I woke up filled with so much gratitude - gratitude to be alive and living, gratitude to have the courage, determination, and resources to take this extended time off, and gratitude for the kindness of humans who live on this beautiful planet. I want to take the time to capture this moment so that whenever I need reassurance or inspiration I can look back on this entry and remind myself of this feeling.

I struggled a bit when first arriving to Kazakhstan. I was already a little burnt out and arriving to a country where I couldn’t easily communicate with others was challenging and lonely. It made me really appreciate what my parents went through when immigrating to the US and learning how to navigate their way in a foreign land. This could be a whole other journal entry but long story short, I feel humbled by and so proud of how much they’ve achieved and their success in creating a beautiful life for themselves and their family (me!) in America.

It’s also been a while since I’ve backpacked for an extended period of time - while I’ve frequently gone on vacation by myself, those vacations have been three weeks at most (US vacation policy is not that generous) whereas the last time I backpacked and traveled in this way was back in 2015! I’m also a recovering perfectionist, so it was hard to not feel like I needed to create a plan of action for every moment of my time in Central Asian and beyond in order to maximize my time abroad. As a result I’ve been slowly remembering what it’s like to be a “backpacker”, slowly but surely regaining my footing and finding my rhythm again.

Initially I was worried that I wouldn’t get to meet people with whom I’d feel an instant connection - maybe I’d already used up all of my bonus points after building my community and forming deep friendships back home. Now I look at this sentence and laugh at myself - how silly it seems to read out loud but how real it felt when fear and anxiety was taking over.

Someone recently told me that the people you meet while traveling are often more memorable than the places you see (thank you, Aunt Gigi). While I intellectually knew this to be true, it didn’t quite hit me until this morning. As much as the world can be a scary place, I’m realizing just how beautiful our world can be thanks to the people you meet.

I recently finished a two day tour with Steppe Spirit, a Kazakh community-based tour company, and had an amazing time experiencing the beauty of Kazakhstan with travelers from all over the world. We all had a really good time just enjoying each other’s company. I bonded with other backpackers who are exploring the world (and themselves) and danced with fellow travelers to celebrate the joy of journeying together. I’ve met elders who see me as their American daughter and take care of me with care and affection. While Couchsurfing I’ve met generous locals who went out of their way to make sure I felt warmly welcomed in their home country and who want to pay things forward because of previous kindnesses shown to them.

I’m feeling inspired by and grateful for the people I’m meeting while traveling. I’m building friendships with other backpackers with share values and who are embarking on gap year (or years!) for similar reasons as me, so we end up having enlightening conversations about life and purpose. Often times I leave the conversation feeling more inspired to continue my journey or try an uncharted path.

At times it even feels like a meeting of the souls. In just this year, these types connections have formed all over the world in Antarctica, Africa, and Almaty, so I think I can use this time to remind myself that it is possible to meet like-minded, friendly, and authentic people wherever you go. It might take a bit of extra effort, a pinch of extra courage, or a little extra time, but it will happen. Not every friendship will be an intimate one, but even the fleeting ones can be meaningful.

I hope to meet these people again somewhere else in the world. And if we don’t have that opportunity or if the friendship fades over time, it still warms my heart knowing that we’ve had a positive impact on each other’s lives, even if it’s just for a brief moment in time.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my community back home as my friends and family have been such a source of love and support, and they make my time abroad even more meaningful. While traveling has given me the opportunity to meet other travelers, it’s also made me further appreciate the people who make up my home.

It may seem corny bit it seems that human connections enhance the beauty of my surroundings, and those connections make my time on Earth all the more meaningful. How wonderful it is to have such a big family, one filled with people all around the world.