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I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

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Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#221

Post by fapjacks »

Sundog wrote: post #204
nathan_f77 wrote: post #55

This looks like a nice experience, but I'm realizing that I don't want to do anything like this. I thought I did, but I guess not. That includes driving an RV around America or New Zealand, hiking the Appalachian trail, or any other kind of journey where you travel from A to B and see a few things along the way. I do want to visit Africa, but all of this driving and getting stuck doesn't really appeal to me. I do wan…

You can do most of New Zealand in two-three weeks, the roads are great, and you will not get stuck anywhere. Do it.

I've never met a more awesome person than a kiwi, too. Just about all of them.

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#222

Post by kyberias »

Msurrow wrote: post #210
nickthemagicman wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Westerners version of traveling treats the world like Disneyland. Rich westerners save a bunch of money then go see the sights then come back and tell their friends! These experiences are purchased, the equivalent of visiting China world at Epcot. It treats travel, people, culture like an amusement park or even worse a status symbol...have YOU been to Africa? The OP wants something more meaningful I think.

Yes, I have. About two month in South Africa. Amongst other things spending 21 days volunteering and another 16 days-ish driving around the country.

Wow. Must have been fulfilling.

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#223

Post by fapjacks »

grecy wrote: post #196
extr wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember your reddit thread, nearly everyone was convinced you'd be murdered and robbed by the end of the first day. Seems like you're doing alright so far, but have you run into any substantial trouble along those lines?

No, nothing. Friendly people everywhere I've been - in fact much more so than I was expecting. Just today I was talking to a guy who agrees he feels much safer and more welcome here than he would if he showed up in a random city in the USA or Europe.

Right. This always surprises me. Americans are especially guilty of this feeling that the rest of the world is a dangerous, lawless hellhole. When in fact, 99.9995% of the world's population is just trying to get by with the least amount of trouble possible. Also, thanks for sharing your comments. They are inspiring and cool.

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#224

Post by sedachv »

riboflava wrote: post #187
forgotpwtomain wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There are international builds where you travel somewhere and work on building homes in areas where there isn't adequate low-income housing. I highly advise against this. There is no shortage of unqualified labor in underdeveloped countries. Most of these projects are just 'feel good charity tourism'. If you want to make a difference you are much better of donating 20% of a US salary which will employ many more und…

The goal is precisely feel good charity tourism as a safe adventure you don't need to quit your job over, so it seems like good advice to me. Remember, the top comment is looking for a 'safe' adventure, not trying to be maximally efficient in improving the lives of strangers.

> The goal is precisely feel good charity tourism as a safe adventure you don't need to quit your job over, so it seems like good advice to me.

That might be the nathan_f77's apparently stated goal, but nathan_f77 also states they do not really know what they want. Charity tourism is just disgusting racist white savior paternalism that exploits POC-in-former-colonies poverty for white-people-from-former-colonizer-countries ego inflation. You use the word 'safe' in quotes so I assume you know this: the phrase "safe adventure" is literally an oxymoron (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adventure). Charity tourism might just turn out to be one of those unfulfilling consumer experiences the poster is looking to avoid, wrapped in a feel-good veneer.

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#225

Post by lemming »

yodsanklai wrote: post #199
nathan_f77 wrote: post #55

This looks like a nice experience, but I'm realizing that I don't want to do anything like this. I thought I did, but I guess not. That includes driving an RV around America or New Zealand, hiking the Appalachian trail, or any other kind of journey where you travel from A to B and see a few things along the way. I do want to visit Africa, but all of this driving and getting stuck doesn't really appeal to me. I do wan…

> The reason I'm writing all of this is because I also want to quit my job and go off on some kind of new adventure, but I'm not really sure what I should do. Traveling can be fun, but also alienating. I met many people who renounced to their trip around the world after a few months. It can become boring after a while and you start to wonder what is the point of it. And you don't really build anything while traveling…

I like to get some classes in the local language for a couple of hours a day. You'll learn something new, meet some locals and you can often interact more with locals you meet afterwards when mangling a little of their language.

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#226

Post by ambientdark »

Msurrow wrote: post #210
nickthemagicman wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Westerners version of traveling treats the world like Disneyland. Rich westerners save a bunch of money then go see the sights then come back and tell their friends! These experiences are purchased, the equivalent of visiting China world at Epcot. It treats travel, people, culture like an amusement park or even worse a status symbol...have YOU been to Africa? The OP wants something more meaningful I think.

Yes, I have. About two month in South Africa. Amongst other things spending 21 days volunteering and another 16 days-ish driving around the country.

Congrats, that sounds very exciting and it sounds like you helped people as well. I'm not sure you need it, but just in case, I would like to validate you and your decision to go off the beaten track. Ultimately it's important to do what makes you happy and fulfilled and traveling seems to make you happy and fulfilled, which is great to hear.

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#227

Post by ferentchak »

kyberias wrote: post #222
Msurrow wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I have. About two month in South Africa. Amongst other things spending 21 days volunteering and another 16 days-ish driving around the country.

Wow. Must have been fulfilling.

If you travel the food alone will be fulfilling.

Food in a foreign place is always different than what you can find at home

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#228

Post by Chathamization »

nathan_f77 wrote: post #55

This looks like a nice experience, but I'm realizing that I don't want to do anything like this. I thought I did, but I guess not. That includes driving an RV around America or New Zealand, hiking the Appalachian trail, or any other kind of journey where you travel from A to B and see a few things along the way. I do want to visit Africa, but all of this driving and getting stuck doesn't really appeal to me. I do wan…

There's often a ton of things people can do where they are, as well. If you get involved in local politics, join a community arts project, get involved in neighborhood rehabilitation, join a dancing group, etc. You often see a side of things you never realized was there.

You get a different experience from "outside looking in activities (travel, overseas volunteer work, habitat for humanity) than you get from activities where you see yourself as being a member of the group you're trying to help or create something with. Both kinds of experiences can be useful, though it's important to understand the limits of each.

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#229

Post by oliv__ »

Msurrow wrote: post #210
nickthemagicman wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Westerners version of traveling treats the world like Disneyland. Rich westerners save a bunch of money then go see the sights then come back and tell their friends! These experiences are purchased, the equivalent of visiting China world at Epcot. It treats travel, people, culture like an amusement park or even worse a status symbol...have YOU been to Africa? The OP wants something more meaningful I think.

Yes, I have. About two month in South Africa. Amongst other things spending 21 days volunteering and another 16 days-ish driving around the country.

I don't think the question was meant for you to answer. That was kind of the point.

Re: I quit my job, bought an army truck, and spent 19 months circumnavigating Africa

#230

Post by JonoBB »

nathan_f77 wrote: post #55

This looks like a nice experience, but I'm realizing that I don't want to do anything like this. I thought I did, but I guess not. That includes driving an RV around America or New Zealand, hiking the Appalachian trail, or any other kind of journey where you travel from A to B and see a few things along the way. I do want to visit Africa, but all of this driving and getting stuck doesn't really appeal to me. I do wan…

Having done a similar trip with my wife and few years back, the challenge is a huge part of the adventure. Getting stuck in crazy places, getting help from villagers, being invited to a rural dinner "just because".

Of course, the beauty of nature is a huge part of the trip, but being taken out of your comfort zone is what makes it extra special.

If you're not prepared to step out of your comfort zone, then everything will seem run-of-the-mill and ordinary. Because it is.

Just be prepared (we could survive for 2 weeks on our own at any point) and take the right safety precautions (don't drive into war torn areas).

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