Christmas/New Years etc

I've been trying to do a video blog for a while, but it hasn't been working out too well.  My computer hasn't been cooperating and my digi camera needs a mini tripod or something to sit straight on.  I guess I'll make due with my written words once again.

Christmas was a good time.  I'm used to 20 degree weather and snow on the ground, but here it was like 78 degrees and definitely no snow.  I watched about 5 Christmas movies in a 2 day span to get in the spirit.  Elf, Bad Santa, Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, and Charlie Brown Christmas did the trick.  I had dinner with a few friends at Dukes, which is solid American cuisine.  It was similar to Thanksgiving, only a few more options and was all you can eat.... obviously made some money back that way ;) .  Late night my friend Matt and I tried watching NBA, but NBA.TV was acting as the Grinch apparently.  We did get to see some hoops though, so it was a very merry Christmas after all.

Christmas photo

I don't have any firm plans for New Years Eve, but will likely go out for a little while.  I hear it gets pretty crazy downtown so I'll likely check that out.  Going into 2012 everything is still very much up in the air.  I grabbed a bunch of brochures of things to do in Chiang Mai, which I may or may not partake in.  There's zip lining, rafting, atv-ing, elephant stuff, and more.  All of it costs decent money, so I guess I'll see how things go.

My island trip has been put on hold as our friend is no longer coming.  I still might do something on my own, but no plans as of yet.  I have complete freedom, so I might just catch the next plane somewhere, who knows.  I'll probably at least wait til after New Years so it's not quite as ridiculous to travel.  That's it for now, have a good New Year everyone!!!!

Three Months

In a couple days I'll have been in Thailand for 3 months.  In some ways it feels like I've just arrived, and in others it seems much longer.  I went to Immigration yesterday to extend my stay for another 90 days.  It looks like I'll be here til at least March.  By then money could be running low, and Chicago will be warming up.  I still haven't decided how long I'll stay, but I'll probably have a better idea in March.

I really miss some of the food back home.  Pizza, steak, burgers, Italian beef, ribs, are all pretty average here if they're available at all.  Since that was 90% of my diet back home, it's been quite an adjustment.  Some of my go to candies aren't available here either.  Sweettarts, Bottlecaps, pretzel M&M's, and caramel chocolate bars I haven't been able to find anywhere.  I think I've lost about 5 pounds without trying though, so I guess it's not all bad.

I've been trying to speak Thai more and more.  I've realized I'm pretty terrible at it though, and am probably better off sticking with English and pointing/gesturing at things.  Today I ordered pork fried rice, but they gave me shrimp instead.  Pork and shrimp sound very different in Thai, so I'm not sure how I/they messed that up.  I'm still going to lessons twice/week (when I'm not sleeping in), and I'm sure it will get better.

I'm planning a trip to the islands in late January.  It sounds like Phuket, Railay, and Phi Phi are on the agenda.  I haven't done much traveling since coming here, so it will be nice to branch out a bit.  All those places have beaches and beautiful landscapes, so I'll be sure to take lots of pics.  I will eventually visit Bangkok, but I can always do that on my flight back home, since most of the time it's cheaper to fly out of there.

That's about it I guess.  Christmas is one week away and it will be a little weird being away from family, friends, and snow.  Happy Holidays everyone!

Road Trip to Chiang Rai

I just got back from Chiang Rai (not Chiang Mai where I live).  Overall it was pretty fun.  I rented a motorbike and drove with my friends Matt and Jordan.   We were told it would take 1.5 hours to get there, but that was a lie.  It took about 3 hours of driving, and with stops took us a little over 4 i think.  It was an easy drive with very little mountain roads, and few sharp corners/steep hills etc.

We ended up leaving a little bit late and didn't get into town until after dark.  It was fairly easy to find our hotels, just had to ask one guy and he told me in Thai-English "it's on this road 1km down on the right hand side."  I was staying at a hotel well below my normal standards.  However, it was relatively clean and and I didn't see any bugs, so it wasn't too bad.  Matt and Jordan stayed at a nice Resort.  It had a really good looking pool which we didn't have time for unfortunately.

After unpacking, showering, and of course setting up internet, we headed out for some food.  We went to the Night Bazaar, which is a street market at night basically.  It was fairly big, but I don't think quite as large as Chiang Mai's.  Despite my hotel being two blocks away, I got a little lost on the way back.  Somehow I got turned around and ended up taking a night tour of Chiang Rai.  I wasn't overly impressed by it to be honest.

