HOW I LEFT THE LIFE I KNEW BEHIND: MY JOURNEY TO STARTING FRESH ON ANOTHER CONTINENT

NOV. 28, 2021

Breaking Free from Stability and Embracing the Unknown

How exactly does one who has lived in their entire life in the same hometown leave it all behind to start a new life on the road, in a different continent, without knowing anyone? One needs to let go of stability, security, routine, safety, comfort, community, speaking the same language, familiarity of cultural norms and more. Not to mention financial ties, materialistic objects, and subscriptions that come with forming roots.

The kickoff for me was in August 2021 when the EU opened up its borders to American citizens. I promptly left 2 months later in October. That's not a lot of time to plan to pick up my life and leave, but I had already got the ball rolling a few months before because I knew I was leaving sooner or later. There was no other option in my mind of what I was going to do next in life. This was Plan A. Here's how I managed to tidy up my life and make this leap into the unknown.

1. The Turning Point: Getting Laid Off and Rethinking Life

Losing my job was the catalyst that forced me to reconsider my next steps in life. This was a very important step because it stopped me from living my normal routine and forced me to ask myself what I wanted to do next. Do I find another job, take a short break and then jump back into the workforce, open that animal sanctuary my friends and I always joked about, or do I pursue the BIG DREAM? This time of reflection set everything in motion.

2. The Big Decision: Buy Motorcycle for the Expedition

Knowing that a motorcycle would be a necessity on my expedition, I started researching how to buy a bike as a foreigner in Europe. I learned it is very difficult for a US citizen or foreigner to purchase one because you need a number of things that prove you live in Europe for the paperwork, such as a permanent address, a bank account, a citizen identification number and much more. I did not know anyone in Europe who would make such a purchase for me and put it under their name.

While these conversations were happening, I test rode several motorcycles in California recommended to me from kind local riders before I made a decision of which bike would accompany my journey. I tested a Vstrom 650, BMW GS310, DR350, Kawasaki Versys 300, Royal Himalayan 400, XR250R and a CB500X. I ultimately chose a Honda Dominator 250cc, a dual sport ideal for both road and dirt even thought I didn't test ride it. I told myself once I wired the money over to the company I was buying the bike from, all other things would quickly fall into place and things would start moving fast. I wired thousands of dollars to someone I never met on a across the world.

3. Making It Official: Purchase a One Way Plane Ticket

I completed the first main step: buying a bike. The next major step was purchasing a one way plane ticket. This solidified my commitment to the journey. With the bike purchase and plane ticket out of the way, all that remained was tying up loose ends and saying my goodbyes.

4.  Tying Up Loose Ends: Eliminating Responsibilities at Home

For most people, this might mean selling a house, car or business. I always knew I was going to do this type of trip, so I decided to live at home. This decision allowed me to save for this dream, as well as not have the anchor of a property. I sold my car, entrusted my motorcycle to a friend, sold/ donated as much of my belongings as I could. I canceled unecessary expenses like my car insurance, my gym membership and subscriptions. The final checklist included everything from getting bloodwork, an International Driver's license, a debit card without ATM withdrawal fees, lowering my motorcycle insurance, doing a photoshoot to say goodbye to my car, and finishing my PMI webinars for my accreditation. It was a checklist of about 20 items and was a lot.

5. Skill Building: Learning to Ride Off-Road

Since I purchased a dual sport motorcycle and planned on camping on non-paved terrain, I wanted to get some off-riding experience. A kind local rider who let me test ride his motorcycles also offered to take me dirt biking. This was essential for my journey because it made me face all the things I've been avoiding over the past decade on a streetbike: dirt, sand, gravel, rocks, uneven surfaces. Doing this made me so much more comfortable with the rear tire sliding left and right, losing control and regaining traction again. This training was crucial in building confidence and comfort on unpredictable terrains.

6.Gear Up for European Riding: Preparing for All Seasons

Riding in Europe for 2 years is definitely different than riding in perfectly sunny warm weather California. The rest of the world apparently has something called "seasons." I invested in weatherproof gear, boots, a lightweight tent, motorcycle luggage rack, soft panniers, a bikelock. Luckily I was able to get the majority of this stuff preowned.

7. Celebrating with Loved Ones: Throwing a “See You Later” Party

The most meaningful step was gathering my community for a See You Later Party. I believe the meaning of life is connection. And because of this, I have spent a lot of time building community where my roots are. Family and friends from all facets of my life: high school, college, work, badminton, motorcycling, partying, hiking, Tahoe cabin, and camping trips came to see me. It was a wonderful day and an emotional gathering of my community to send me off in the most impactful way. It's nice to be reminded how loved you are.

Embracing Change and Making Your Dream a Reality

And that, my friends, is how I prepared for my life to change. Transitioning to a new life isn’t easy, but when you break down the large task into small steps, it’s achievable. If you’ve been dreaming of a significant change, consider this roadmap and adapt it to your situation. Sometimes the hardest part is simply taking the first step.