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Remember those Choose Your Own Adventure books when you were a kid? I always ended up reading each scenario through before picking my path. Unfortunately, real-life is not that tidy. Adventure is funny like that. Do you veer left or right, or go straight? Often, the adventure lies in the choice. Choosing which way to go is half the fun, which is why those books were such a hit.
The choice to volunteer in India came about after I had an intuition to move to the Philippines. I knew that I wanted to visit another country along the way, since I have only been to the Philippines and Canada. India was a perfect choice since I have been enamoured with the country after taking an Indian art history class.
Years of shuffling back and forth to Philippine summers (or rather, "dry season" and my western summer) does not discount for the traveling bug I have to see more. I knew it was in me all along, but I have not had a chance to exercise it often. Hopefully, that will change starting with India.
There are so many choices I can take after my Philippine adventure comes to an end. I've made a tentative year commitment to live there, but I'm not against, and open to the idea of a longer stay. If my life were a Choose Your Own Adventure book, the choices might go something like this:
- If you decide to pursue a masters degree in Savannah College of Art and Design, turn to page 33
- If you decide to join Peace Corps, turn to page 26
- If you decide to move to California, turn to page 50
The reality is, life's choices aren't in neat little bullet points or even so black and white. There are a plethora of decisions that you are faced with each day, without even knowing it, and an even more plethora of outcomes. Even though these are my top "three" choices after the Philippines, I have no idea what's next or what will even come up. There could be options I haven't even thought about that are built upon the series of choices I make. I could meet the woman of my dreams and decide to try my hand (or tongue) at a lesbian relationship, based upon my choice to have my first lesbian experience in Asia (oh yes, it WILL happen. And I WILL break my year-long dry spell of no-sex next year. Who says it has to be hetero? If it doesn't involve the possibility of making babies, I'm down. *wink*) Because the Philippines hasn't happened yet, I am content on leaving the next part of my Adventure open and trusting my instincts one day at a time.
What choices would your Choose Your Own Adventure book have?
[Sunday Scribblings: Adventure]
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24 wandering stars:
I always cheated at those books. I would save the page with my finger, so if the choice I made ended badly (as they often did with the Transformers books) then I could go back and make another choice. I do wish life was like that, but I think more helpful would be for me to let go of certain things from my past.
Right now, I think my book would have choices something like this:
If you decide your career should be in sales, turn to page 61
If you decide to say bollocks to it and move to Brazil to become a spear-fisherman, turn to page 23
If you decide to train as a Psychotherapist, turn to page 75.
I think I would like to join the Peace corps, or move to Cali.
1. If you plan to light out for the territories, turn to page apatnapu't.
2. If you plan to track down that next novel you plan to write, turn to page dalawa.
3. If you plan to finally meet the solitary panda and hopefully not scare the crap out of her with your old hippie self, turn to page walong.
4. If you plan to just sit here in your blue pajama bottoms, then just drop the book on the floor and snooze on...
Yay to I kissed a girl and I liked it from Katie Perry :P
Well, as for me, I do have similar plans like you. I will most likely be in Asia next year and totally start over. It's still not 100%, but it looks good. And then I hope we both can still blog and share our experiences :)
And same like you, I also plan to kiss a girl, hehe ;)
You definitely have it right when you say that life's choices aren't always tidy. I, for one, don't want them to be. I enjoy a bit of the unknown.
xo
Nothing in life is tidy...if they were tidy it wouldn't be living. I believe that adventures lie in every decision, right or wrong. Sometimes they take us off course but is it really off course or just a different course? this was a nice read!
It's wonderful that you have so many choices. You'll never know whether you have made the right choice no matter which you choose. I hope you opt for the most adventuresome one!
Grab those choices while you can! enjoy every minute.
jay - thanks for stopping by. your choose your own adventures made me smile! i have this joke w/ myself that i'd marry for peace corps. basically you aren't guaranteed placement with anyone unless you are legally married to the person.. so since i think it would be great to have moral support during a 2 year volunteer stint, i've joked that i would totally marry someone just so we could be placed together.. (you know, instead of marrying for love, or whatever) which is maybe more true than false. :X
murat - haha clever answers! i like it. and i like that you take the time to find filipino words.. and i like it even more that i know what they mean..
MKL - oh this desire has been going on WAY before that song :P i have kissed a girl, for the record.. but nothing more than that.. i plan on doing much much more in the philippines :P and who knows, maybe we will meet in asia :)
a girl named me - that's great that you enjoy the unknown, because when you think about it, everything IS unknown. even if you're in a stable marriage. i'm trying to embrace the unknown more and more.. i haven't been as OK with it in the past..
heliotropism - i would argue it's just a different course. there should be no right or wrong here.. :) i agree with your sense of adventure
granny - ah, and maybe the most adventurous one is always the 'right' choice!
keith - thank you, i plan to! :)
I always opted (read: cheated) for all three choices.
...wonder if that applies to life, too.
chase, haha i think im the same way..
Definitely spend some time in india, I'm sure it will give you a lot to look back on in life.
But please make sure you get to sex up a hot asian girl at some point!
Life is a great adventure. Never let an opportunity pass you by. Your post is a great incentive.
it is great to have so many choices but then what if the choices are there and you are handicaped? there is always that possibility too. i have been down and out though so much is starrin me in the face... i still am help less for my own self.
shux
Oh man those books gave me so much "pressure" for some reason.
Old Grizz has only one piece of advice. What ever adventure you choose, never look back. You cannot change your decision and make it better. Make the adventure you are on today the best it can be.
sSeeing the comparison to the make your own adventure books was pure genius! I wrote about a quote by Chesterson: "An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." Happy travels!
b
It's wonderful to know how many options there are - Happy trails!
I wish you luck for whatever adventure you choose!
deathly adventure
Also don't forget to post any of your creative works at Monday Poetry Train Revisited!
Interesting post
I like how you tie it in to those books from your youth.
Go, jump into the adventure. have fun
I am so excited for you. I miss my own adventure days....now I work a 9 - 5 and own a home. I even have a 10-year plan! Luckily, I've worked adventure into that plan, but it's so not the same as when I was in my early 20s...I am envious of your freedom.
PS - Can't wait to get my ice cream bowl. I will celebrate it's arrival with some Ben and Jerry's!
Turn to page 50! That's my vote!!
All three! Move to California, DEMAND that SCAD open a branch or create some kind of extension in California, and help out with local PC events.
PS I, yes me, may be moving to California soon.
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