The next morning we had to wake up early (10am) because we scheduled a day trip.  We went to see White Temple and the Golden Triangle.  We hired a driver because we had no clue where to go.  It was quite nice to be in an air conditioned car most the day.  It's only the second time I've been in a car since moving here, so it felt a little weird sitting shotgun on the left side (where the steering wheel is supposed to go).  Our driver was cool and spoke English fairly well.  I tried to practice my Thai, but didn't too much.

The White Temple is fairly self explanatory... it's a gorgeous white temple.  We were not allowed pictures inside so I'll do my best to explain it.  The walls were covered with superheroes like: Superman, Batman, Neo (from the Matrix), and a bunch of other random things.  Other than that it was pretty standard on the inside I think.

The Golden Triangle was where a lot of the illegal and legal (depending on the era) opium trading went down. It was about a two hour drive there, but since we had our driver we could just relax.  We went to the Opium Museum which also didn't allow any pictures.  Since I didn't want to get stabbed or thrown in jail I respected  their wishes.  It was one of the largest and nicest museums I've ever been in. We walked through fairly quick and it took us about 1.5 hours.  There were no free samples given out, but it was still a fun experience ;) .  After the opium museum we went to a couple view points and were about done for the day.

We got back from our tour around dinner time.  We went to the mall because we decided it was the best place to find American food.  We weren't thrilled with the Chiang Rai cuisine to that point, so we figured McDonalds would be our best option :) .  It was a pretty low key night after that and we headed back to Chiang Mai the next day (today).

The drive back was a lot easier since we knew what to expect.  We only stopped once each for gas so we made good time.  I was super soar since I was carrying my laptop in a shoulder bag and other things in my normal backpack.  It felt so good to get home and shower.

Chiang Rai was fun, but I wouldn't want to stay for an extended period of time.  It seemed like a smaller and less appealing version of Chiang Mai.  I think it's a fine place, but I've been spoiled by all the things in Chiang Mai.  I know where my favorite food spots are and how to get around.  That's about all I have to say for this trip, hopefully I will take another one soon.  TIME FOR PHOTO'S!!!!!!!!!

clock tower by night bazaar

 White Temple

left side of White Temple

 action shot

entrance to white temple

 still the entrance to White Temple

 in Golden Triangle, Laos is across river

statue on a boat in Golden Triangle

Food Festival

For the last week or so there has been tons of fun happening right in my backyard.  I guess it's like a fair, but it's more like a food festival.  There's about 30-40 food stalls all lined up and ready to serve deliciousness.  It's similar to Taste of Chicago except less spread out, more places to sit, and not expensive at all.  There's also games to play and a few kid rides.

I was able to win a stuffed angry bird with my expert dart throwing skills

 Lots of food to choose from

semi-aerial view

Want some fried insects?

Aside from eating a lot, I've just been up to the same old things.  I'm planning a trip to Pai pretty soon which should be fun.  I think it's north of here, but it's supposed to be quite beautiful.  My friend Matt and I really want to road trip it on motorbikes so we can stop at all the scenic views along the way.  I hear it's about a 5 hour ride.  We'll probably do that in a week or two.  

Still Here, Still Alive, Still Want To Be Here

I've realized I haven't updated in about two weeks, sorry for that.  I'm all set up at my new place.  Getting internet was probably the most aggravating thing I've had to do to this point.  The first time I went to 3bb (best internet provider in Thailand) and they told me I couldn't get it in my building.  I said "well I have 3 friends that live in my building and they all have 3bb".  She says "no, 40 people maximum".  Arguing in Thai/English is pretty complex so I left only to return 3 days later.  Luckily someone spoke very good in both languages and I was able to resolve the situation.  You'd think that would be it, but I had to wait 3 days, make over 10 phone calls and visit the front desk of my building twice before I finally had internet.

As far as the language barrier, my Thai is much improved.  However, people talk quite fast here and I usually have no idea what anyone is saying.  It will probably take a few more months before I can have conversations with people other than: my name, where i'm from, where i live, what i did today, what i ate today, how it tasted, and other basic things.

