...and we are off!

And we’re off... literally. Both Joo and I are not working, and Chloe is not in school. We have no commitments and nothing pending. I have the next 7 months with no work and I get to choose what I do on a daily basis. There is something very freeing about that. So what do I do??? Well, something I truly love but have not been able to do like I’d like is to travel. So, the first thing we are doing is going to French Polynesia... for 2 months!!! That may not seem like an eternity to those jet setters that are vagabonding around the world but it is plenty of time for me to unplug, reset, and relaunch and that is exactly what I intend to do. 

We’ve been planning this for a while. In fact, back in February 2014, Joo and I were in Laguna having lunch when we decided we were committed to taking a trip. We were going to quit our jobs or try and work out a sabbatical and leave the country for 6 months or even a year. We talked about which countries we would travel to, for how long, and what we would do in each place. The only thing we couldn’t do before we went on our trip was get pregnant... we found out about about a month later that we would have a child in 8 months. 

Needless to say, we didn’t take that trip. Since then, our love of travel and value for the experience has not changed. But, just about everything else in our life has. Our perspective on life has evolved substantially and significantly and with it our vision for what this trip is and how it fit in our life. 

This trip provides a unique opportunity to experience something special and different together. Chloe is 4.5 years old and wont start Kindergarten until the fall of 2020. She is old enough to take in a trip like this and help build her foundational perception of the world and life. Joo is now exiting the nurturing phase of her motherhood and the requirements on her time has been morphing. I have been working for almost 20 year and the prospect of an extended period of time to focus on myself and my family as the primary focus of my days is about as enticing as it gets. This time away from work and this trip are a purposeful step to approach life and our respective journeys together as a family unit and see if I can become individual, husband, and father that I aim to be.

Individual

There are things that I want to accomplish that are individual. selfishly, I want to rest and enjoy myself. Ive always wanted to swim with humpback whales and surf in Tahiti and so I’m excited about the prospect of these once in a lifetime experiences. Furthermore, I am excited that these don’t have to be “fit in” to an itinerary. We have 2 months to experience and I have little doubt we will be able to schedule time for these individual pursuits. I am really looking forward to experiencing nature each day. Looking our at beautiful vistas, sunsets, and crystal blue waters.

I’m also looking forward to the personal growth I receive from change. The experience of different cultures, ideas, and norms is eye opening. When I get out of my comfort zone and out of my routines, I find out more about myself and my surroundings and always feel like i have progressed as a person. I believe this time in my life is a perfect time to take those benefits of change and growth and point them towards developing that future self I envision. 

Husband

There are ebbs and flows to any relationship and it is not easy to always be on the same page as you move from dating to married to the ever changing requirements of family. Joo is a world class person who is so far ahead of the curve on being comfortable in being who you are, being present, and prioritizing the right things for a happy and fulfilled life. I have made strides in all these areas over the past couple years and feel excited about the prospect of what this time holds for us. ‘

Travel is our favorite pastime and its when I believe we are the most present together. The beauty of an extended trip for us is that we get the best of the fun and excitement of experiencing all that travel has to offer as well as the benefits from settling into a new life routine in a fresh and stimulating environment. My goal for this trip for us is really to maximize the smiles, laughs, and general stoke together and take some of that individual growth we have both experiences and transform our life as husband and wife into a fully connected and present relationship that has us smiling, laughing, and loving each day.

Father

When I was growing up, I was certain that Orange County was the center of the universe. My first real experience with overseas travel came when I was in college. It was eye opening to see the diversity and wonder through the lens of traveling and it truly reshaped the way I view the world and myself. I am so stoked to have a trip where Chloe gets to build her understanding of the world with travel experiences like this. My hope is that Chloes foundational understanding of what the world is and the beauty in diversity will be built through experiencing another culture, language, and set of circumstances. 

I love that I get to share my love of the ocean and nature with Chloe. We will be able to wake up each day and walk hand in hand to the waters edge and seek out ocean life together in 80 degree crystal clear water. We will get to experience the wonders of tall waterfalls traversing below a beautiful jungle canopy. She will be able to experience traveling by boat and staying in a room over the water. All of these experiences are special on their own but to be able to be there next to her each day to show her the way through it all and see it through her eyes is going to be truly special. I want to build a special bond as father and daughter through the consistent and daily interaction we will be afforded in paradise and I hope I can amplify her positive growth experiences with guidance, comfort, and support. 

There are so many facets to this trip together that excite me from the basic joy received from doing a fun activity to the personal growth gained from experiencing the new and different this world has to offer. The understanding that we have almost 2 months in French Polynesia gives me comfort that I can take it day by day and do all that I want and what I want is to decompress and experience the best parts of life together with my two loves and come out the other end with a more developed perspective on life and a fully engaged and connected family units full of laughs and love and a shared experience of a lifetime.