When I was in highschool, I was a teenager who wanted to have money and a house, and that's it. I did not have any plans and dreams. I knew there wouldn't be any job which I would like enough to make the next 40 of working exceptionally enjoyable. I did not have the knowledge of all the possibilities in this amazing life, all of the dreams and plans I had back in those days were quite pathetic.
Here I was 18 years old, and in my first week of an 1,5 year trip through Asia, which changed my life and future
However, lots of things have changed and my mind is completely filled up with dreams, opportunities and gratitude. There are plenty of goals I would love to achieve some day. There is only one problem and that is the fact that the time is running away fast, and my list of things to do before settling down is only increasing. I have many dreams and I am afraid that the time is too short to make all dreams come true. I wish I could slow down the time and create space to make my dreams come through in time!
I see my perfect future in Ghana, when I am 30 years old and ready to settle and maybe even have a family of my own. My boyfriend and I are planning to buy a property in Ghana (or Jamaica but Jamaica might be too expensive). We would like to buy a few acres/one hectare of land at the beach or near the beach to make a small eco farm/food forest and guesthouse for tourists. Since my boyfriend is a chef, he would like to open a very small beach restaurant with Asian, Jamaican and African food, all made with fruits and vegetables from our own garden. It doesn't have to make us a lot of money, It should just give us enough to live and we would have time left to spend with each other, and maybe with our children by then. However, I do not feel like I will be ready to settle when I'm 30 years old. I would only have 6 years to study, work and grow up, before having a house, responsibility and children. But if I wait too long, I might never have the possibility to have children. That clock is also kinda ticking if you get what I mean. Damn, time is running! And I have so many things to do before I am ready!
That's my chef and the man who shares my dreams
Some day, I wanna have a simple guest house and little restaurant at the beach, for travellers and backpackers, for surfers and who ever might feel attracted to our place
Before I am ready to settle, I will go to New Zealand next September, since I finally got a visa a few weeks ago! I applied far before Corona and it was really hard to get, made a mistake at my Medical check and said I had Tuberculosis, and when I finally got it corona came and it expired. But the plan is to buy a campervan in New Zealand and travel, which is supposed to be one last trip before I really start my studies. I wanna climb mountains, see the glowworm caves(look it up, it is awesome), spend nights around campfires under the stars and meet people while doing trashy farm jobs like picking fruits, and maybe make some trips to neighboring countries like Fiji.
Just me, wondering how I am going to life my life to the fullest, in such a short life span
I must be back in the Netherlands in September 2023, to finally start studying, which I have already been postponing for too many years. The subject I picked is Plant Science and if everything goes according to plan, I will graduate in 2026, or finish in 2028 if I decide the time is still there for my master. I would really like to do a master's and learn more to make myself more valuable in a company which works on a future with more food security, but I am afraid the time is not there anymore. In 2028, I will be already 30 years old, quite old to start my first ''after study'' job. Especially since I see working as a plant scientist as a stage of life. And 30 was supposed to be the age to settle…
After graduating, I would like to go first to Australia for a couple of years to work and live in a beautiful new country, while saving up for our property in Ghana, to be able to settle and build something for our own.
Will time allow us to travel some day to Africa with this campervan?
One thing I really want to put somewhere in between one of these years, is to drive with my self converted campervan from The Netherlands to Africa. It is possible to cross from Spain to Morocco by ferry with the camper, and drive all the way to either Tanzania or South Africa, passing through deserts, jungles, mountains and beautiful sceneries. This is currently my biggest travel dream but I am wondering when the time is there... Maybe another sabbatical year between my studies? That would be the 8 gap year which was never supposed to be more than one. But one year is finished before I can blink my eyes. If I could have made the time slow down, I could have been ready to settle before my 30ties, while achieving all my deepest desires.
How beautiful would a lifetime be if we did not have to worry about time? If we could just pretend like we wouldn't feel the pressure of achieving goals and dreams before a certain age or time? A lifetime in which we can just go with the flow? Share your thoughts in the Weekend-engagement concept hosted by
Meet Sascha, a 23-year-old Dutch girl, who loves traveling, photography and adventure. Right now, she is building her own tiny home on wheels. Which she might use as her home while studying next year, But first, she might go to New Zealand for a working holiday year! Does that sound exciting? Don't forget to follow for more exciting travel stories and to see her van be converted to a beautiful tiny home on wheels!
See you next time!
Regards,
Sascha