“What? She’s gone again?” ~Most people
Read Time: 6 minutes
TLDR: Yes I’m travelling again and I’ll be back in July. Yes, I still want to be a pharmacist and live in Vancouver. Cost of travelling is not so expensive and yes I have a job, but it doesn’t pay for my travel. Yes, I love vipassana
- Why are you travelling again?
- Where have you been so far?
- Favourite place?
- Where are you going this time?
- When are you coming home?
- Do you plan on still living in Vancouver?
- Do you still want to be a pharmacist?
- Urr…how do you pay for your travels?
- Urrr…do you have a job right now?
- Urrr…how much do you spend while travelling?
- How do you only travel with a carry-on?
- Why do you love Vipassana Meditation so much?
- …Do you miss home?
- When you come back to Vancouver, will you stay a while?
- Ending Thoughts:
Hello Readers,
It’s been a while now hasn’t it? The last post was from when I made a quick stop back in Vancouver over the holidays and now I’m back on the road again. I’m currently writing this in Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam – just arrived yesterday, a tad jetlagged (only slept 14 hours yesterday after I was planning on taking a “short nap” at 430pm). It’s beautifully sunny and warm (~25-30 degrees) and a bit humid.
Anyway…I figured I’d write this post to address some of the FAQ from people over the past couple months. Let’s get started shall we?
Why are you travelling again?
Actually, Vancouver was just a quick stopover before I continued travelling. I received an extension on my MSP coverage such that I can still remain a BC resident and retain my medical for up to 2 years. The reason I came home was to visit family and to visit a friend who just had a newborn.
Where have you been so far?
Europe: England, Scotland, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey – Istanbul, Albania, Hungary, Croatia
Asia: China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India
For more on the past, you can read here: https://worldofwanderingminds.com/category/travel/tracys-travel-adventure/
Favourite place?
There wasn’t one. I realized that the places that were my favourite were just the ones where I made friends. If I had to choose though, I guess it would be Korea or Malaysia. Great people and delicious food.
Where are you going this time?
Vietnam (Feb 7-March 14), Malaysia (March 12-April 14), South Korea (April 14-May16), San Fran (May 16-June/July…Baby ALICE!!!)…then home
When are you coming home?
July 2025 at the latest. After that point, I’ll no longer be a BC resident and let’s be honest…having free medical coverage is great.
Do you plan on still living in Vancouver?
Yes, being in Vancouver is where my family and my job is.
Do you still want to be a pharmacist?
Yes – that is another thing that changed. When I left home, I thought I was in the wrong career. Yes, it isn’t a career that is suited to my natural abilities (those with ADHD have short memory and difficulties with recall), but I can help people and get paid to do it. What more could I ask for? (Also, I have incredibly awesome coworkers – Hi Pharmily!)
Urr…how do you pay for your travels?
Hahaha! So many people edge around this question, but it’s no secret. TLDR: BUDGET, choose a less expensive destination and try to get accommodations and food paid for. Here’s a blog post I wrote on it before:
Blog Post #13: How to Travel the World for Months with $10,000 and no job https://worldofwanderingminds.com/2024/04/21/blog-post-13-how-to-travel-the-world-for-months-with-10000-and-no-job-workaway/
Above is a post I wrote about 9 months into my travels. If you can have your accommodations and food covered, the largest expense after that is transportation. I used “Workaway” to cover it before, but now I’m focused on travelling for meditation and, at the Vipassana Centres, there is limited cost involved (they’re free, but I donate afterward). In between meditation courses, I stay at a hostel (hence, find a less expensive destination) or I’m staying at a meditator’s place.
Urrr…do you have a job right now?
Hahaha! Yes I do, but it’s not pharmacy-related and only covers my ongoing yearly/home expenses. My travel expenses are something I save up for.
Urrr…how much do you spend while travelling?
When I first started long term travelling, it was more expensive as I was in hostels in Europe (I didn’t do Workaway at that point nor did I know about meditation). Now though, my budget is about $5000 for the next 5 months – includes travel insurance, flights, accommodations, food etc.
How do you only travel with a carry-on?
I’m a minimalist at heart so taking care of less stuff is nice for me. Yes, it’s hard at first to only have a few things, but I also don’t need a “going out” outfit nor do I carry lots of cosmetics. I wear neutrals (which are easy to pair with one another making like 20 different outfits of mix and match) plus my destinations are on the warm side so I have limited bulky layers. Here’s a blog post if you want to learn more:
Blog Post #20: My Inventory! What I Carry and How to Pack it: https://worldofwanderingminds.com/2024/06/16/blog-post-my-inventory-what-i-carry-with-me-and-how-to-pack-it/
Why do you love Vipassana Meditation so much?
It changed my life. I now love my family so much and I appreciate the life I live. My PTSD symptoms are going away (vivid to blurry and blurrier) and I’m fully off of anti anxiety and the insomnia medication that I was on for the past 12 years. My anxiety and depressive symptoms are becoming a minimal impact on my life (despite previously being “in remission”) and I can handle the stresses of my job and when things go wrong in my life. There’s nothing I can argue about with the practice – it only tells me I can fix myself and if someone angers me, that is my problem not theirs. It’s completely free and no one tells me to pay (even though at the end of a course, I feel so much gratitude, I donate for the next students). In fact, they say that you shouldn’t just pay, it’s more important that you volunteer as you will get more benefit. The benefits have translated to me being able to help my family and friends in more capacity and I enjoy spending time with them. I have confidence that no matter what problems come into my life that I can handle them. I see problems or situations now as genuinely great oppourtunities for growth (2 hour flight delay? No problem! Free snacks and a great chance to pick up something for a friend). It teaches me to be a better person…(one of my favourite is that we shouldn’t talk about someone else otherwise it’s backstabbing…we have to speak with the person directly first). I’m no longer just focused on working so hard that I can own my own place. I now work enough so I can cover my expenses, live a wholesome life and lead a balanced life.
Also, it’s logical – learn to not react to body sensations and the past reactions go away.
I guess it’s not really a TLDR, but if you want to know more of my past mental health history and what’s changed, you can read it here:
…Do you miss home?
Of course I do! But it’s pretty short lived and mostly just when I say bye to my family in person. When I really miss them, I just remember why I’m doing this. Vipassana meditation helped me bring myself back to them so if I continue what I’m doing, I’ll be able to be a better person for myself and for them.
When you come back to Vancouver, will you stay a while?
Yes, I’ll be back for at least another 6 months (gotta keep that MSP!). I did love being home while I was there in December/January so I might just do more practice at the Vipassana meditation centre in Merritt, BC near my home instead of travelling so far.
Ending Thoughts:
That’s it for now and hoped that answered many of the FAQ. Look forward to writing more when I reach Malaysia in March.
Ciao!
Tracy
World of Wandering Minds 
Loved the weather notes. Vietnam’s “three climates” tricked me the first time—north can be cool, center windy, south steamy on the same trip. Packing layers is key.
LikeLike