When Adventure Starts

"The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and go do something. Don't wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some things happen, you will fill the world with hope and yourself with hope."

-Barack Obama

"I've spent 2 days staring at my computer screen." - A Closer To Colin original.

Saturday's mark the end of my work week so theoretically, they are my "Friday's." This Saturday, I skipped Happy Hour, went home, showered, crawled into bed with my laptop and watch documentaries on Myanmar, the country in Southeast Asia formally known as Burma. It's West of Thailand and lots of our Habitat homeowners are Burmese. My relaxing night of Service Learning just sort of happened and it all felt so right.

I was choosing a 3rd film when Netflix suggested "180° South." A film following athletically adventurous Jeff Johnson as he sails South to Patagonia after being inspired by Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkin's road trip in 1968.

Yvon, the founder of Patagonia clothing and Doug, he co-founder of The North Face are both really cool, outdoorsy, business-dudes who have been super successful with all they've achieved and they reminded me that I am capable of doing what ever I want to do.

Travel. Serve. Mentor. Share. Motivate. Laugh. Change. Grow.

Said best,

"The best way to find yourself is to loose yourself in the service of others."

-Mahatma Gandhi

So, I spent two days watching documentaries and researching life-options on the internet.

I started overhauling my AmeriCorps NCCC Team Leader application. My preference is the Atlantic Region, soon to be located in Baltimore, MD.

I applied for a Habitat for Humanity Global Village Trip. My preferences were primarily South America.

Greenheart Travel has a language immersion program in Argentina. I could learn spanish while living in Argentina for 8 weeks!

I want to mentor youth and maybe adopt a child in the future.

I gave a homeless man in Portland a dollar because he made me laugh, why can't I see Patagonia too? I want to live my life without reservation.

"Miss no opportunity of making some small sacrifice. Here, by a smiling look. There by a kindly word. ALways doing the smallest right and doing it all for love."

-Therese de Lisieux

Half of my sprouting ideas may not grow but that's okay, as long as my positive ideas germinate, I will continue to change someone's world. Wondering where all my plans are coming from, I've spent 2 months reflecting on past relationships, current "angels of the day," dreaming of future goals and realizing my dreams are growing faster than I can write them down. I'm not shooting for mediocre goals. I'm aiming for what I am most passionate about.

On the phone with an East Coast friend tonight, she asked if my 2 years in AmeriCorps have made me "adventurous."

I have always been adventurous in my own way. AmeriCorps just gave me a push of confidence and courage to jump.

"The word adventure has gotten overused. For me, when everything goes wrong, that's when adventure starts."

-Yvon Chounard