The chapters that follow...

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page."
St. Augustine

This quote has been haunting me as of late as I have been trying to make a decision about next year. Yes, I am traveling but according to this, I have just turned the page and I’m looking at the second chapter. So, what does the rest of the book hold for me?

As I write this, I find myself at a place that I have become very comfortable. I am sitting in the window seat of the ‘little room’ coffee shop. Yes, this coffee shop is very different than most in the states. First of all, everyone smokes. This took some getting used to since I recently moved from Austin, Texas (a clean air city) and wasn’t used to all of the smoke. As I look out the window, four gringos are sitting just on the other side, enjoying their mojitos and a delicious looking brownie.

I came here this evening to try to find some sort of clarity for next year. I have been trying to convince myself that staying here another year is the right thing to do. And I know that if I did make that decision that I would also make a decision to be happy here. But I can’t help but ask myself, What else is out there? What would I miss that I haven’t yet experienced? I have recently got in touch with an old high school friend that has done more traveling than most people could do in two lifetimes. After exchanging a few messages with him, I realize that there is a lot more out there. I know that my experience here next year would be totally different but what about my original desire to see the world? What about my plan from 4 months ago before receiving the call about Guatemala and the same plan from the previous year before I tore my ACL? Has my timing just been off? Is now the time to take the plunge one more time? I would love to believe that once I travel to a few places that I will get this itch out of my system but I know that the more places I go, the more places I will want to go. So, when is enough, enough? How do you know when you should ‘settle’ in the states? Or do I have to ‘settle’ in the states? And what does it actually mean to ‘settle down’? These are the questions that are running through my mind.

I was cruising the internet this evening and randomly searched for volunteer opportunities in Africa. There are quite a few possibilities out there and I haven’t even scratched the surface. Please pray for me and clarity in this decision. I appreciate all of you more than you know!

Liz

Playlist:
Let It Be by The Beatles
Song of the South by Alabama
Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett
Think It Over One Time by Robert Earl Keen
Little Moments Like That by Brad Paisley
Oklahoma! By Original Film Cast