The concept for the Open Road Before Me came about in the spring of 2011, as I was planning my escape from the corporate job I had in the States. Stressed, depressed, and aching to return overseas after three years of working at home, I stumbled across a piece of writing by none other than Walt Whitman. The opening lines of his famous work, ‘Leaves of Grass‘, struck a chord as resonant to me then as it is now:
Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Walt Whitman
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Over the next several years, I saw my life change. My time overseas challenged me in ways I never anticipated. This blog, like me, has undergone a huge transformation. What started as a journal of sorts for my friends and family back home turned into what it is now: a collection of stories, experiences, and tips written to inspire others to set off on the Open Road Before Them. It is my hope that within these stories you’ll find something which inspires you to get out and GO, wherever your road may lead.
Be healthy, be free. Let your road lead wherever you choose.