I’ve always dreamed of moving to another country. At least for a year or so. I firmly believe that experiencing other cultures is key to further appreciating my own. Now, with my career rolling in full-force and nothing tying me down to one place, it would seem like a better time than any to hit the road and just do it. But am I really doing it for the right reasons? Or am I just running away?
A lot of people say they want to move to the West Coast, or travel throughout Europe. From the stories I’ve heard, those places are magnificent, and I’d definitely like to check them out sometime. However, there are plenty of great things happening right around here where we are–you just have to look around and realize it.
I was talking to a friend today about exactly this subject. After complaining about his stressful accounting job, he went on to say, “I gotta get out of New Jersey.” Then he toyed around with the idea of relocating to Europe or some exotic destination, and asked me how exactly one would go about ‘moving’ to another country. I explained the whole work visa thing, along with the 90-day rule that most nations abide by, and how aside from that, it’s pretty much a piece of cake. But why, I wondered, did he have such a problem with his current location?
I let him think out loud for a while and sort it out, and we came to the conclusion that he really just doesn’t like his job. Auditing people obviously isn’t what he’s passionate about in life. And, on top of that, he doesn’t even know what his passion is. This seems like the main reason why he’d want to “get out of New Jersey,” because he is equating his current state of unhappiness with the actual state in which he resides. Hell, maybe if he went to Costa Rica or Amsterdam, he may end up stumbling upon his passion. Sometimes it takes a little travel to learn about oneself. But do it for the right reasons.
I learned when I tried to drive across the country once that no matter where you go, people are people. There isn’t a huge difference among members of our society, and running off into the horizon won’t necessarily cure your unhappiness. It may temporarily fix your boredom, due to the thrill of new experiences and surroundings. But then what happens when you’ve been there for six months to a year, and you’re tired of that place, too? Another move? Will you keep skipping around nomadically, chasing that unattainable phoenix?
You’re not expected to know exactly what you want to do in life, especially not when you’re young. My mom is in her late 50s, and she just recently gained an interest in forensics science and crime scene investigation (a strong contrast from her current position as a retail manager). I feel extremely fortunate that I’ve already found my passion in life, and have very clear goals and ambitions that I am working to achieve. Now that I know what I love, I can do it anywhere. Maybe I will move to Europe or California or Costa Rica for a little while, just to experience it. But I won’t do it to run away from a routine life.
