Almost three years ago, Scott re-launched our blog with an announcement that we were leaving to volunteer and travel indefinitely. We’d done that before, but this time, he explained, we were selling our stuff, getting rid of our apartment, and leaving home for a nomadic life of service, family and travel. Life is short, he said. And we wanted to do more of what we felt made life important.
We did exactly that. We drove out of Toronto at the end of June, 2017 and slowly made our way to the West Coast. I learned how to love the wilderness just in time to hike and live outdoors in the English countryside with the help of my magic pants. We went to Ukraine and volunteered to conduct two very large Vipassana retreats at a former Soviet-era children’s camp. Our experience in Ukraine changed us in ways we couldn’t imagine. So began a worldwide journey of service and travel.
But as we know, all things must end. As Scott’s last post alluded to, this chapter of our life has faded and transformed into something new for a while. We’ve slept in the same bed now for almost eight weeks, making this the longest time we’ve spent in one place since mid-2017. We’re trying to get used to our new life.
Some people get very anxious when we describe how we live. Especially when we’re in one of our peripatetic periods, wandering the earth like bourgeois hobos. No place to live, waking up in a different culture every month – a new city, new food, new currency. None of that makes us anxious. But the transition back to life in Canada? Nerve wracking. Even when it’s easy.
That said, the transition has been incredibly smooth. Somehow, Scott has found a perfect job, interviewing the day after we arrived in Vancouver. Just a few weeks later, I was offered a job with the BC government, in health care. Things have moved very quickly since we left Mexico City on October 1. As always, we feel very lucky. We were prepared for a long limbo looking for work and couch surfing. Instead, we went from hobo to SoHo in less than a month.
I’m not going to regurgitate our travels of the last two and half years. I’ll share some of my favorite photos instead and note that, though all of it was amazing, 2018, in particular, was a life-altering year for me – in what I already considered a life of life-altering experiences. That year took us to many places: Palestine, Israel, Japan, Hong Kong, back through a lot of eastern Europe, including a return to Ukraine, and ended with us meditating silently for seven weeks in Thailand. I was able to work remotely, with great colleagues on excellent projects. That year also took me to Armenia, where I explored my Armenian heritage and later reconnected with my father’s family in Canada. Though we learned a lot about ourselves, we also had the opportunity to focus on the needs of other people.
We’re in Vancouver now, and as mentally hard as this transition back to Canada has been, we feel very grateful. Grateful to have good solid friends and family that surround us with love. Grateful that we are married to each other and that we both want the same things out of a very short life. Grateful to have been welcomed back to Vancouver so smoothly. And most of all, grateful for a meditation practice that helps us to make sense of the world and understand ourselves within it.
We know we’ll continue to live a life peppered with sabbaticals that allow us to volunteer around the world. But for the time being, you can find us in Vancouver.
We wish you all the very best in 2020.
May you all be happy and healthy.
Happy New Year Scott and Karen !
Lovely to read your posts, as usual. May you both enjoy your time in the traditional lay life, once again. Photos are really such a wonderful gift in life, aren’t they?
Happy New Year, Lyndon! Thank you for the comment. We hope you and Phi are doing great. Hugs all around from us.
Thanks so much for sharing your adventures! I have really enjoyed your blog and have felt inspired by how you both do life! All the best in your next chapter!
Hey Zahra! Such a nice comment! Thanks for being such a loyal reader.
Thanks so much for allowing us to travel with you. Although I am content with my life in one place, I so enjoyed travelling the world with you experiencing so much more than my little bubble. Loved the last photo, quite the giggle it gave me.
Thanks for being such a loyal follower Sarah. Writing and editing these blog posts are only fun if we know it is entertaining to others. All the best to you and may 2020 be a fabulous year.
I’ve been following your adventures with delight, awe, and not a small amount of jealousy since you began your journey. What marvelous experiences you’ve had! I’m grateful you shared so much of your travels. I love seeing your photos and trying to imagine what it must be like to be able to travel like that. I hope your return to “the world” is smooth and that you continue to share with us.
Thanks so much for the comment Kat and thrilled you’ve enjoyed our posts. Its so lovely know there are folks that have followed from the beginning and have enjoyed being entertained by our musing and scott’s photo taking. All the best to you in 2020.