I went on another scooter ride recently which was a lot of fun.  We stopped by a scenic spot that had a lot of flower gardens and greenhouses.  I posted all the pictures I had on Facebook, but my camera ended up dying shortly upon arrival so I wasn't able to capture all of the beauty surrounding me.  It was a big fail on my part for not realizing my camera was on low battery before departure.

I don't have too many plans forthcoming.  I'd like to travel around other places, but there's this thing called money that kind of limits what I do.  For now the plan is to stay in Chiang Mai until at least January (probably more like March or April) and see where I'm at financially.

I think being on my own in an entirely new environment has been really good for me as a person.  It's been quite the experience.  I think even if I come home penniless and live under a bridge I'll look back and not regret my decision. Anyone who was in a similar situation as me (single, so so job, no debt), I strongly encourage to go and try something like this.   I actually regret waiting until I was 25 to pull the trigger.  Anyways, I'll stop with the motivational speech before it begins and conclude this blog.

I don't have any new photos to share this time around so my apologies for that.  I will do my best to take more in the future.  I miss all my friends and family from back home, and I hope you are all doing well.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone and stay classy (quote from Anchorman for those who don't know).

Scooter Ride

I rented a scooter today for about $8.  My friend Matt took me up the mountain past Doi Suthep (sp?), which is a temple or something.  It was the most fun and beautiful ride I've ever experienced.  These pictures don't even really do it justice, but it's hard to take pics while you're driving.  I had only practiced on a scooter once, so driving in Chiang Mai traffic was a bit challenging at first.  I'm still alive though, and felt pretty confident after the first 5 minutes or so.  I think taking a week long bike trip around Thailand is something I'd be really interested in.

Other than that I've just been having non-stop fun.  The nightlife is a good time here, but not as crazy as Bangkok i've been told.   Usually I'm staying up late and waking up late, and just living the dream basically.  They're so many good restaurants, and most of them are much cheaper than in the states.

I don't really have much else to say.  Rainy season will be ending shortly, and then I hear it will be "cold" for a while.  Pretty sure that means in the 70's and 80's F, but not positive.  Considering it will soon be 0 degrees and snowing in Chicago, I don't think I'll be coming home anytime soon.

Moved In!

I just moved into my new apartment.  It's nothing too special, just a studio, but it's in a good part of town close to my friends. Actually, it's in the same building as some of my friends.  It's still just a 5 minute walk to school as well, so I'll save on taxi's.  This will be the first time I'm living without roommates, should be interesting.

I'm pretty much set up now.  I know for the most part how to get around, although sometimes it's still hard to communicate with taxi drivers.  My Thai will only get better though, so I don't see that being an issue for much longer.  I've figured out where my "go to" restaurants are in the area.  A lot of good Thai places are a two minute walk from my door.  I'm still waiting to get better internet, but I should have that solved within a couple weeks.  Right now I'm just using the properties wifi which is decent enough.  Now that I'm set, I'm just enjoying my staycation.

I bought a tennis racket yesterday, and plan to start playing again. I also want to find some people to play basketball with.  I've heard whispers of such a group, but have not yet introduced myself.  Other than sports, I plan to take a few trips around Thailand.  They're aren't any beaches in my city, but lots of beautiful beaches if I take a lil trip.  They're also lots of scenic rides through the mountains I've heard.  Many things to do here, including just staying in the city and chilling.  So I'll just post pics of my place and move along.

view from my door, small lounging area and balcony in the back

 kinda small bathroom, but I'm not a woman so I don't need a lot of space for make up or anything

 kitchen area, no stove, but usually just as cheap to go out

 Free Toshiba Kleenex holder. Pretty sure it's the best brand of Kleenex holders, but to be honest I did not shop around

 TV/Computer area, had to use my dining room table as my TV stand so I could fit my computer/monitor

 

Life Is Great

I absolutely love it here thus far.  The food is great, things are cheap, most people are friendly, and I pretty much do whatever I please since I have no schedule.  I found a place to live for pretty cheap.  My negotiating skills are not that good, but I had my friend Billy do it for me.  He saved me about $75/month on rent which is pretty substantial since the place was cheap already.  I start moving in Monday, so as soon as I get some photo's I will post them.

I started Language a few days ago and have had a total of two lessons.  I'm enjoying it so far, it seems like an easy enough language and after a few months I should be able to communicate decently.  My teacher is a ladyboy which threw me a bit at first.  It was the first one I encountered here, so I was studying and trying to make sure.  She's really nice though and a good teacher.

