Formulas

While planning my year I obsessed over striking the right balance between traveling to many places and staying in one place for the whole year. While it would be fun, traveling constantly and going somewhere new every week or two, I was certain that wasn't the right way to go about it. I felt like I had to stay in one place for some long amount of time, to get to know the heart and spirit of that place relatively well. (Of course, I didn't really think about the fact that it takes more than a few months to learn about a country, a city, a culture, but I hadn't thoght about that.) yet on the other hand, I didn't want to spend all year in the same city--I figured that I needed to see at least several places.

And so I picked together a number of opportunities I found, to create what I hoped would be a year that found that balance.

Now I'm not so certain if there is a balance. Now I understand fully the appeal of nonstop travel--the desire to see more places and do more things. But I also understand why anyone would choose to spend an entire year living in the same place. And a part of me want to do both of these things, despite my carefully thought out plans. (I guess I'll just need to find more time to spend abroad in the future, hm?)

This week in Ireland, will be my first taste of travel--the sort of travel that you'd imagine a twenty something experiencing. I'll keep you updated on all the adventures (and adventures is always a word that has felt weird coming out of my mouth--it's tricky, because it can mean so much when you talk about so little.)

To those of you maybe perhaps considering travel: The one thing I've definitely learned is that there is no one perfect gap year. There isn't a formula, there isn't one way to spend your year that's better than the other. People will yell you to do this and do that and there are so many options, you might always feel like you missed out of an opportunity.

But don't worry, because the opportunities you did take will be worth it. And it's not about the perfect formula for a year abroad. It's about doing what inspires you, and what scares you, and what leaves you feeling like you are closest to you than you have been before, and what leaves you open mouthed in awe at the world around us.