Start the Countdown

It's a rainy Wednesday afternoon, and I am sitting on the couch watching a movie while taking inventory of my travel clothing. By my most recent count I have 2 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of nylon cargo pants, 1 pair of khakis, 2 pairs of shorts, a pair of running shorts, 5 short sleeve shirts, 7 long sleeve shirts, 12 pairs of quick drying socks (most of them matching), enough boxers to last, a rain jacket, a pair of hiking boots, Chaco sandals, Toms shoes, and a pair of running shoes. All I need is a sun/rain hat (and some hair ties and headbands) and I think I should be set.

Next Friday is my last day at the Seattle Athletic Club. Saying that I am quitting my job to travel around the world and volunteer in poverty for a year is a weird feeling. Saying that I will be doing all that after next week magnifies the weirdness a great deal. The other day as I was riding the bus downtown, I started to think not only about my last day at work, but also about leaving Seattle altogether. Understanding and accepting that reality has made me start to look for and notice things and people here that I may have been taking for granted previously.

I put up a photo and video from last weekend when three of my close friends here and I went out to the Olympic Peninsula to camp at LaPush, a beautiful little coastal town west of Seattle. As it turns out, none of the four of us would stand even the slightest chance of survival if we were to become stranded on an island. The video will clearly explain that statement. We had a great time, and it was actually really nice for me to get away and let myself forget about all the chaos here.

Sorry there isn't much else to report, but we are one week away from our first event, held at the SAC, and three weeks away from our second event, a dinner at the new Portage Bay Cafe. I cannot wait to get to these events, and hopefully be able to share our vision with hundreds of new people between the two. Enjoy the rest of your week everyone, I will be back before you know it.

What is Truth?

What is truth? I have been reading a book for the past couple weeks that has me really thinking about the concept of truth. There is literal truth, which is what we all think of when we ask if something is true, but there are also other types of truth. Metaphorical truth is the other main type that has been discussed, and, honestly, I am really starting to buy into it. A metaphorical truth can take place in a story in which the circumstances are fictional, but the message is true. I'm not really sure why I decided to open with this idea, but I guess it is just something to chew on until I can come up with something better next week.

Only two weeks left in Seattle! It's so crazy to think about packing up all my belongings and saying goodbye to this house, neighborhood, and the people that make this place so special. The levels of nervousness and stress have battled their way into an equal share of my emotions with excitement. There are two photos that were taken from my deck tonight to illustrate the beauty of the Northwest in Summer. I honestly cannot think of a more beautiful place, although I am certainly open to finding some in the next year!

Big news! I have airline tickets from Portland to New York and New York to Punta Gorda, Belize, thanks entirely to the generosity of my mom and a friend and client here in Seattle. Reserving those tickets was the latest "this is really happening" moment for me. Those moments are really funny because they all feel like the biggest, most substantial shifts in mindset. Of course that is only until the next one comes along and makes the last one seem so insignificant. Each time I experience one I have a little breakdown, even though I know, so very well by this point, that the current situation will soon be dwarfed by another. If only I could get my logical thoughts to jive with my emotions. Maybe it's these moments that make life a ride worth riding. Maybe I should stop trying to get philosophical.

I am posting the first three entries from our website on here because a lot of people were checking and telling me that I hadn't updated my blog in a while. Now they are all on here and there's no more confusion, thanks for checking everyone!

It's Getting Crazy

Everyday I am amazed at how much is involved in starting an organization and planning a trip around the world. Of course it is a lot of work, I would be a fool to think it would be easy, but there are so many little things that I have never considered. From filling out all the paperwork to handing out fliers, from seeking donations for an auction to continually contacting different organizations, it is enough to make me feel like I can't see straight any more. For crying out loud, I just realized this morning that it's August!

Despite the increased stress levels and financial output, I am thrilled with where we are as an organization right now. We are basically just waiting for the IRS to send a determination letter, and at that point we have one more application to complete. Last week we got our first letter reminding us to complete our quarterly report, which actually is humorous since we don't really have anything to report. Thinking about where we are now versus even 3 months ago is mind boggling, and encouraging.

As far as the trip goes, I have hit a bit of a lull in the action. With the vast majority of my attention set on fundraising activities and paperwork for the state and IRS, it has been difficult for me to find much time to be in touch with the people I need to be at each organization. I am optimistic that I will hear from one of the organizations this week or next with their final decision/offer for the internship we have been discussing the past couple months. I am right now on a serious hunt for a water and sanitation organization in either Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or India. A number of such organizations I have been in touch with have no internship program in place, and therefore are not able to handle my request to spend 10 weeks with them. This has been frustrating, but I am confident that the right one will be presented at the right time.

In other news, I had my first minor breakdown a couple days ago while I was in the midst of processing one of the many applications, planning one of our fundraising events, and communicating with a couple different organizations, all while doing my laundry and grocery shopping. Now, I am fully aware that my lifestyle doesn't exactly produce high stress levels, but this was a lot for me to handle while I was trying to wrap my mind around what I am actually doing. A lot of times, in light of the increasingly quickly approaching journey I am planning, I want to put everything else aside while I simply spend time living life with all the people I love here. Finding that balance has been difficult for me. I feel the pressure to do everything with everyone before I leave, knowing full well that there is as good of a chance that I won't ever live here again as there is that I will. That is a very anxiety-inducing thought for me, and I am continuing to ask for everyone's prayers that I am able to use the time I have left here as best as possible in all the areas of my life. There are sure to be more stressful days, and I'm sure those days will be nothing compared to what I will experience later in life, when I have real responsibility beyond myself. I'll do my best to write more regularly, as I am trying to create this habit so it will be easier during my trip.