I could definitely see myself here long term.  I think 3 years is very reasonable and I'm already thinking about vacationing other places.  I really want to go to my homeland of Italy.  Australia and New Zealand seem like mandatory visits since they're so close.  We'll see how things go though, I should probably make some money first.

I'll end with a few photos.  Look for another update next week :)

Pad Thai

 walkway to restaurant

 the pink tuk tuk

 Thailand sidewalks are tough to navigate

In Thailand

Figured I should update this now that I'm semi-settled in.  The flight was long and brutal, but could've been much worse.  My friends Tim, Jordan, and Matt all met me at the airport and helped get me home.  I haven't been sleeping too much since I've been here, I think maybe it's the excitement factor plus having a lot on my mind.  The first day was an information overload.  I was trying to figure out where to eat, set up my phone, unpack, communicate with Thai's, and a whole mess of other things.  I wasn't able to go anywhere w/o my friends.  Don't feel too bad for me though.  My day consisted of getting a thai massage for $5, swimming, sonna session, and eating great food.

Yesterday was much better.  I woke up around 9am when everyone was still sleeping.  I decided I needed to do some exploring and find my language school.  After walking around aimlessly for 2 hrs I finally found it and settled all the paperwork/money etc.  I got back to Tim's apartment (where I'm staying) and he had just woke up.  He took me out to set up my bank account, and to go to the mall.

The only thing I have left to do is look for my own place.  I won't be doing that until tomorrow though since it's Sunday.  I start language class on Wednesday which I'm pretty excited for.  I really want to learn Thai, so it's easier to get around.  Most people speak english, but it's still difficult to understand sometimes.  I'm going to stop writing now and just post some pics.  I'll update again soon.

in the back of red truck taxi. ~.65c gets u anywhere

the mall

 sitting in the tuk tuk. more expensive then red truck, but faster/better

 walking by the moat

 part of my street, 711 is everywhere

Farewell

Well, a few lines of that song apply.  I'm leaving, not sure when I'll be back, bags are packed blah blah.  I'll miss a lot of things about the U.S. and A.  Most of all will be friends and family, but I think overall this was a solid life decision.  Also, time goes by quick, and I'll be back eventually.

I set off for the airport tomorrow circa 8am.  I have 2 checked bags, a carry-on, and my laptop.  I've devised a pretty good strategy on how to carry them all at once.  My phone (well more of a ipod touch now since it has no service) is loaded up with movies, music, and games for the plane ride.  I get my own monitor on the plane loaded with other entertainment, as well as a usb port so I can charge my devices.  So it sounds like my plane ride shouldn't be too bad.

I land Thursday night at 10:20pm Thailand time.  I imagine by the time I get back to my friend's apartment, I will just want to crash and go to sleep.  Friday, I have to figure out cell phone, bank account, school, locations of places etc.  I also have to go apartment hunting, and hope to find a place within two weeks.  It looks like I'll be pretty busy for a while.

After all the travel madness is settled, I don't have any firm plans of what to do.  I have language classes twice a week for three hours.  Other than that I'm going to do a lot of exploring and networking.  I think I'll be in Thailand from 3 months to a year, but that's not really set in stone.  If I like it a lot, I might stay longer.  My goal is to get enough money to come back for 3-4 weeks next summer.  However, I might be back in a month if I absolutely hate it (can't imagine that happening).

My next destination is also undetermined.  I don't really want to start planning anything until I know I can do it.  Otherwise, I just get really excited for something, and it might fall through and disappointment creeps in.  Honestly, I had so much stress getting ready for this trip, I don't even want to think about doing paperwork for somewhere new.

Once I settle in a little bit, I will post some pictures of my new place etc.  This blog might actually become about something interesting, rather than a guy talking about something interesting happening in the future.  If you've read this far, thanks.  I will update again soon.

Last Day of Work

Today was my last day of work!  I think I mentioned I would be quitting on the 9th, but I have enough money and didn't really feel like working any longer, so I left a week earlier than anticipated.  I had more vacation time left than I thought I would so that'll be an extra couple hundos.  We also got a small raise before I left, so my last check had some extra money in it.  Had a nice going away lunch, and was let out one hour early with a full days pay, so overall pretty good times.

