I often oversimplify my journey to van life and entrepreneurship with a sentence that goes something like this: I quit my NYC non-profit job after becoming disheartened with international development work, backpacked around Asia to do some soul searching, then bought a van, hit the road and started building an online business. The truth is, …
I began this journey like most wanderers, driven by an insatiable appetite for adventure. I suppose it is the same fuel which pollutes my brain with fantasy. A fairytale in which, risk is the elixir for happiness, and the higher the dose, the more fulfilled I become.
In 1996, I was mesmerized as Shannon Miller stuck her dismount after a perfect tumbling pass on the balance beam at the summer Olympics- winning a gold medal for the USA. I turned to my mom and asked, “How does she do that? She makes it look so easy.” She looked at me seriously and …
When I was 7, I sat cross-legged on my living room floor, my eyes glued to the television as I watched the president of the United States vehemently deny having sexual relations with a White House intern. I was both mesmerized and confused.
Breakups can be new beginnings. They are a chance to pause, re-evaluate your life, your goals, your strengths and your flaws. They can shape you, both by building resilience and by propelling you towards a new trajectory.
Pura Vida. The words roll off the tongues of locals and expats and embroider souvenirs across Costa Rica. The “pure life” is not only a greeting, but a mantra to the people who congregate in the country’s beaches and jungles.
2017 could easily be the most life-changing year I’ve had yet. From quitting my job in New York, backpacking around Asia and the Middle East, moving into a van, pursuing my passion of writing as a career, and entering into a new relationship–it has not been uneventful.
Sometimes, the grass is greener on the other side, the mountains are taller, the sky bluer, and the wind more musical. At least, that’s been my experience living in a van for the past five weeks.
