Jason and I were walking after school in the city center
Jason: Wow, can you believe in 5 months we’ll be free?
“what do you mean?”
“I mean, we will be done with school, and we can do whatever the hell we want then!”
“Yeah, I can’t wait till school ends, but I don’t think it’s going to be as you think, we won’t be free. and most of the friend groups that you see around you in school, well, they’ll break up in no time I’m telling you.”
“Nah, man, we’re so connected why would we ever break our friendships?”
“as much as you know your classmates, you don’t. in a year or two, all of us will be completely different; you might not recognize some when you see them in the street.”
“I know you don’t like some of our classmates, but that doesn’t mean everyone will break up!”
“I guess we’ll have just to wait and see.”
Three months after graduation, most of us started drifting apart, some got a job, some prepared for college or already applied, and some just lived an everyday party. At that time, the picture started to get brighter for me. It was like I got what life is all about. Still, I knew that I was fooling myself, I probably feel like that every time I change a bit which is every year, I started working at my aunt’s restaurant in the morning and a clothing shop in the evening, because I loved clothes and thought bartending, is a fun job.
Everyone at that time had a goal get into a particular college, get a job, party, mine was to travel the world, and I thought working 2-3 jobs could get me enough money in a year to travel for at least a year or two.
The plan was vague. I thought once I get the money I’ll plan the rest
and so after school, I worked my ass off just like any other dreamer in this world who is hustling to get his hopes real.
But I also researched the subject of traveling the world and whether if it’s possible.
I hosted travelers from all over the world to learn more about their story.
One thing I learned from this period is that I do like people even though they might come across as stupid or selfish. In the end, we all are. Please don’t misinterpret what I said though, I do like people as a whole and not as individuals. As much as an individual can do, it’s not as significant as it is to a group.
However, I felt that all these travelers that I’ve met with were special
they had another way of seeing the world,
“you don’t live in an illusion just like most of the people around here, “I once said to a traveler I hosted by the name of Peter.
“what do you mean?”
“I mean everyone here in Wahum is so filled with themselves thinKing their way of living is the right way! oh, little do they know what’s out there.”
“If you think about it that way, then there is not so much difference, after all, I don’t represent the french just like you, Yan don’t represent all the Arabs.
where I live, you will also meet closed-minded people just like you did here, but the difference is they have a different way of showing it.”
“you got a point, man, but I guess that’s one of the reasons that make me want to get out of here, you know? I wanna see it in my eyes; the differences between us, the beautiful and ugly, the similarities between us because, in the end, that is what makes us all human.”
“You’re still young Yan, at your age, I would have been learning accounting in college.
before I quit my job at the age of 50 Years old, I haven’t set foot in another country but France.”
“What made you decide that you wanna do that? quit your life and start again from the beginning?”
I have been working for 23 years old in banks, and one day I couldn’t take it anymore. I started hosting people like you’re doing now, got to know their story, and I can’t tell you, Yan, how good that was to get to know their story, so I thought to myself, why haven’t I done those things before, I’ve always wanted to travel and have an adventure every day! So I started planning for my next trip, two months later, when I was ready, I bought a one-way ticket, quit my job, and here I am 5 years later.
“Such an inspiring story, I wish I could be like you.”
“You can if you want to, You’re still 19, but when I look at you, I see an independent young man who can do anything he wants if he has the will to.”
“Yeah, but now might not be the right time.”
“That, only you get to decide.”
Retroveens 