I'm nearly done with everything I need to take care of.  I finally got my Education Visa yesterday.  That was a big hassle, and I had been working on that since late June.  I think I had about twenty emails back and forth with the language school trying to make sure everything was right.  Translated Thai isn't always clear :) .  All that's left is throwing a bunch of clothes in a suitcase.  I guess the last two weeks I'm just going to hang around and say good bye to people.

That's pretty much it, I'll keep this short and sweet.  My phone will work until September 18th, after that I'll only have email, google+, facebook, aim, msn, and skype.  So if you don't have one of those, I will not talk to you.

Departing September 21st

I booked my plane ticket today.  I'll be flying out September 21st, and landing at my destination September 22nd.  It's 13 hour plane ride to Korea, and then a 5.5 hour flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand.  It's also 12 hours ahead of Chicago time, so I'll lose a day of my life until I decide to come back.  I'm not looking forward to the long plane ride, so if anyone has any book recommendations I might actually read something.  I will probably bring sleeping pills as a back up plan.

My student visa seems to be sorted out.  I'm just waiting to get a letter back from the language school which should be around the first week of September.  Then I just take the letter to the Thai Embassy in Chicago to get my visa.  It might have been smarter to wait until all my paperwork was taken care of before getting my plane ticket, but I don't think there will be any more problems and I found a really good deal so I wanted to lock it in.

I don't really have much left to take care of other than packing and getting rid of one or two things.  It will probably be a mad rush for the last couple days, but up until then I'm just going to relax and enjoy the rest of my time here.  My last day at work is September 9th, I will probably tell them August 26th or a few days before.  They don't really need to know sooner, two weeks is plenty of notice.  I have a few vacation days banked that I'll get paid for, and I'm going to try to use one more sick day which I don't get to compensated for if I leave.

Packing will be pretty light.  I'm only bringing summer clothes, maybe one pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt.  It's pretty much never cold there, but I hear during "cold" season at night it can get a bit nippy.  Other than clothes I'm bringing my laptop and a computer monitor.  That's really all I need plus maybe a few random items.  Most things, aside from electronics, are pretty cheap over there so I don't need to worry much about not bringing something.

So all my major expenses have been paid.  I'm just trying to save every penny now so I can worry less once I'm out there.  I don't really want to have a going away party, but I think there will probably be one regardless.  I'm not big on saying goodbye, but it is nice to see everyone, so I'll let you know if it happens.  Let the countdown begin!!!!

Getting Closer

I had my second round of shots today.  The moment is soon approaching and I couldn't be more excited.  I sent away some documents for my visa and hope to have them back in about one month.  I'm taking a language course, which allows me to have a student visa and stay there for up to three years if I choose.  I figure I should learn the language if I'm going to be there a while, and it's an easy way to get a visa.

It's been frustrating getting everything together.  I've had a lot of surprise expenses come up, and a couple unplanned changes to make.  Most the crazy running around has ended for a bit, and I'm just waiting to get my visa paperwork back before I book my plane ticket.  If all goes smoothly I should be on a flight ~September 20th (whenever the cheapest flight is close to that date).

I've talked to a lot of people (maybe even you) and most of them ask what I plan to do out there.  My plan is to not really have a plan.  How long will I be there?  I have no clue, could be 2 months, 2 years, or forever (probably not forever).  I'm just going to figure it out once I get there. So far my only goal is to ride an elephant.  If I planned everything out then I don't think it'd be as much fun.  I know where I'm staying, I know how I'm getting there, I know there is plenty to do, I know it will be exciting, and that's all I need to know.  Money won't be much of an issue, it's dirt cheap there.  If it becomes an issue, I will reassess.

Sorry for not updating this blog very much, but not much to update on without repeating myself.  I feel like this one is pretty much like the last one, only more current.  Anyways, once something exciting happens and I get an exact date etc. I will likely update again.  Until then take care, and if you feel like hanging out come to Woodstock. I will drive no more than 15 miles unless you are my Grandparents or Bryan Price (who is 19 miles away, and the host for our movie nights).  Exceptions can be made, but I've driven a lot the last few months and it's getting expensive/tiring/putting unneeded miles on my car I'm about to sell.  So yeah, just come to Woodstock!

6/25/11 Update

I had my first round of shots today.  Twinrix (hep A+B), Typhoid, and Tetanus are highly reccomended so I went with that.  I just have to get a second dose of Twinrix one month from now and I'll be 95% covered/safe from hepatitis.  Then after 6 months I just have to get a third dose which I can get out there.  My next appointment is July 27th and then I have to wait a few weeks for the shots to kick in.

