Packing for Korea has really put things into perspective for me lately. I have sorted and organized everything a dozen times now. Being a pack rat, it has been difficult to get rid of things, but as time draws closer for me to leave, my ultimate goal is to make my suitcases as light as possible by packing more efficiently than I did for China (and certainly coming home from China!). I am now able to fit everything I own into two large suitcases, two medium boxes, and one bookbag. Actually, I could probably ditch the second suitcase if I really squished everything.
I’ve never been the type to obsess over material things. I grew up in a very poor family and was always made fun of because of the trashy trailer we lived in and my parents not having a vehicle. I myself didn’t have a car until my sophomore year of college, long after most of my peers attained theirs as sophomores in high school. I had never been to Wal-Mart or a shopping mall until I was about ten years old. My bedroom never had any real furniture in it, other than my bed and dresser; I had to make do with cardboard boxes as nightstands and bookshelves. I slept on a cheap, inflatable mattress for two years in college and even in my car when I felt like I had nowhere else to spend the night. While I have become more frivolous in recent years about buying clothes, dining out, and going places, I am still quite reluctant to pay more than $30 for any clothing item, $20 for dinner, or stay in a hostel that costs more than $10 a night. I maintain my belief in eloping to the courthouse instead of blowing a few thousand on a wedding ceremony and/or reception. And while I have been tempted by a gorgeous house on Main Street in Floyd, I still do not feel much of a desire to own a house, expensive car, boat, diamond jewelry, or other luxury things. I even worry about going to graduate school someday because of its cost; having $4,000 in student loans after graduating college was scary enough for me, and I’m well aware that that’s nothing compared to what most students have.
Whenever I travel somewhere, my most treasured souvenirs are always postcards and photographs. I have been in love with collecting postcards for many years now. In fact, I have a huge stack of them sitting on my suitcase right now, their fate still unknown. (I would love to take them to Korea with me, but they are quite heavy.) Anyone who receives email from me or has befriended me on Facebook may know that I have 140 photo albums (most of which have 60 pictures each) on there as of right now; there are probably 10 more to come in the next few days, and I haven’t even been anywhere (except PA) for the past two months! While I am not nearly as good at photography as I would like to be, I do adore taking pictures.
Of course, those passport stamps are quite important to me too. I’ve thought for many years now that if I could just travel to 50 or so countries (not that the number itself is very important), I could die happy. I have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to limit themselves to England, France, Italy, Mexico, Australia, and, oh, maybe the Caribbean. That’s like going to a buffet and eating three things! There’s a whole world out there! Get out and see as much as you can!
While I am currently obsessed with Asia, I do hope to backpack throughout Europe for a month or two after my Korea contract is over. And when I have the chance, I can’t wait to explore parts of Africa, the Middle East, South America, the Antarctic… Really, there are few places I can think of that I would not be willing to travel to. If I have the opportunity to go to North Korea this year, I will most certainly take it. At this point in my life, I cannot imagine reaching an age where I am satisfied with what I’ve seen of the world and ready to live out the rest of my days in one area. I know that happens to many people since it’s natural to have more fear as you get older, but right now I just cannot foresee ever becoming sick of traveling. Sure, luggage hassles, language barriers, “weird” foods, customs, and other aspects of international travel can be annoying, but I really do thrive on the challenges, excitement, and opportunities to learn that it gives me. I’ve often thought that even the worst days I had in China were better than some of the best days I’ve had in the United States simply because of the lessons I learned from them.
So I think my new philosophy in life is to build up my treasures in memories, writing, adventures, friends and photographs instead of other things. I’m going to quit obsessing over my career (well, my nonexistent career, that is), what other people have, my looks, my love life, and whether or not I’ll die tomorrow. Of course, these things cannot be completely swept under the rug, but every second I waste worrying about them is another second that I could have been exploring, developing my talents, helping someone, and just enjoying being alive. This is far from being a new concept, but it is one that I need a lot more practice at.
Yes, indeed, while it is somewhat scary to literally pack my life away (as my housemates have been watching me do with utter amazement), I can also say that it is refreshing.
Here’s to the next year of my life, which will hopefully be one of the best. Even better than my year in China, maybe.
