Today’s Epiphany Brought to You By: Melissa
Melissa Giroux is originally from Quebec, Canada. She is a full time backpacker and a travel blogger at abrokenbackpack.com. Travelling since June 2014, she is currently in Australia on a long term trip. Follow her broken stories as a traveler with debts and massives doses of craziness.
When I came back from Turkey, I was devastated.
Two months before, I quit my job and I sold all my material life. I didn’t know where to start. During my trip, I learnt two things:
“Do not let your fears take the decision for yourself.”
“Do not let a man influence your decision.”
I decided to go back to school to study tourism. I always wanted to quit my social work job to do something about travel but I was too scared to make the move. With two of my school colleagues, we decided to plan a trip to Western Canada so we could improve our English. On my birthday, we got the best idea to book a short trip to Hawaii from Vancouver. After a couple of weeks, I realized (for the second time in my life… and not the last) that is better for me to travel alone. I left them behind and I moved to another town to find a job. I was supposed to go back to school to finish my tourism studies after two months. All my single plans were falling apart for my “coming back” and I ended up being confused. I made a big decision and I announced my parents and my boss that I would not come back.
I found an opportunity to fly to Australia to meet two other friends (that I will leave again later). So, I worked two jobs to make sure I could make my dream come true. I improved my English and saved money while I enjoyed the life in the Rockies.
Here I am, still in Australia for already nearly 10 months. I am so happy that I met a charming backpacker and so pleased that I will stay here for another year. I will probably drop by other countries around while I am on the other side of the World.
After nearly 15 months on the road, I learnt a lot. I fell in love with myself in the bad as in the good. I challenged my fears, my comfortable habits and my broken/broke sides.
I am so pleased that I finally found the perfect job. I am a full time backpacker and I am working hard to become a full time blogger who doesn’t need any other side job. To combine two passions is definitely the best thing I can hope for!
I am looking forward to what comes next and I am making sure that I will not have to deal with a 30 years old crisis later.
Visit Melissa and show her some love!
Mel’s Blog – A Broken Backpack
A short vacation in Thailand turned into a life abroad with a canceled ticket home. Nearly 15 years later and after living in Bangkok, Rio de Janeiro, Puebla, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, and Baja, Steph is on her most unexpected adventure yet: navigating the wild journey of chronic medical conditions and the search for health and peace. She is still living, traveling, and working (as a location-independent millennial therapist) around the world to find the beautiful, inspirational, and interesting while sharing it with you!
