PSYCH, I lied.
Alright everyone, I lied. I must confess. I told y’all I was gonna do this bi-weekly until I travel but, truth is, plans change.
Now I will be posting weekly. Even though I am still just home, not travelling yet. And a silly thought occurred: How am I going to continue to write until February if I’m not even travelling yet? Do you wanna know why I thought it was silly? It’s silly because I am me and I am constantly thinking about the future, my place in this world, my purpose, what are my intentions with everything I set my mind to and blah blah blah.
So I will have plentyyyyy of words for you guys. I may not be a yapper in real life but I definitely am inside of this head. Glad you guys are here to experience my mind as I prepare for something big.
Groot and I getting in the mindset for his first run on Wednesday November 12, 2025 in Waxhaw, NC.
In my last post, I wasn’t lying when I offered a breakdown of my intentions for travel and why I will be travelling in this way. So, here it is.
How I will be travelling
Like I said before, my travel will be heavily focused around Workaway. This site is amazing and, although I haven’t experienced a Workaway yet, I am already so optimistic about the opportunity and community it will bring my way.
What originally brought me to this site was the appeal of its concept as a budget traveller. Free accommodation?? Speak no more. But immediately, as I began surfing through, I was met with sooo much palpable excitement the more I read. I realized: this is how I want to travel.
A real image from a video taken on November 12, 2025, of Norah in her natural habitat as she explains to a Workaway why she wants to volunteer for them.
Workaway offers a crazy amount of opportunities which I couldn’t even begin to narrow at first. I wanted to do them all. You can help with ecoprojects, take care of pets, teach English, help with gardening…soooo many things. I can see myself becoming a Workaway ambassador if the experience ends up being as good as it sounds!
In addition to Workaway, there will be the occasional hostel as well as meeting up with some friends which I am beyond excited for :)
Intentions for travel
One of the biggest things I was struggling with about going off to travel was feeling like I was jumping ship. Things are crazy in America right now and I was feeling like I needed to stay, somehow using my writing or videos to help share the struggles of those suffering at the hands of our government. Until I leave, I will be attending events with local groups to help out and, hopefully, contribute my skills to their cause before February.
On November 14, 2025, my bedroom floor supports a mess as a result of my obsessive reading and writing lately (check out Angela Davis’ autobiography she’s amazing).
All this to say, Workaway became the answer to what I was wrestling with. This way, I can give back while traveling through volunteer work as well as offering my skills to foundations implementing local outreach. Truth is, there is no shortage of help needed from anywhere in the world.
By putting my skills into practice, I will see them improve all while building my portfolio with on-the-ground work that exemplifies versatility. Learning new skills will also be on the agenda. Through joining hosts with ecoprojects and language exchanges, my hope is that these opportunities will expand my knowledge. Learning promotes the fastest growth and I am constantly hungry to know more about the world around me through real experience.
And, that brings me to my last goal which is kind of a given: to learn more about myself and humanity through exploring other parts of the world, of course.
Dinner is hot n’ ready on a November Friday evening with the grandparents in Tega Cay, SC. Shout out Nonni and Papa if you’re reading this (they are likely who I inherit my travel bug from)!
Why?
All this may sound like kind of a hefty plan to go do solo. It definitely is, I’m not going to say it’s not and I fully expect challenges to arise as I go out into the world. But, I think for me, I have to do this. I don’t think that was ever a question. From the moment I started travelling, even just outside of the few states I had been to on the east coast, I needed to see more and more as the world started expanding before me at the age of 18.
After growing up in a small town, going to school out west, so far and different from anywhere I had been before, was a must. Once I saw a world that looked and felt so unknown from anything I ever experienced, I was enthralled. I wanted more, exploring more of this unfamiliar space before me. So I did just that.
Let’s take a pause for my avocado toast this morning mmmmm. Some cottage cheese, a drizzle of honey, red pepper flakes… perfection.
What I’ve learned about myself is: I crave the unknown or else I’ll go crazy. And I did go crazy for a long time. I always knew there was something out there. Something more. Something exciting. But, What was it? How did it look? I find myself asking these questions now, longing for the answers. I’m unsure if I am built to be in one place for too long. I don’t know if I will always be on the move but, for now, I have to keep exploring or else I will never be fully satisfied.
Thanks for joining the ride, hope to see you next week!
Norah <3
