Travel Doesn't Solve Your Problems

Just had a deep personal conversation with a good friend of mine back home and it brought up so many thoughts and emotions. Its almost been a month since I've been living & working here in Switzerland. I have been going through a roller coaster of emotions, can't quite pin point it. Maybe I'm still adjusting, or getting used to being abroad again, I don't know. This place has a very special place in my heart but I don't really know what I was expecting when I was coming here, but something is not 100% but I guess nothing really is.

Just because I'm here in a beautiful place where I've been thinking about for six years does not mean, "Poof" all my problems are solved. Yes, I'm happy and then I have my days where I'm not sure about this place.

We travelers may be running from something whether we are aware of it or not. I know I do not want to live the typical 9-5 office job, be underpaid, have to deal with expensive healthcare in the states, and being in New Jersey. Its not for me. I needed a change. And thats ok.

I enjoy being challenged and being outside my comfort zone, it stimulates me. When I travel, I get to meet new people every day, I hear their travel/life stories of where they came from and where they've been. I like the variety, its like having a surprise every day. Maybe back home things became too monotonous, I'm sure that happens for a lot of travelers. We turn to travel because we experience different things everyday that we probably would never experience in a life time at home.

I still don't know what I really want. We embark on these round the world journeys to search for something, but what are we searching for? Will we ever find what we are looking for?

I don't know.

I kept saying I don't know to my friend on the phone and he was like you do know. Maybe I do, I know that I want stability and security. That could have a much deeper meaning than I know.  I don't know how much of that I will get being a nomad traveler, but thats what I eventually want. I want to find a place where I just melt and say "oh this is it, I can call this home." 

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't expect travel to solve your problems. They will always be there whether you are in the US or in Africa, it will follow you. The way to deal with that is to confront them head on or at least be aware of them. Denial can be dangerous for the mind and soul.

Its only been a month for me being here, I'm probably over thinking as usual but hey, I can call myself out on it. Who knows how I will feel next week or a few months from now.