when the travel bug bites

I'm Feeling restless.

Aside from a weekend trip to Canada at the end of June with my family, I haven't gone anywhere in the past few months. After a year of the hostel-hopping lifestyle, this feels kind of excruciating. I don't know how I stayed in one place for so long before, but I can't hack it anymore.

I need to get away.

I've got a few little trips coming up soon, I'll be going out of town for a concert with one of my best friends later this week, and I'll be in Chicago in October, but I need some fresh scenery. I've been drooling over the Education Abroad programs that my school offers, and the EF College Break emails I receive, and basically any picture of anywhere other than Ohio. Trying to be responsible with my money for that whole post-graduate grind coming up on the horizon is really giving me cabin fever. I'm ready to hop on the first plane out of town, regardless of destination.

I've been especially restless lately because I've been a lot more focused on Shut Up and Go, which if you're not familiar with it is a travel platform started by two multilingual twenty-somethings dedicated to those who forget the "what ifs" and go see the world on their own terms. I've been trying to become a contributor to the website, so we'll see what comes of that. I'm hoping to be able to toss myself into a new career path, to meld my love for travel and my lust for language learning into a career that's unique and satisfying. I've been doubting my skills and my employability recently (not a word, I know, just roll with it) but a few loved ones have reminded me that it's okay not to know what you want to do with your life at 21. You just have to find what you love and then find a way to make it a career, so the next few months will be a journey in soul searching and profitability hunting. Keepin' my fingers crossed for a winning lotto ticket to hold me over while I travel and earn more degrees. Until then, all I can do is wait, and try to indulge the travel bug in affordable ways while my life sorts itself out.