The realities of a traveling lifestyle come with many ebbs and flows. There are some serious highs and some ass-kicking lows. You’ll face other cultures, foreign languages, horrible stomach bugs, and daily inconsistencies that leave you struggling to hold on to something normal. But that hardest part I’ve found, the biggest challenge I face while traveling, is coming home.
I come from a smallish town in Montana, boasting about 24k people when I was born. Bozeman is tucked away in the Gallatin Valley, surrounded by 7 different mountain ranges. There are clean rivers, wide open skies, and sunsets to drool over. It was once my paradise, my bliss. But after my last 14 month long trip, I came home with different feelings.
Traveling is by far one of the best things I’ve done for myself. The personal challenges and growth factor are incomparable with other experiences I’ve had. And suddenly, after a whirlwind experience, after months in foreign places with foreign food and sights, I’m plopped back into my home town. Back to the usual. The “normal”. And it feels as if I never left at all. I go back through my photos, reminding myself that I did in fact just trek across the world for that long.
Mind you, coming home was my decision. And I thought at the time that it was what I needed. I was going to “settle down” for a few months and start working at a nice ski resort to pull in some decent income (and a ski pass) before setting out for another round of travel. I was stoked to think that I could snowboard for a bit and get back to my free and wild world. But alas, fate decided I needed a change of plans. The job fell through and ski pass perk slid through my fingers like sand on a Mexican beach (sigh).
Unable to leave and unable to afford a ski pass, my hometown is now a dream I can’t wake up from. After such an amazing trip around the world, it’s no wonder that coming home became something of a low. But just like any rollercoaster, one low brings another high. So I take a deep breath and lean in to the discomfort. Taking a page out of my own book to keep some joy in this transition. Just like if I were on the road again, I pick up, admire the lessons, and keep marching onward.
How does it feel for you to return to your hometown? I’d love to hear your experiences as well! Comment below : )
