And We're Off!
It has been a hell of a month, really.
"How are you feeling?" - I've been asked probably like twenty times (seriously). And this question always makes me look inside and reflect. Excited? Most definitely. Happy? You bet. Scared? That, too. The feeling right now reminds me a bit of when I first left home to come to Australia: a bit nervous, unsettled, but deep inside a feeling that there's a bigger reason for us to be doing all this and that at the end it will be amazing.
I finished work last Friday, so this past week was spent catching up with friends one last time before we head off, having our farewell party, having meals with family and - just to make things even more interesting - it was also Lou's 21st (thank you for celebrating that earlier so we could be part of it).
We're now off to our first stop - India - which might well be the most challenging destination we have on our list. Better start with a hell of a cultural shock (I hope?) and kick us into gear for the year that's to come. As you can probably tell, it's been a somewhat emotional moment, but I like to think that this is a good thing - it means that we're about to do something big and push ourselves out there.
May we be safe and let the journey begin.
Love,
Fernando
Wow, what a whirlwind our life has been these last few weeks. Time couldn't have moved faster. I can't believe I have quit my job, been to Bali and back, celebrated my baby sister's 21st birthday, reunited with a huge amount of my extended family and finalised planning and packing for our year abroad - all in the space of 3 weeks!
I am worried that this momentum isn't going to slow down anytime soon, "It's going to go by so fast" - as so many people have reminded me. So as I look to the trip ahead of us, my main intention is to stay present - very apt as I am about to finish The Power of Now (highly recommended by the way) - and enjoy each moment as it presents itself.
I feel like I am constantly in a self-imposed rush, so to consciously decide to slow down and live in the moment is not going to be easy but it's a big part of why I wanted to take this year off. I can't wait to be thrown into the crazy that is India, it's going to be a challenge, but better to do it while we are fresh and full of energy!
I will miss all my friends and family so much, but I am very lucky that I will be seeing many of them over the course of the trip.
I am filled with so many emotions right now, but to stick to my intention - for now, I will simply enjoy the company of my family and be grateful for this final night in Sydney (with clean water).
Love, Alex.
Some photos of our Farewell party and what we've been up to recently
