0 - The great unknown
A story on how I left my suburban life to trudge through mud and snow with kids in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Apparently, I was two weeks late for my own birth. Transitions can still be tough for me. In fact, it took me 5 months after signing the lease to buy a kitchen trash can for my first apartment. I had convinced myself that I was rebelling against capitalism by making it harder to produce waste. I’m going against the system, I thought, as I awkwardly waddled to the bin with an armload of trash.
Truth is, I was prolonging my nesting into the new space, and my transition into adult life. I had just graduated from college, landed a full-time job with benefits, and signed a lease for my very own apartment. At 22 years old, I was that person who paid her rent and bought groceries. And like clockwork, every seven days I’d think, how is it Wednesday already?
I tried that for a year. Eventually, I realized that I was unfulfilled and rapidly spiraling into madness. I’d been working in a role that didn’t fully align with my values, and I wasn’t getting any closer to my dream of traveling all over the world. There are a million reasons to stay in a comfortable spot — community, stability, and routine, to name a few — and there is always one reason to leave. Sometimes we gotta go our own way to live our truth and get back to home base.
“Declaration of the Independence of the Imagination and the Rights of Man to His Own Madness”, by Salvador Dalí. Photo by Nance, at the Art Institute of Chicago.
A couple of months ago, I applied for seasonal work out of state. I arrived in Estes Park, Colorado a little over 2 weeks ago to start my new job as an ecology instructor. This means I’ll be teaching kids about the environment and leading short expeditions through the mountainous forest for the next couple of months.
Life can change drastically in the blink of an eye. In a short span of time, I went from regularly sitting in front of a computer to exploring the woods of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. So far, so good.
Just a casual Easter Sunday, at the summit of Emerald Mountain. Photo by Clover.
So…where does the blog come in?
This blog is for sharing my thoughts with people who wonder what it’s like to walk away from everything they know. Each post is made with one or more of these intentions in mind:
Reflection on experiences (new and old)
Sharing of lessons learned
Storytelling
Platform for photography
Where do you come in?
If you’re reading this, you’re either a loved one who’s wondering about Nance’s whereabouts or a new friend who stumbled onto these words. This is a space for marveling at the beauty of life on Earth and becoming our best selves. Hope you join!
I will be posting life updates once a week on Wednesdays. I may post more often to share specific lessons learned, particular reflections, or notable stories. Subscribe now to receive weekly updates directly to your inbox!
Life is one funny ** / A true comedian, you gotta love him, you gotta trust him
Excerpt from DUCKWORTH by Kendrick Lamar.