hey sucksuckstyle!
 

been a whyle!

how have you been? where do you live now?

still wandering after 7 years. 3 times around and still going.
have lived in about 10 countries, traveled through dozens more.
always alone.
currently in mexico.
work in art and natural healing.
have become something of the 'old man in the cave' and that's how i like it.


how are you?

^ Nice. ^

was just reading through the archives and found the leaf-blowing thread that also had my back-story. written right before i left for Nepal the first time.

11 year old me would be proud of 33 year old me.

hey!!!!!

wow. what countries have you lived and visited?

I've just been to Canada and America for the first time in summer, was really nice. met lots of netphorians!

I'm good. busy with two bands and a nice new job with actual real people, not office clones

glad you liked north america! as much as it makes me :dammit: sometimes, the more i travel the more i realise how unique and special it is.
also cool that you actually like the people you work with. makes a huge difference i'm sure.
two bands? nice! anything super serious or just enjoying the ride?


let's see...

lived:

Nepal
India
Australia
Malaysia
Indonesia
Thailand
Peru
Ecuador
Scotland
Mexico

traveled:
(dozens was overestimated)

Singapore
Myanmar
Cambodia
China
Mongolia
Kyrgyzstan
Colombia
Bolivia
Iceland
Ireland
England
Germany
Czech
France
Netherlands
Turkey
Finland
Northern Ireland
Japan
S. Korea
New Zealand

i got stories!

some places i tend to return to (nepal, malaysia, peru...soon back to ecuador...hopefully back to the UK for the summer) and some places i really WANT to go back to at some point (japan, turkey, central asia). Itching for Africa, though, and think that may be in the cards this year. though i think my heart will always be in asia. I didn't expect to fall in love with it the way i have. and still no explanation as to why.
i dont think i could ever stop....

thinking of starting a private travel agent/personalised consulting business. also looking to get into import/export. specifically textiles; i go ga-ga over that stuff. Turkish robes, Yakwool blankets, Tibetan rugs, Japanese towels...

also mind-mapping a book that explains the correlation between geography, climate, and history with the present day culture of countries. basically explaining why countries feel the way they do.

currently in a small pueblo a few hours north of Mexico City. i'm the only gringo in town.

I can upload some photos if y'all wanna see....any requests?

howdy!

where are you these days? what's life like?

what were you doing in all those countries? i mean, how do you support yourself?

man you've been to some bomb places. i also like asia best but i've never been to south america... or iceland. damn.

i live on $1000/month gifted from family (started only recently) was signed off on permanent SSI when i was 24 but refused to sign the papers. i've held a few jobs overseas (ran a youth hostel in kuala lumpur, catering in oz, janitor, painter) but it's still very difficult for me to function in 'normal' society. the past few years ive gone pretty deep into traditional healing and found my place in that. currently looking for a permanent space to set up a home-base to begin my own practice and apply myself to other endeavours to support myself. i live very very simply and am clever with my money.

what i do tends to change from place to place. i move slow. most of the time hermitting and just doing my own thing.
mediation, painting, various ceremonies, lots of reading and studies. it keeps me stable and off meds. i'm alone quite a bit. also spend a lot of time on the trail/backcountry. sometimes i'm visiting/staying with friends (was able to hop around europe without ever paying for accommodation). i have multiple homes where i dont pay rent (though i definitely contribute).

there are 7 billion ways to live life.

that's awesome. it sounds like you've done all sorts of stuff and been everywhere. i wish i had your courage. where are you planning to go next, to set up your home-base?

that's the ultimate question. there are parts of the states i'd love to try but it's not really affordable for me just yet. i spent last year away from my practices and just traveling and feeling out different places. now i need to get back to work and see where it takes me. i have a checklist of requirements/preferences/what im looking for in a home.

i think i'll probably head back to ecuador after i finish up here. i have a love/hate relationship with it, but I really enjoyed my life there in ways that i haven't felt in other places. i think i need to spend some more time there. Scotland is another.

peru would be ideal but ive never really felt like i wanted to settle there. Cusco is quite possibly my favourite city in the world and i know i'll always go back but it's never felt like home.

other places, while i love them, have their own obstacles (laws, religion, climate, community) and while they were exactly what i needed at the time, ive learned not to go back and try to re-live things.

ive also learned that it's okay to need a break from less-developed countries. as soon as you start getting bitter about the locals, customs, etc, it's time to dip out for a bit. ive met way too many expats who haven't left in 20 years and all they do is bitch about how shitty everything is. i do not want to be that person.

i can usually handle 6-9 months tops anywhere before i start getting antsy.

i graduated from college, tried to get into PhD school and failed despite a 4.0gpa and an honors thesis. currently regrouping, about to have weight loss surgery, still at the same customer service job unfortunately. after i recover a bit (surgery next month) i will have a decision between trying to get a different job or(/and?) going back to school, probably going to just go after something i know i can reasonably get like a masters in social work. my dream has been to work in forensic settings and i think i still can if i do that

it's good to see you

congratulations on graduating!!! that's awesome!
sorry about not getting into a phd program, though. that's gotta suck, but could always be a blessing in disguise. you just dont know it yet.. what where you going after?
sounds like you're in a transitionary period where everything's kinda up in the air....can be a super cool place to be.
forensics have always been appealing to me, too. but daunting. awesome that you're going for it.
so great to see you doing well. really....you're tough as shit and inspiring :)
good luck on your surgery! are you excited?

what about you? where are your favourites?

nice 2 c u zach :cool:

you, too girlfriend :) <3


i went to see the pumpkins in august. was the only one on the floor who stood up and sang along during blew away. got a nod from the man when he finished :p

i instagram stalk you.

we should hang out.

my favorite country (that i've been to) is switzerland. it is like heaven.

really jealous that you've been to nepal. seems like you spent a lot of time there. what was it like?