I love putting myself out of my comfort zone. Whether it’s volunteering at a homeless shelter or catching a lift down the west coast of Australia with a total stranger, I relish the feeling.
Home or away, anyone can lead an exciting life but rarely does anything live up to exploring the world. Seven years ago I graduated with a first-class honours degree. Six years ago I had a decent job in London and rented my own flat. Five years ago I left it all.
I’m not getting any younger, I’m 30 now and over the past two years I’ve felt an enormous pressure to conform to the “norms” of society. My previous travels in my teens and early 20’s were met with questions such as “where to next?” now I’m more likely to be asked “When you are going to settle down”.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve always wanted to. Seeing my friends get married, have children and purchase their own homes has made me want it too but it just hasn’t happened yet. It’s not something you can go looking for without compromising and I’m certainly not one to settle for a life that isn’t worth waiting for.
Pulled by both sides, the pressure to settle down, “get a real job”, have a family VS my addiction for adventure and to learn more about the world.
Felicity Macintosh is my alter ego.
The traveller, the excitement seeker, the opportunity taker, the crazy voice in my head that tells me to do what I want to do.
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It’s 2019 now and I am beginning to feel more settled. I have moved home after five years of travelling. Career wise I am still searching for something that is stable, pays well, gives me a lot of free time and makes me happy (is there such a thing?!) For now, I am a part-time dairy farmer.
I continue to seek out new places to explore and I still have my urge to just get up and go. Just this time though it’s with a holiday in mind as opposed to leaving the country for good. Sometimes it’s not the destination but the people you are there with that are most important. I miss my friends across the world but I am incredibly happy here at home. I know what I want now, I just need to make it happen.
Love this Helen!