"Travel far enough, you meet yourself." -David Mitchell

As cliché as that quote may sound, it really nails it on the head for me. And for lack of better words, I'm off to "meet" myself. In 4 months I'll be coming home with entirely new eyes, full of a changed and fresh perspective, an acquired freedom, and a better sense of self. Or at least I hope so. And if nothing else, I'll be exhausted enough to sleep a whole night through when I return. Win/win.

The program I’m doing is called Remote Year but don’t let it fool you, I’ll only be gone March through June. I’ve been chosen to be 1 of 50 professionals (out of 25K who applied) to work and live remotely in 4 different cities, in 4 short little months. When the program asked me what I'm hoping to get out of the experience, I replied with this: 

I don’t think I can quite pinpoint what I hope to get out of the 4-month program. When I try to figure out what I want, it seems limiting to what I could get. Like saying “I’m hoping for a sunny day” but then getting to go buck-ass-wild in a rainstorm instead. Pre-notions and expectations have burned me before and I don’t want to have to pack an extinguisher, I already have to fit 4 months of clothes in a suitcase.

What I can say is that instead of highlighting what I want to get out of my journey, I can speak freely about what I want to lose. I really want to lose my sh**. Lose my comfort, my routine. I want to bust through some fears. I want to leave behind stresses that I know will seem so small when I’m doing big things. Most of all, I want to lose inhibitions that adulthood and responsibility seem to so easily encourage.

Do ya feel me? 

Oh, but there's more. All of my friends and family members are busy filling their lives with immense blessings of husbands and wives, children and homes, impressive careers, and more. You go you guys! I am overjoyed and darn right proud to be able to share good, happy, wholesome celebrations with you in your life's big milestones. 

Cheers to you!

This year, though, I've decided to have a milestone of my own and focus a little of my time and a lot of my money on myself. Cheers to me!

Which brings us to why you're here and why I'm so shamelessly asking for your help.
 
Here's the breakdown: 

To give myself the opportunity to experience, grow, live a little, I took out a loan for $20K. And for a small cost of $11,000, Remote Year provides me with living and working accommodations, in-country support, and travel in between cities.

Aside from that, I am financially responsible for travel to the first destination (Lisbon, Portugal), travel from the last (Cape Town is SO far from D.C.), insurance, food, a laptop, and everything I wish to do during my trip. There's a rumor I can ride an Ostrich in South Africa. BUT FOR WHAT COST I SAY!

I'll still be working and receiving a paycheck but I'll also still be paying a mortgage, utilities, and normal bills while I'm gone, as well as paying someone to live in my home and care for my pets. Am I crazy? Totally. So, when it all adds up, I simply don't have much left to build the trip of a lifetime and truly go all-out while abroad.

This is my decision, yes. Not the classiest or proudest of things to ask for money for something I decided to do, on my own accord, I get that. So, thank you for supporting and investing in me even if it's not financially. It means just as much. No bull.

Regardless of contributions and despite my selfishness and self-indulgence (please don't hold it against me), I miss you guys already! Thank you for taking the time to read this. Much love and I hope to see you before I leave.

Tchao!
Natalie