Ready for my first sabbatical

Well, this is it. After nine years of daydreaming, three years of saving, a full-time job in Germany, and steady freelance work from England and Portugal, I am finally packing my backpack, lacing up some comfortable shoes, and setting off. I’m getting a two-month head start on my girlfriend, who will join me in Bangkok later.

We’ve ended the lease on our beautiful apartment on Erika-Mann-Straße, stored our books and furniture in her parents’ garage, and cancelled every remaining contract—internet, gas, electricity, insurance, you name it. This lightness! It feels good, almost primordial.

I’ve put together this online journal to shorten the distance between me and the people I know—likely you. I have often been the one watching someone else leave for a trip around the world. Whenever I was in that position, I recall the torturous feelings of jealousy and envy, the loud voices inside me shouting: “You should be the one leaving!”, “What are you waiting for?”, “Why can they make it and you can’t?”

Yes, all too familiar, all too close to home. At the same time, another group of voices would fight back with wonder and belief: “It’s amazing that they’re doing it,” “It is indeed possible,” “Let’s go, you can do it...” A potential theme for a future therapist to deconstruct, no doubt. It seems the latter group of voices finally won out—to my benefit and well-being.

First stop: Kathmandu. From there, who knows? Keep me company; I will do my best to keep you posted. See you back in Berlin when the money runs out.