Need help from a community that understands me
Hi everyone,
A little background:
I have been a workaholic my whole life. From the time I was 14, I started doing lawn work, which then turned into bussing then serving in high school. I worked full time, and graduated high school with $12,000 in my name. My brother and sister had both gone the traditional route and went straight in to college (debt) followed by menial jobs and a restricted life. Watching this, I decided to change things up, and traveled for a little over a year. I lived in New Zealand on a working holiday visa, followed by a three month stint in Asia.
My life has never been the same. I think about this trip all the time. I came back in 2017, and got plugged into a good job, life, and community college. I am in a relationship of 8 months, with a girl who is not interested in long term travel. In May, I will have $15,000 and an associates from Community College (I live in Texas if anyone is wondering.) No debt. In addition, my lease ends on May 31st, making for a clean break.
What I am struggling with today:
Society tells me to continue with my education in the traditional sense, to continue working and to pursue the American dream. Especially in the south, significant others/marriage is huge. There is a societal pressure to commit. I like my girlfriend, but am not ready for marriage. We have talked about this, and the plan is to date for two years before getting married. No long term travel possible. I am very career driven, and know that if I continue working that years will pass without me realizing it. My brother is 25 and due to debt and career obligations, it is literally impossible for him to travel. He is missing out on a life experience because of the decisions he has made, and I do not ever want to be in the same spot. I understand that I will eventually grow up, but I feel like I have so much unfinished business with traveling. I am 21 years old. I want to take a break, to end my relationship with my girlfriend, to feel alive again. Experiencing the world is my favorite thing to do. NOBODY that I know can relate to me. I am coming to r/solotravel because everyone here gets it. I feel like I am selfish for leaving, and that I may be making an immature life decision.
The escape:
I don't want everything to just be fun and games, I want to grow while traveling and also be setting myself up for success. The plan is to work while traveling, and to continue pursuing education with UX and an online BBA degree. In Maui, I have friends who run a farm. Over the summer, I could spend two months there with accommodation and food provided for. After my time there, I want to go to Southeast Asia, maybe another working holiday in Australia, maybe Europe or South America - the world is at my fingertips! I am smart with my money, and can make it last awhile. I could easily be gone for a year or two. Has anyone else experienced this situation that can speak to it? If I stay, how do I squash the thoughts of "what could have been?" Thanks for reading, I know this is a lot.
TL;DR "should I stay or should I go?"
Submitted February 07, 2019 at 12:02AM by jw_fwtx http://bit.ly/2HVDurf
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