Shock, Disbelief and Name Calling

      As I announced my plans to move to Vietnam with an "I'll figure it out when I get there" philosophy, the responses were of shock, disbelief and name calling: "crazy," "wild" and "brave." I heard it all. I laughed everyone off and reassured them that I would be fine. The truth is that my own assurance, confidence and emotions cycled about every five to thirty minutes. Just when I had myself convinced that everything was under control, I would imagine some unfortunate event that could make my trip a catastrophe.

     To calm down, I reminded myself that this is not even the first time that I have showed up in a foreign country with no plans: last time I was toting my then 90 year old Oma around Europe. At least this time I only have myself to worry about: no hearing aids, no walking slow, nothing keeping me from socializing with locals my own age. I don't, however, have anyone to fall back on for answers or the security of a return ticket.

     This time, I am indeed traveling alone on a one way ticket with no idea of when I'll be coming back, where I'm going to stay, what I'm going to do or how I'm going to make anything happen. All that I am taking is a suitcase limited to 50 pounds of clothes, a new laptop, a new global smart phone and $1000 cash. The very thought makes my chest swell with excitement and contract with fear all at once. After five years of planning, day dreaming about and then never getting to do some variation of this plan, I feel like I am finally doing what I am meant to be doing.

     Once the initial shock of my little announcement wore off, the next response from friends was something along the lines of "I couldn't do that, I'd miss my friends and family too much." To which I respond that my family isn't going anywhere, I'll always know where to find them. My friends would take up too much space in my luggage so I'll have to leave them behind, pack another pair of underwear and make new friends when I get there.

     The result of my itinerant lifestyle is a lot of friends scattered all over the place. Luckily I can never have too many friends. I can't wait to see the shock and disbelief etched in their faces and hear the no doubt interesting names I will gain from my upcoming antics. Stay tuned folks, I have no idea what is going to happen.