Well, That's That

So here I am, back in Oregon for the first time in over five months. That five months went by fast. Some parts of it seem like a lifetime ago, but at the same time it feels like I never left. After getting reacquainted with my parents, I caught up with quite a few friends. The first thing they all say is “Wow, your hair is long,” which I would probably say, too. Beyond that, we pick up right where we all left off. When you get down to it, five months isn’t an exceptionally long amount of time to be away.

My friends also like to ask me how I’ve changed or what I’ve learned from traveling and working on farms. I have no idea how to answer that question. If I have changed, I haven’t noticed. As for what I’ve learned… well, I can slaughter a chicken, pick an apple tree, replace a headlight and dig a hole like nobody’s business. That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t really affect whom I am or how I live my life. I’d like to think that I’ve learned to deal with people better and gained some self-confidence, but I think time will be the test of that. If nothing else, I‘ve definitely gained some perspective. I really let myself get caught up with some drama before I left Oregon, and now that just seems ridiculous and mundane. The world is too big to spend all your energy on a few dramatic people who, in the long run, really don’t matter. I hope that sounds more optimistic than cynical. And I hope I don’t lose that perspective too quickly.

Craving a broader perspective is one of the reasons I went WWOOFing in the first place (check). Another was to prove to myself that I’m capable of doing more than just punching keys on a computer (check). I also wanted to spend a summer outdoors instead of inside a dark office (check). Yet another reason was that I wanted some adventure and some good memories and I didn’t know if I’d ever get another chance in my life to do a trip like this (check). Plus, I had a goal to visit all 50 states (up to 48 now!). Oh, and I didn’t want to die before I lived in a tipi (check), saw Elvis’ birthplace (check), ate alligator (check), survived an attack by bats in a uranium mine (check), learned how to castrate a sheep (check) and arm wrestled an orangutan (still working on that one).

I’m still considering going abroad to continue WWOOFing, but I’m here at least for the holidays. Honestly, I don’t think I should be going anywhere else until I replenish my savings, and if I find a job I like then I wouldn’t be opposed to sticking around (I’m not one to leave a job without fulfilling a commitment). It’s a little scary not knowing what I’ll be doing or where, but it’s also exciting. There are no limitations on my job hunt, and I still have enough savings that I can be picky about what I pursue. I love my parents, but I refuse to adopt the career attitude of their generation, which says you should get your degree, find a job in that field, stick with it for 50 years then retire and collect your pension. I had that attitude ingrained in me as I grew up and it put me through a lot of stress in my early 20’s. It took several years for me to realize that it’s not only okay for me to change my job every few years if I want, it’s actually normal now. I have an IRA for retirement and I put money into it when I can. Beyond that, I’m going to live my life with the variety I want, and I have no qualms about pursuing a new field of work at a starting position with supervisors younger than I… again. I’m mature enough to know there’s no shame in it, and I can always make fun of those young supervisors behind their backs or spit in their food if I need to.

So that’s where I stand now. I’ll post a brief update when I know what I’m doing next. Otherwise, that’s about it for this blog. I’ll start a new one when I go on my next adventure, so feel free to check in from time to time. Until then, thanks for taking the time to read. I never seemed to have many followers, but it was enjoyable for me to write regardless. I hope those of you reading enjoyed it, too. And if you read my entries closely, you may be able to crack the secret code that will lead you to a hidden treasure worth millions. You knew that, right?

For the record, this was undoubtedly the best summer I ever had in my life.

That doesn’t mean it can’t be topped.