Wanderlustin'...

Is being unemployed in this recession so bad? On the one hand, of course, because who doesn't want to get paid? On the other, who necessarily wants to be bound to a soulless institution that you don't believe in? (Either way, I can’t find a job, so obvi I’m picking the latter and BELIEVING IN IT. If you know someone that is hiring – feel free to email me for my résumé.)

Think I'm using hobo logic here? Think I should pack a knapsack and hobocross the world? If I did, would you be jealous?

Maybe it's my bourgeoisie, liberal-arts-cultural-loving mindset speaking but I think that I should enjoy my life in whatever endeavors that I do. I'm young. I don't want a career. Academic excellence is one thing, but what about something new?

Every three months or so I get bitten by the travel bug. Travel articles become my only form of entertainment as I try to imagine myself in each locale. I even entertained the idea of travel writing until I went to a seminar at the American Press Club two years ago and realized what a terrible job it was. [You get paid by the word, you aren’t paid for your expenses, and many times people are willing to turn their experiences in for free.]

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to a lot of places, but I still feel like I haven’t seen enough of the world. Why see it? Why bother when you can watch a video and look at other people’s photos on facebook? If you have to ask, then you don’t know. If you think you know what I'm talking about because you've studied abroad in England, you don't. I'm not being a snob, I'm just being a bitch.

Long story short, this is a call-to-arms for ideas of places to go. Where is somewhere that you’ve been/dreamed of going/are going/will go in the near future that is beautiful/exhilarating/someplace you wouldn't hesitate to return again and again? If you’re planning on going, I should probably go with you.

Alternately, there are quite a few places that I am unwilling to go unless you have a proper hook up, like.. have relations there/free place to stay/can speak the language/know how to not get kidnapped. Currently, I am not interested in going to Central America, South America, North Amer..errrrrr anywhere in the Americas. I would pass on any major city in Europe with the exception of Athens and the Greek Isles and maybe Portugal. MAYBE. No to Sydney. No to Japan with the Yen being so strong. I can’t swim. I don’t necessarily enjoy beaches. Freezing my ass off isn’t fun unless warmth is only a hop, skip, and shiver away.

This pretty much leaves all of SE Asia, bits of Africa, unfriendly Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg only), and whatever you think I’m missing. Embrace your youth and travel with me!