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Published: April 12th 2007
Ryan vs. Kava
Who is stronger?...Kava, a polynesian narcotic has no chance against Ryan. With the warpaint and years of practice in Pacific Beach, he is heavily favored.Hey everybody, Ryan and I are about to begin our world travels and we are both pretty stoked about it!
I'll give you a little background as to why we decided to take this trip. After a trip to Fiji last summer, we both decided to make a trip of epic proportions. In Fiji, which was my first ever real international trip outside of North America, I had an awesome time meeting all types of people and learning about the culture there. I found these to be major influences in deciding to travel again. Another major factor was a bit more humbling. The realization that, although the US is a large and very influential country in the world, it's really just a small part of it. The fact that Ryan and I had the opportunity to fly around the world into a tropical paradise on a whim and return a short time later was enough to make us feel lucky. The reality was that the natives spend their entire lives living in those villages, with standards many would deem impoverished and never even experience the possibilities that were available to Ryan and I. It was more than enough to make
Rendezvous
Viti Levu was a beautiful place, and there I stood, Russell Pekrul, a nomad traversing these tropical lands, with only my sock shoes, my will, and my mohawk to keep me alive! us feel blessed for having such opportunities. The culture shock opened our eyes and we wanted to experience more of the same.
Now into the present...With the completion of finals in my last semester in college, the closing of my seemingly impossible trip through the educational system feels, somewhat nostalgic. It's amazing to me that when I look back at the end of my long and arduous college career, it doesn't seem to be as long and arduous as I remember. In talking with my classmates about interviewing for jobs and sharing some of our future plans, the majority of them seemed to be eager to join the rat race and stop living on a college students budget. I don't blame them! But after working for two years in the corporate environment I was in no rush to join in. I needed some adventure and time away to figure out myself.
The unknown, change and uncertainties...why is it that most of us associate these with with a feeling of anxiety and fear? As Russ alluded to, learning to embrace these with excitement and a sense of longing is what this trip is all about for me.
I
Punta Cabras, Mexico
Ryan and I in Baja for a pre-trip surf sesh with some of the bros.
went to college straight out of high school, made my way through the right classes, studying business, and dove right into the American workforce thinking that pursuing my "career" would give me the sense of satisfaction that I was looking for. 5 years, 2 companies and 4 promotions later I found myself stuck in a routine of waking up to the same alarm clock, grabbing my morning cup of coffee and running out the door to take my place amongst the "worker bees." I realized that there are many things in life I want to experience and lots of ways to get to where you want to be. Experiencing the world's cultures will hopefully open my mind to the possibilities, help me figure out where it is I need to go and how I want to get there. Most of all I just want to enjoy this journey.
We will try and keep you updated regularly on our trip, with the availability of internet pending. Stay with us and keep in touch!
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JS Johnson
non-member comment
Good Luck
It's not about what happens, but how you react to it. The attitude you guys share guarantees a life altering trip. Cheers and good luck.