How did I end up here? The short answer is I discovered Remote Year in mid-December through my co-worker, Paige. When she informed our team at Hopscratch that she was accepted into a program that would allow her to work and travel the world for 12 months, the opportunity sounded too good to be true. I was rich with envy, and decided to apply to the program that night.
But what really happened that night?
To start, life was good. Both Hopscratch and Truce were (and are) growing well, I lived within walking distance of two of my best friends of almost 20 years, and don't even get me started on how amazing my dog Murray is. Why would I want to give that up, even if only for a year?
I've had a handful of friends travel all over the world in the past few years. There's Mira, who spent 5 months backpacking Europe. Colton, who a few months ago returned from a year and a half abroad, picking up work as needed to keep the trip going. And most recently, Jeff, who on multiple occasions has traveled to far reaches of the planet for months at a time. That night, I committed to stepping off of the sidelines and finally jumping head-first into a world I thought I would only dream of.
Not only was the thought of leaving home and heading into a world of unknowns overwhelming on its own, but it also meant giving up on my relationship with a beautiful girl that I was currently living with. Admittedly, the previous couple of months had already taken a turn downhill, but that didn't make letting go any easier. I had to stop pretending there was a chance and finally accept that there was no future for us. That was fucking hard.
Telling my partners that I wanted to leave - and needed their support - was hardly any easier of a situation. I was a wreck on the day I delivered the news. They have been two of the most amazing teams I've been able to be a part of. They have put so much into our relationship, both professionally and personally. I felt guilty, like I was bailing on them. I still feel guilty. Of course, as expected, I received nothing but the most loving support one could imagine, and I was one step closer to being on my way.
In the end, I owe a large part of my current situation to a handful of "Ducey's" (read: whisky's) at Valley Bar. The evening Paige told us about her travels, we were celebrating her acceptance into the program - quite a feat, considering there has been over 50,000 applicants - when I drunkenly applied for the program. I was accepted a week later.
And here I am, sitting on my bed in my new apartment in Córdoba, Argentina, which I will call home for another 4 weeks. The year ahead is full of uncertainty and will bring many challenges, but for now, I can go to bed knowing that sometimes drunk decisions can be good decisions.
I'll write more about my experiences and the Remote Year program in the coming weeks, so click "I want updates" on the side if you're interested. Adiós por ahora.