So Long, Farewell!

Dearest of the dearest to my heart,


It is with a solidly mixed up mix of emotions that I find myself writing to you on my very last day at 13th street Capogiro.


Am I sad? Am I happy? Will I miss it? Will I miss YOU? Am I crazy? Excited? Confused? Jubilant? YES. Yes to everything. I don't know how to find the words to describe it.


Leaving this wonderful group of people (co-workers and customers alike) may very well bring me to tears when it truly hits me. Over three and a half years of my life have revolved around an amazing store; full of life, love, food, and incredible people - ones we see daily, and ones we only have the pleasure of speaking to once. So why am I leaving a store that holds such a place in my heart? The world calls, simply put. I'm set to embark on a journey that will remain a dream to me until I find that am actually within it. I am off to travel the world!


Travel is: Thrilling. Risky. Adventurous. Expensive. Amazing. Stressful. Educational. Addicting. Worth it. 


Telling someone you're leaving your job - permanently - to go travel, incites an impressive array of reactions. I expected a bit more opposition than I've ultimately encountered, which helps me reassure myself when I slip back into worrying about finances, language barriers, or understanding the proper attire and conduct for my gender and age. The general response, from friends, family, acquaintances, and flat out strangers has been purely support and encouragement, and I could not be more grateful for it.


When we first considered a long trip, it seemed spur-of-the moment, a notion that came on a whim. It felt as if we were dreaming, and figuring out the logistics of something that would never actually happen, like when you envision your dream kitchen or house, or "allot" potential Mega Millions winnings. We were in the midst of signing a lease on a beautiful house, and had reached the point where we were beginning to consider buying one. We were feeling all grown up... excited and prepared and ready to establish a home of our own in the city. 


In the middle of a very loud concert, Colleen turned to me out of the blue and said (shouted, rather) "We can't sign that lease! And we can't buy a house yet!". I didn't have a clue where it came from or how to respond, so I shouted "What?! OK.". We waited until a pause between songs, and she explained in an eagerly rushed sentence, that if we were to take any period of time to travel, it should be now or never. Now while we're in a decent financial position, free of many future obligations. Now while we're in good health and can survive jet-lags. Now while we're dreaming of it! Who's to say no? And what in the world is really stopping us other than fear? Nothing in me was saying no to the proposition, so... I agreed.


After two or three weeks of weighing pros and cons, and our options with our jobs against the projected cost of a trip, we gracefully backed out of the lease and laid out a serious trip budget. We researched hostels and guesthouses, cheapest travel times and paths with regard to our ideal list of destinations, and after a good month of rearranging our itinerary on AirTreks (the most awesome, helpful, and comprehensive travel site we've come across) we came up with a trip that was within our price range, and only sacrificed a few stops from our lengthy original wish list.


In two weeks' time, we'll be packed and headed to the airport. We will have created our blog (a link to which will be added to this post) so anyone interested can check out where we're at and what we're up to. 
And WHERE in the world will we be? We have three long stays, in Italy, India, and Indonesia, during which we'll be Wwoofing, and volunteering. On the front, tail, and in-betweens, we'll have shorter stops in the UK, Athens, Cairo, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Hong Kong. We'll return to the states in mid-April, to run the Big Sur Marathon. From there, we'll clear and open our minds, and see where the world takes us. We haven't really planned it, and we don't really want to just yet. Regardless of what happens, we're anticipating a wonderful journey. We don't expect it to be easy, or relaxing, but we do expect to be doing a whole lot of learning, growing, and taking chances. I am of the opinion that we spend our entire lives "growing up". There is no tangible degree of maturity or knowledge we can achieve that grants us the title of being grown. We are here to live and to love and to learn, and a great deal of that involves our very own selves and those we come to love. 


I fear I'll ruin the keyboard with salty tears if I begin to thank every single person who has touched my life here, so I'll leave you with a simple and sincere thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Capogiro 13th, I love you, and everything and everyone that is a part of you. 


Dawne