Karen and Scott, I enjoyed your journal once again. Such an exciting and fulfilling life. Enjoyed your photos so much and I always live in your stories. Wishing both of you the very best for 2020 and while you are working continue to talk about your ventures down the road at some point. Love you both so much! Auntie Ruth and Uncle Sarkis
All the best to you and the family Auntie Ruth! Thanks for following along with your travels. xoxoxo
Happy New Year to you both. I can’t believe you are finally so close again and we haven’t managed to get a visit in! My New Years resolution and commitment! Here’s to another year of amazing life adventures
Love Carole
Thanks so much Carole for being a loyal follower and commenter on our blog. It is hard to believe this next phase has started, sooo smoothly and so quickly! All the very best in 2020 and hope we (or at least Scotty) gets to see you soon. Love from both of us
I’ve enjoyed travelling with you two. You’ve introduced me to places I’ll never experience–thank you for sharing with all of us. And good luck with re-entry!
We are sooo happy to hear you’ve enjoyed the blog. And we will take your well wishes for a luck filled re-entry. All the very best to you in 2020.
Great to hear from you again, Best wishes to you both for a very HAPPY 2020.
And a very happy 2020 to you too! Thanks so much for the comment and for following us all this time.
Wow Karen! Reading about your adventure the last few years was absolutely amazing. Until your next adventure… I’m glad to hear that you have transitioned back to “regular life” for now!
I am so glad you’ve followed us all this time AND that you enjoyed the posts. All the very best to you. May 2020 be bright and smooth. 🙂
Thanks Karen! For some reason there were 2 things that intrigued me reading, while your posts throughout your adventure. Aside from the marvellous experiences… it was you “magic pants” (I want those!) and Scott’s handy Enrique Muyshondt – beagle flashlight!😆
Since you’re still working in (gov’t) healthcare, it would be nice to cross paths with you again, but perhaps maybe not with ALR!
Oh well… you can get both the magic pants and the beagle (a.k.a. Zack). 🙂 I sincerely hope we do cross paths again. Such a delight to work with you. In my new role I’m not working with cancer only – but very soon you wont be either I suspect. 🙂 I will send you a private message with my personal email address and then if find yourself out this way in the next while you can drop me a line!
Love the corn flakes photo. Made me laugh 🙂
That photo actually captures our true feelings. Ha. It also was fun taking it. All the best in 2020 to you Andrea!
Great reading an update on your life. I’m happy for you that there wasn’t too tough a limbo period, but I can appreciate that it comes with challenges regardless. I hope 2020 comes with fun and adventure despite staying in one place.
Thanks for the comment Cailey. Yes… we have plans for 2020 that involve Palestine, Ukraine and Mexico so it wont be all work and no service. Let’s see how we do. Lots of love to you and all the best in 2020!
Mexico… yei!!!!!
Loved the Corn Flakes photo! Right in the spot!! Made me laugh too!
YES! End of 2020. 🙂 Lots of love to you and Jorge and the kids!
What an amazing few years you’ve had. Enjoy your time with family. You are right. Life is short.
All the best Karen and Scott as we move into 2020.
Hugs and kisses
Mary
Thanks so much Mary. We feel very lucky indeed to have had this opportunity for the third time in this short life. Lots of love and all the very best to you in 2020 too.
Wonderful post! Great to have your friends find out where you are now and what the future will hold Even though you are staying in one place for a while, i hope you keep them all informed . We all look forward to these blogs. Happy 2020 to you both.
Not the full trip review… but you can always go back and look at the posts. 😉 Thanks for the comment. Lots of love to you too.
Wonderful that you both found jobs sp quickly. Congrats!
It was such good luck. Thanks for following along Diane. 🙂
Hello Karen and Scott!! This is such a nice compilation of photographs from the almost las three years of your lives and travels… and such a nice blog post … and finally we get to see a picture of Scott on a tie,… such a nice photograph but we share your pain on this transition… hope it gets better with time… Have a healthy and year 2020 full of blessings!!
OH Jorge… this is only a selection of my fav photos from 2018!! If I had put a compilation of my favorite photos from all three years then you and Julie would have many many many photos included! 2019 was special because we met you both and the girls. <3 so much love and a year full of blessing to you and Julie and the girls too.
Hi Karen!! I totally understand it… with so many great experiences and pictures that captured all those moments… indeed 2019 was a great year, full of surprises, including the opportunity to meet with Scott and you twice and within few months… indeed we feel very blessed of have met you and have shared experiences in CDMX during this year!!