Wow, you are right on with this. I feel the same way. After every thing that has happened to me over the last few years, I feel like I wasted so much of my youth putting myself throught college at night for fifteen years while working 50 – 50 hours a week on top of that. All for what? I wish we told everyone graduating high school there is more to life than climbing that invisible ladder. Do what you are passionate about, not what society thinks you should be doing.

Now they tell us. lol

I have also always been a wanderlust going against the grain, and wanting to go further, but we have these parents who gives us all they have in order for us to be better and do bigger things than they did. Now we are under their spell and have to live life a certain way because of their sacrifices. We are so reminded.

Well now I know better and have raised my daughter differently. The only thing that I have required her to do is to get a Bachelor’s degree, I didn’t care if it was in basket weaving, and the rest is up to her.
Well she is almost finished with that degree and she intends to travel, possibly teaching English around the world.
Of course I wish I knew this when I was her age, or even knew that the possibility existed. However, it is not too late, but now I am a bit afraid. I am preparing to do as you have done without a great deal of savings and that scares me too. I am not one wait and wonder, I will do it while shaking in my boots.

Tonya: I know it seems intimidating and a bit frightening, but there is nothing to fear. Do your research and just use common sense. It will be a wonderful experience. I firmly believe we’d have a better world if everyone had to travel in foreign countries for a ear before beginning a career.