I would just like to start by saying that this is in NO WAY related to gypsy culture/romanian culture. Thanks to TLC, I know that some of you reading this title may have that thought in mind, and luckily for you, I will not be assaulting your senses or your ideals.
If you read our About Us page then you know I (Amanda) live a very unique lifestyle, and if you have not read it, then please take a seat, because I am about to confuse your brains, but don't worry you will like it : )
Overnight backpacking trip to a Glacial Lake with my pup Mr. Tyson
So let's start with asking the question most of us have to ask ourselves once our days of "all my responsibilities include are making it to class, doing decent on exams, and keeping myself alive and out of jail" are over..."what the hell am I going to do after college??" For a lucky group of you, this answer is easy and you know exactly what your passion is. Two of my absolute best friends are in medical school, God help them, and I couldn't be happier; we need people like them. For the rest of us, we spend our last year of college pretending like real life isn't about to happen, only to find out it doesn't just happen, it kicks you in the ovaries.
Let me just set this up for you, I was a Classics major. No, not classical music, Classical HISTORY. You know, information I will use to help people and make a fabulous career for myself. I studied latin, Greek/Roman history, art, architecture, etc. I started my first year as a Marketing Major with life plans in tow, and then came accounting and finance classes, brutally tearing my plans to shreds. I was miserable, so like most people I realized life doesn't always go as you plan, and switched my major. I absolutely love Classics, and if that makes me crazy then even better.
My options were get my PhD and become a professor, an archaeologist, or do latin translation research, but none of these appealed to me. Then a wonderful human I met gave me the idea of a lifetime: Either give myself anxiety over this huge decision, and possibly force myself into doing something I hate, or take control and do something I and most of us love...travel, and I did.
I go anywhere I want to go, work and provide for myself, and see some of the most beautiful sights and places that most Americans never get the chance to enjoy. So many people think they need to travel abroad to be amazed, when we have so many mouth dropping destinations right in our backyard.
Montana
Knowing that this was going to be the best possible time in my life to do this, I took the plunge. I had no idea what I was doing, and was of course nervous, but we only get one life, and I made the decision that I was going to see and enjoy as much of God's green earth as possible before making the decision to become a real adult. I can't even begin to describe to you the memories I have created. When I tell most people about my lifestyle they say "Oh my goodness that sounds amazing!! I wish I had the guts to do that!" I am here to tell you that YOU DO. This is possible for anyone, no I do not live on my parents funding, I work my ass off to pay my bills and to afford what I do, and I love every minute.
Hiking to a Glacier, yes that is a goat behind me
It is so easy to get stuck in the belief that after you graduate you have to find the decently paying 9-5 job, find someone willing to put up with your shit, slap a ring on it, and throw up that picket fence. This does not equal happiness, maybe it does for some, but it sure as hell doesn't for me. Life has so much more to offer than that. It isn't just college grads that are confused about their life path either. Maybe you got the dream job, only to find out it wasn't the dream you had hoped it would be, or you are in college and have decided you need a year off, the scenarios are endless.
I know this lifestyle isn't for everyone, and that's perfectly ok. It's hard to get the courage to go against the grain and out of our comfort zone, and some simply don't want to. But for me, going out of my comfort zone has helped me to learn more about who I am and what I want, so that one day when I am ready to grow some roots I'll know exactly who I am.
I know this is getting grudgingly long, so I will end here. My posts won't normally be this long I promise, but I just have so much I want to share. I'm going to write a Part II about where I have been and how I work to support this lifestyle, so if you are intrigued then please do read that one, but if you are not then, well, don't : )
XO Amanda