I'm starting to narrow down a more exact date to leave.  Right now I'm looking somewhere between September 10th-21st.  This will give me time for the shots to take affect and also save enough cash.  My last car payment is in the mail, so now I can start saving a lot faster.  Also, I figure I can get paid for Labor Day, might as well since it's free money.  My storage unit is totally emptied out, and I have very few other things to get rid of.  I have a few small things left to do and I'll be ready to go.

I took a video tour of where I'll be staying the first month.  I'll be rooming with a friend until I find my own place and get set up which should take a few weeks.  It will be cheaper than staying in a hotel and much nicer.  Our other two friends live in the building across the street, and I'll likely be moving into there since it fits my long term financial budget better.  It'll be great to be so close to people I know, and they can show me around so I don't end up lost in a jungle somewhere :) .

That's pretty much all I have to update.  Once I'm out there I'll be sure to update frequently, but I might be too busy riding elephants and laying on the beach, so no promises.  It's getting harder to work since I know I won't be there much longer.  They still don't know I'm quitting, although I have told a few people so hopefully it hasn't spread to the top yet.  I'll likely tell them the last week of August, and give them 2-3 weeks notice.  Until then, I'll still be stuck here in Illinois, but at least I'll get the nice summer weather before I leave and then bounce as soon as it starts to cool off.  If anybody wants to hang out before I leave just give me a call, email, facebook message, or something and we'll figure it out.

The Decision

For a long time I've always wanted to travel to Europe, Asia, Australia, and really anywhere outside the U.S.A, but just never had the time off or the money to do so.  Well, the last year or so I've been saving some money and right around April I thought about the possibility of living abroad.  At first, I didn't think it was possible, but after doing some research and thinking things over I've decided to give it a go with my first destination being Thailand.  I'll be living in Chiang Mai which is in northern Thailand and is the second biggest city in the Country.

Why Thailand?  For starters, I know some people out there and they've been very helpful in my decision making/researching.  Also, it is dirt cheap to live there.  I figure I might as well start out cheaply to see if I can make it, and then work my way up.  Furthermore, Thailand is a beautiful county.  It has many mountains, beaches, and it's warm all year round!  So really the question is why not Thailand?  Poisonous animals aside it seems amazing.

oooooo pretty

Why am I leaving?  I'm young, single, have no debt, and not really doing much right now.  My job is ok... but just ok and nothing more.  Worst case scenario (other than being eaten by a snake, or catching a disease and dying etc.) I come back 4-6 months from now and I have a little less money and search for a job.  I'll likely be able to get my old job back or something comparable.  I'd rather be pursuing something I love rather than sticking around doing something I'm not crazy about for the rest of my life.

How can I do this?  I've saved (or will by the time I leave) enough funds to live out there for ~6 months without making a dime (and have enough for a ticket home).  From what my friends have told me it's pretty easy to find work and they can probably hook me up.  They speak varying levels of English there, all my buddy knows is "hello" and "thank you" in their native tongue and he's gotten by just fine for 7 months+ now.  If I can't do this, well I guess I'll find out and just come home and figure out something else to do.

When am I leaving?  Pretty much as soon as I get my travel immunizations (shots) done.  It seems right now that will be around September, but it depends how long I have to wait in between appointments and so forth. I'll be sure to have some goodbye parties before I leave.  I'm probably quitting work sometime in August and they have no clue right now, so in case you know somebody there it's probably best you not say anything yet :) .

After that?  I'm not exactly sure what my next destination will be.  However, I do know people in the U.K, Australia, Canada and Mexico.  So any of those options seem viable, but I'll probably be in Thailand for the first year or so.

Are you done typing yet? In conclusion, I know their will be a lot of adjustments to make and it will be very challenging.  I didn't just get up one day and decide to do this, it's something I've looked into doing for a while and it looks like I have a decent shot at making it work.  One of my main points is that 10 years from now I'll definitely regret not going when I had the opportunity.  It maybe a struggle coming back at first if things don't work out, but years into the future I'll have a great story, some good pictures, memories, and I can say I've lived without regret.... or I'll be homeless under a bridge somewhere, but I'll let future Robby deal with all that.