Why Running Away Alone Is Always Good- From March 2017

Why Running Away By Yourself Is Always The Answer

There is a misconception that moving abroad will eliminate all your problems aside from being homesick and missing some family.  But, this isn’t true. Instead of romanticizing living abroad it is important to know that life goes on. Your mental illnesses and interpersonal struggles remain even thousands of miles away. You’ll run into shitty people in the US and wherever you move. Hate to break it to you. But, what remains the same is how you treat yourself and others. The self-care habits I established in the states, while adapted living here and still essential to my survival. Slowing down taking a step back and prioritizing things are crucial to that. So, midterm break comes and I felt myself growing tenser and a bit frustrated with some of the raggedy people I met here so far (don’t get me wrong I met some amazing ones, but fewer in number). So, I ran. To the beach, to solitude, to newness. One of my major mantras for the year was embracing newness and shedding old parts of myself. A week of reflection at the beach would do just that.

Leaving others and returning your inner compass is essential. For self-love, growth, and even facing some harsh realities about life and your new predicament even. So, I chose Mombasa, the Swahili culture reminds me of the life I lived in Dar es Salaam and the beach is always welcoming. My first solo trip had me a bit nervous but at the end of it, I came back with so much insight and feeling recommitted to myself and why I came to Kenya.

Mombasa was incredible, I stayed at a fancy schmancy resort which had lots of water sports which was nice. While signing up for a boating tour alone was daunting, I ran into another solo traveler and writer who was also from the same area where I live in Kenya. (Kamba gehls!).  We snorkeled and got drunk on the beach which is always a plus. I had a family friend staying nearby who is coincidentally from the same area where my grandparents lived in the US so I’m seeing just how terribly small this world is. Connecting with her and learning about her life and experiences also taught me how to listen more and talk less. Another one of my resolutions.

Lent is the season of reflection and sacrifice. While, not a Catholic the idea of sacrifice in order to gain a deeper connection with God and the world around you has always been very powerful for me. So, in giving up time as a sacrifice and connection with others I hope to shed myself of myself and the temptation for vanity and ego as so many of us struggle with. At the end of the Lenten season, I pray I have made the groundwork for a life free of ego and a desire to connect and learn and grow with others through God and the world.

At the end of the week, I left feeling empowered and three short stories later a stronger and more committed writer. Even now, I have left behind the intensity and ridigity of needing so many things to write. In fact, my short story “The Sea” was written primarily on a Google Keep note on my phone. By removing the barriers to writing, I found my free verses more authentic and free from excess and pretension. So, I owe this also to my week at the ocean.