Originally posted November 18,2009 from Portland, Oregon:
"So Doug, what was your favorite place on the trip? How was it traveling on your own? Do you have any crazy stories? Would you ever go back? How did you pay for this whole thing? How does it feel to be back? What are you going to do next? What are you going to do for work? Are you going to stay in finance? Are you going to stay in Virginia? "
Portland, Oregon was the final destination on my trip. In less then 12 hours, I will board a plane to Washington to DC with tickets I bought 9 months ago in Fremantle. Nine Months Ago. When I bought these tickets, I never actually anticipated having to get on a plane to go home. But, here we are, I am almost home.
On July 6, 2008, I left home. My only object was to go wherever I wanted. I had a backpack, 4 months worth of malaria tablets, visas to Russia, India, and Australia for a 6 -12 month trip. And now 17 months later, I will stroll back into Virginia thus ending Doug Jeffery's excellent adventure.
In total, I have spent 3 weeks in Europe, 5 months in Southeast Asia, 9 months in Australia, 6 weeks in New Zealand, 1 week in Hawaii, and 10 day between Seattle and Portland. I have been to over 15 countries, across 4 continents and have crossed ever longitude there is on a map. This trip has been great. I met tons of different people and have had loads of different experiences that have no doubt shaped who I am.
I have tangled with pimps, bus road through guerrillas, hung out with monks, done visa runs into Malayasia, and shot AKs with the best. WIthout a doubt when I am a 100 year old man, sitting on my hover rocking chair, these will be some of the better days I look back on, if I can remember them. And I count myself lucky to have had them.
I realize that this trip is something that not everyone can do, and know that a lot of things had to fall into place for this trip to have occured, most of which were outside my own control. I had to graduate from College with no debt Thanks Mom & Dad!, get a job that allowed me to save enough money to start off my trip Thanks, Freddie!, be willing to quit that job Later, Freddie!, have no romantic attachments [sad face] , and then seeing that I had no significant responsibilities and some money, been willing to walk away from everything I have ever known to take advantage of the opportunity I saw before me.
So here we are.
I mean how many people do you know who can start a sentence:
"This one time in Russia . . . . "
- or -
"Last time I was in Cambodia . . . . . "
- or -
" Well, my Australian manager at McDonalds use to say. . . . . "
Very few have had this privilege and no doubt I count myself luckily to have experienced it. But times werent all good. A lot of episodes of internal strife and self doubt existed in this trip. There was a lot of my going back and forth as to whether or not this was the right decision and whether or not it was right to give up whatever it is I had. It wasnt easy just setting out and leaving everything and everyone I knew behind.
This as well as many other issues peppered my trip. For instance, at one point, I was in Phenom Penh, Cambodia and was very sick. I didnt tell anyone about, especially my parents, because I knew it would just freak out an already freaked out bunch of people. So that morning, when I woke up shivering in a pool of my own sweat, with a fever, upset stomach, uncontrollable headache, after convulsing all night, and rode to the hospital on the back of a motorbike sure I was going to die in Cambodia from Dengue Fever, I kept it to myself.
But still I pushed on.
And while I accrued storied abroad, things kept moving at home, most of which, I wish I could have been there for. When it comes to sports, I follow only one sport; only one team: the Philadelphia Phillies. For most of my life, I have watched them flounder around in the NL East basement, almost never doing anything worth noting. And even when they got close to doing something worth talking about, they inevitably fell short. Thank you very much, Joe Carter!
But while I was gone, that all changed. The Phillies have only won two World Series in their entire franchise history. Only one of which was during my lifetime . . . . . And I missed it, because of this trip.
While I was gone, Cosmo my dog of 14 years died. Without being overly dramatic, that hit me pretty hard. I was just a month into my trip and had just got into Bangkok, my first stop, my first time in Asia. The streets were crowded, loud, and dirty; culture shock is the term that is thrown around. I had retreated off the streets to regroup and check my email, and found out that he had to be put down. Now, I know this shouldnt be that big of a deal to any grown man, but it was. Anyone, who stepped foot into the Jeffery household in Virginia was no doubt instantly won by Cosmo's oversized beagle bark and poor table manners. He was a very charismatic dog but more importantly a staple of my home. And I lost that part of home, at a moment when I wanted home the most.
Being away from home, means that I have missed some critical family moments, a Thanksgiving, a Christmas, my cousin's graduation, numerous birthdays, and even a medical emergency. When I get home I will never have seen my brother when he was 21 and he will never have seen me when I was 24. I have been in Red Square, more recently then I have been in my own bedroom. And I will have tasted authentic Pad Thai more recently then I have had my grandmother's stuffing. Dont get me wrong Australian beach Christmas's are fun, but if you ask me it isnt Christmas if you arent arguing over a pictionary timer with your family in a cold climate.
Two weeks ago, when I stepped into Hawaii that was my first steps into Obama America.
When I initially left the country, everyone was asking, "So, you are American? What do you think of Bush?"
That changed to "Oh, so who are you going to vote for?"
To: "Oh, so what do you think of Obama?"
I watched the presidential election in an American Embassy surrounded by Vietnamese, a bit surreal. And have been struggling to keep up on American news from the often diluted and jaded tid bits I can, ever since. My how things have changed (a touch of sarcasm).
No doubt after my entire trip, I am excited to go home. I didnt leave because I didnt like the US, or my family or friends. I left because I wanted to see something different and travel a bit before I knew that wasnt going to be a realistic option. So when I say I am excited to go home, being excited doesnt fully express how pumped I am to see my family and friends after so long. But at the same time I am very real about the situation. I know that while I have been away time hasnt stood still. People have not been waiting for me to return in the same spot I have left. Things have been moving forward for everyone. So I cant help but be anxious for my return and as to how, I am going to fit back into the Virginia I left.
"Doug, so was the trip worth it?"
ha, of course. I wouldnt trade a moment of it for anything. I dont second guess my decision to leave or length of time I spent away. But still I worry as to whether or not Ill be able to keep up with the conversation my friend are having when I get back? And as to whether or not I will I be able understand the gossip going on around the table at Thanksgiving? And as to whether or not I will be able to comfortably fall back into a 'typical' routine and kill the travel flight instinct that now grows within me.
"So whats next for Doug?"
[deep breath] To be honest, I have no idea. This is a big part of why I left to start with. My trip was suppose to be a time of soul searching [blah, bablah] . . . . Have I figured out what it is I want to do? No! But I think a big part of my trip was my coming to terms with that and just accepting this.
Do I know what it is I want to do next? No, not really. . . . so tomorrow, I am going to get off the plane, hug my parents, unpack my bag, move back into my parents basement, hang my giant diploma next to my old Cookie monster poster, and just continue to live the dream. The dream that any unemployed, broke person that lives with the parents can live. . . . .
What's next for Doug? I dont know. Things couldnt be more unsure. But one things is for sure. I could use a vacation.
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On Thursday November 19, 2009 at 9:54 pm, Ill touch down in Washington DC. Home Again!