That's what my mum said, obviously. Why bugger off on the other side of the world?
Mama, that's a good question.
I mean, apart from the obvious, leave the rat race behind, dive every day, and live on the beach with permanent warm weather?
Well, let's see....
- To do something I love, for a starter. Every single day. For a living. Who cares about selling parts and engines when you can dive every day and explore the other 70% of the planet? And have much more time for the other things I love: books, music, writing, eating fruits (yeah, Indonesia is a fructivore paradise, let me tell you)
- To live in an environment that I am happy in. On the shore (yes, I know this is what I am doing already), outside the city, under the sun, with palm trees and weird birds (and mosquitoes, damn it).
- I am a woman, I am full of contradictions. Yes, I love fancy expensive shoes. But I also love walking bare feet all day long. My feet are actually never happier than with no shoes on, and my feet are a fundamental part of my happiness (yes, you know how much I love them). I want to prove to myself, in a way, that I can live with a single pair of Havaianas in my closet. And live happily, obviously. Without the rest, also. There is a very thrilling feeling provoked by getting rid of it all. I am keeping books, some clothes, and a couple of random boxes over here. The rest is all going. No more furniture, television, kitchen stuff, and all that. No more nothing. My life is meant to fit in two suitcases, one of which will be full of dive gear really, and holy crap, it feels bloody liberating.
- And no, I don't mind going into something where I'll probably make a quarter of the money I am making now. First, life in Indonesia is dead cheap compared to Europe, just so you know. And second, well since I am getting rid of all this stuff, I don't feel like I am going to need a lot of NEW stuff. As long as I have a decent place to stay, enough money to fill my belly with mie goreng and satay ayam (yum), and fly out once in a while, I think I'll be fine, at least for a while. Yeah, I'll take care about retirement plans...one day.
- To see if dreams can survive to real life. I have been talking and daydreaming about this since...more than seven years now, I think.And then I decided that, after all, the worst that could happen is that it just would not be for me, or maybe it would not be as good, or maybe I would get fed up with it. But as long as I don't try, I'll never know, right? Don't live with regrets, says the book. Well, let's try a bit of that, to see what it's like.
- Because my family, my friends love me. I had some many proofs of these over the last months when discussing this plan. Therefore, they will be here when I come back. If I do, or wherever I end up going. They'll visit, they'll keep giving me news, they'll be happy when I visit. Yes, I am aware it's the other end of the world. But my mum is on Skype and Facebook, you know, so I guess everybody is.
To be honest, this is the hard bit to swallow. There is a price to pay for every choice, and I think this is it. Not to see my magnificent nephew growing, not to hear new words from little Charlotte, not to be by your side at your next birthday, not to be able to call some of you randomly and go grab a beer. But hey, nothing comes for free, even on the other side of the planet.