organization of my everyday life.  So the purpose of me getting away is to expand myself as a person.  Africa taught me just how little the western world contributes to their own existence and that sometimes people become affiliated with charities to write off travel costs.  Love and acceptance doesn't require a porsche and 6 figure salary.  The best thing I walked away with from Africa was a better understanding of how to find people on my wavelength.  Throw yourself into situations that are the extreme of an interest.  If you're compassionate, go build a house in Africa.  If you believe in testing the physical and mental limits of all that you are, walk 800km in Spain.

I also want to inspire 18-25 year olds to be more selfish and to go and do these things instead of pinteresting their wedding and planning their baby rooms.  The glitter of those situations wears off.  If you don't do what you need to do for yourself before you commit yourself to everyone else, you're going to have far more obstacles on your journey to happiness than those who put their feet down and choose themselves initially.

In reality, if I had a family right now, I wouldn't have likely found my love for the medical industry and I'd be bitter and miserable in a 9-5 mediocre job.  That's where I was headed and that's where I see a lot of people end up.  I find people in Debolt make their own happiness a priority and I think that's why I spend a lot of time out there.  I like that mentality.  

At this point if I were to have a family I'd be alright.  I've explored and networked and learnt some valuable life lessons.  I could go work municipal EMS and that'd be A-OK, not my ideal dream, but comfortable.

Ideally, I'd like to come back from Spain, postpone a family a bit longer and open a wine-bar.  If I commit to that idea my long-term happiness will be at it's full potential.  That dream is a result of the selfish decisions I've made so far, and I'd like to see it come to fruition.  

Be selfish. Adventure. Push yourself. Take risks. Don't get pregnant before you want to. Be honest. Even if it pisses off everyone around you.

http://100things.com.au/campaigners/Desiree_Menya#

April 27th

The extent of our training thus far, the countdown to our adventure is getting suspenseful, 3 weeks to go before we get on the plane to Spain & start the Camino de Santiago from St. Jean Pied de Port in France.