Thursday, September 26, 2013

O beautiful for spacious skies, 
For amber waves of grain...


Wanderlust is a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world.

Truthfully, I thought I would come back from Australia and feel an absolute strong desire to be in one place.  To set roots.  To be still.

I thought my “better late than never” gap year would shake the travel bug and wanderlust out of my system.

Nope.  Not a chance.

Since the emotional rollercoaster they call reentry, I explored my job options and have realized I am my best self when exploring new places and challenging myself with new experiences.  I also have given myself permission to say I love my lifestyle right now.  It may not be how everyone chooses to live, it could be considered unconventional, but in my heart of hearts I think I was made to be a bit of a vagabond - to see the world and share knowledge and love around this globe.

So with some encouragement from friends, I will continue to write and share what I see and do.  On my next adventure, you'll find me exploring the unknown in the wonderful US of A working for a travel speech therapy company. 

Q: First stop?

Here are a few clues.

Common local phrase: You betcha!

The Peace Garden State

Jerry Lundegaard

  A.   You guessed it - North Dakota! 

I’ll admit there was some serious hesitation initially accepting the assignment.  When the recruiter called, my first reaction was not “You betcha!” Why? I despise the cold.  I have followed the sun and successfully avoided winter for 2 whole years.  When watching Fargo several weeks ago for the first time, my heart ached for those cold, pale people.  Well the universe certainly has a crazy way of balancing life out for you – so in a week off I go for a halfway cross country road trip to the Upper Midwest ending in Dickinson, ND for 13 weeks.  And really when else would I ever get to see Teddy Roosevelt National Park, the Badlands, those great Presidents of Mt. Rushmore, prairie animals, and maybe even try ice fishing?  I’ll tell you what, that Anthony Bourdain made ice fishing look quite romantic and cozy in Parts Unknown – snuggling in a small wooden hut drinking expensive red wine and dining on the local seafood – I sure hope I stumble into THAT ice shanty on my first go.

So I hope to educate myself and everyone on the lovely Midwest: My own version of Parts Unknown.  I promise to let you know what you NEVER knew about North Dakota and those prairie plains smack dab in the middle of our great country.


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