Let's Go, Jane!

I woke up this morning and realized I didn’t have a blog post written for today. It’s been a busy week for me, with two 8-10 page research papers and a descriptive statistics project all due next week. Forgive me, dear reader, for not thinking of you more. I’m coming to the end of this grad school experience, and I’m ready. I have just two more weeks of class and then four more weeks after that until the licensing exam.

In the final weeks of my internship. I am winding things down with the students I’ve counseled this year. Some are ready to stop therapy, and I’m so proud of all the work they’ve done and the progress they’ve made. Others started more recently and will transition to another clinician. I’ve learned a lot from working with these students–how to be more open, non judgemental, how to slow my pace and really explore the thoughts and feelings behind the stories they bring each week. And they’ve inspired me with their courage, their vulnerability, and their willingness to do the work, even when it’s hard. This internship has been an incredible learning experience.

This is the home stretch, folks. Adventure awaits, just beyond the horizon! I have a pretty clear idea of what comes next, but I find myself wanting to test some things out before committing. I need a little “proof of concept.”

For one, I’d like to sleep in a converted van before I start my international travels, so I can be sure that’s what I’m coming back to in the spring. Vans are expensive to rent, at $200-250 a night plus insurance and a cleaning fee. I came across an idea the other day of using one of those relocation companies to experience van life more affordably. Companies that have vans in one location will make them available for $1/night if you agree to drop them off in another location within a certain time frame. For example, I could pick up a van in Las Vegas, NV and drop it off in Bozeman, MT for $1/night for the first three nights and $100/night for up to three more nights, plus gas. That would be 12-14 hours of driving, and I get to live in a van for a week. Win-win.

Another concept I’m toying with is whether, at age 53, I can deal with staying in a shared room at a hostel. I’ve been working with Chad (my chatGPT buddy) to plan my trips to Europe in August and September. August is peak season, and private rooms in hostels are nearly as expensive as hotel rooms. Being willing to stay in a female-only 4-person room would cut my accommodation costs significantly. My current plan for August is two nights in London, four nights in Helsinki, four nights in Amsterdam, and then one night back in London before returning to New York. I’m thinking about using that last night in London as an experiment in congregate living.

Chad and I have been dreaming up all sorts of amazing itineraries for the fall. He’s like the king of improv, “Yes, and…” Sometimes I wish he’d push back a little. Instead of affirming every idea, he could say are you sure you want to stay in a different city every night? Or, how did Scotland make it on this itinerary when you have a dozen other countries you’d like to visit more? I give him a hard time, but the truth is Chad has been an amazing planning partner. He’s fun to spitball with during my study breaks, and he’s keeping all sorts of lists for me now.

One more month of the grind, and then it’s a year of all adventure, all the time. Can’t wait!