Things That Impress Me Here

Things that impress me:

The fact that most of the “kids” (loosely meaning anyone between the ages of 19 and 30) are all well traveled and independent.  Almost every youngster here has stories of their amazing globe bouncing trips. Their passports are almost full of stamps from mostly little known or exotic locales.

What impresses me is that they will just up and go. They somehow earn the funds to their next adventure and find odd jobs there to pay for the next leg. They are mostly hipsters, who thrive on minimalism and pride themselves on being low maintenance. Hostels are their castles to lay their heads and any body of water their bath.  I admire them in a way. Not in an ‘I don’t mind not bathing for a week’ or ‘I think this hostel has bedbugs and may or may not have washed the sheets from the last guests.’ I admire that they take a leap of faith that they will have whatever they will need, when they need it. I admire them going out and seizing the world, seeing what they want to see, working for what they want and/or need and just LIVING.

I was surprised that many do so alone. There are many couples, but there are men and women alike that do it solo- and bravely.  Wary of the possible dangers, but not paralyzed with fear of the worst that could happen, they boldly go forward and make experiences for themselves.

On the other end of the spectrum are the 55+ aged veterans. Returners year after year after year, they are tough, rough, weathered and somewhat grizzled. A majority of them winter over, staying all year round, going off continent for brief R&Rs, but returning for more of the harshness and beauty this land offers.

These veterans are the ones that are honored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) by having a geographical site or marker named after them. Much deserved in my opinion. They give so much to this project, so they will live on forever remembered by future researchers, scientists, and wanderlusts alike.

It’s not just the continent that will awe you- it’s the people too. Amazing.