Day Dreams and Travel Plans

Starbucks in Budapest

The problem with not keeping busy, for me, is I start travel planning. That might not sound so bad, but I have a habit of implementing said plans without thinking of other activities in my future...like paying rent. How does one go about traveling the world without a paycheck? Without massive credit card debt or someone 'back home' paying for it?

Currently, I'm a student in Europe and my husband is back in the US working to pay for my education. The way the VISA works, you have to prepay each year ahead of time including living expenses like rent and food. So that's the money I'm working off (mostly) when I travel. The day-to-day money spent during the trips is from my budget each month and the flights/hotels/hostels are from our savings. Mainly because I put those on credit cards (for safety) and then pay them off that payday. Still, it doesn't seem fair to the hubby who is working so hard to send me to school. Of course, he actively encourages me to travel so I can 'experience' Europe, and I'm not legally allowed to work here, but I still have to curb my enthusiasm when I see a new amazing destination spot online or find a great deal on flights.

So how does one balance this desire to explore with a desire to not be in debt?

I don't know. I've been looking at jobs that I could do freelance or part-time or remotely, but then you get into the nasty 60% tax bracket of being a freelancer. I've looked at teaching abroad (I have a teaching certificate from Florida), but they require at least a year-long commitment and I don't want that. I don't even know what I'm going to do after I graduate...PhD? Employment? Kids? So how do I decide something that will effect, not just me, but my husband and our family? I enjoy seeing the world and I enjoy being with my husband and family. If I could put the two together that would be amazing, but his job is US specific and he can't live abroad. This means travel during holidays or breaks only and I don't want to do that either.

Which puts me back in the realm of day dreams and travel plans.

So I sit here, staring out my window and planning the next big adventure. There are so many places to see and things to do in this world and I want to do them all. I don't want a check box itinerary. I want to see and be in the culture.  I want to sit in a cafe and listen to people talk about their lives, see how they live and what motivates them. I studied Anthropology in University back in my younger days and I guess it's just stuck with me. I would have been that Archaeologist in Egypt in the 20s if I'd been able to. Traveling on steam ship and riding camels at night across the desert...the only sound the whisper of a hot wind blowing across the dunes with the universe stretched out over head.

How do I do that in this modern world where everything costs so much and you have to worry about terrorists and super bugs and VISAs?

How do I turn my travel dreams into reality?

Fred Howard Beach, Tarpon Springs, Florida

Flying into Iceland

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