“It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn. Maybe that’s enlightenment enough – to know that there is no final resting place of the mind, no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom, at least for me, means realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go.”
– Anthony Bourdain
In my opinion, there is nothing more enjoyable in life than traveling. The people you meet, the places you see, the food you taste, the sounds, the smells, the experiences and most importantly the insight you gain, all enrich your life and the lives of those around you in some way.
It was while playing baseball in Australia and Germany after college that I fell in love with travel. I vividly recall playing in the European Championship and hearing eight different languages spoken on the field in one week. Not only did I find the diversity of language interesting but the style of play varied drastically country to country as well. I was so fascinated!
Upon returning to U.S., it was time for me to “grow up and get a real job.” After graduating physician assistant from school at age 28, I thought I had found what I was looking for: a profession that offered enough variety, placed me in a position to directly improve the lives of others and paid a decent salary.
Once I graduated, I was ready to take on the world. I went to work caring for an underserved mostly Spanish speaking population on the west side of Chicago. This job would not only challenge me but also allow me to learn about the cultures of my patients, who were from all over the world. After more than five years of caring for patients with lengthy problem lists and insurmountable social situations combined with hours of charting each night, I realized this was not sustainable. These patients needed care but in order to maintain my sanity, I needed a break.
So after completing five years of service with the National Health Service Corps to pay off my student loans, Molly and I quit our jobs to embark upon this journey to South America, a trip that we had individually wanted to take for years (for more information on why South America, check out the blog post here).
This journey is about taking a sabbatical to intentionally live life, seek adventure, explore interests and discover new ways of positively impacting the world. It is quite possible I return and pick up where I left off in medicine but also possible I end up on a new life path all together. I hope you will come along with me for the ride!