would you migrate to a place where you know nobody?
this Fearless Mid-30s Introvert left soft life for a One-Way Ticket to the Unknown!
i met Tanya 2 weeks ago while on a bus to work. She sat across me and immediately initiated conversation as soon as I got to my seat. Weird, I thought, because it was rare for anyone to start a conversation with a stranger. Most especially on a bus.
i’m shy and socially awkward, so, whenever someone starts a conversation with me, I’m looking for the nearest exit, or I reply like a BOT (BUTT works, too, cos I sound like an ASS in those moments).
Tanya’s case was different. I couldn’t control my lips. I just kept talking non-stop like water rushing out of a tap. Maybe the beauty, along with the brown eyes, was a factor?
shockingly, she’s also shy and introverted; maybe that’s what made it work? But I wouldn’t have guessed because she took the first step in talking to a stranger on a bus — something she says she never did back home. She said she could go months without leaving her house or meeting anyone new — all thanks to her overprotective parents.
i also got to find out she’s a freelance writer. At least, that’s what afforded her migrating to a new place. She still makes enough to keep paying rent and other bills in this city.
Enough of my pep talk; this is HER story:
Tanya decided to finally live where she had called home for 32 years of her life. She journeyed across seas. From Bogota to Ontario. Even though she had lived in Columbia all her life, her English was smooth.
she claims she had been learning to speak it from watching movies like Hunger Games, Jurassic Park, The King’s Speech, and The Wizard of Oz.
she had never travelled before this moment — talk more of leaving the family home, stepping out of her comfort zone, and migrating to a new place in search of purpose. she felt trapped living in her parents’ house.
she couldn’t recognize herself anymore. Yes, she’s an introvert but wants to explore all there is to life. She’s in her mid-30s, unsure of the future, buys a one-way ticket and never looked back!
she posted the above picture on her Instagram story and captioned it:
Miles may separate us, but our laughter and shared moments will never be forgotten.
only her close friends could view the story. Tanya is a private person (typical introvert); OBVIOUSLY, she doesn’t like everyone to know about her business.
(I can imagine how devastated they’ll feel finding out via IG story. The caption? Even more confusing for them).
she moved to a country where she knows no one, has no house yet (Airbnb to the rescue), and has no plan other than the excitement of a new experience. She wants a change. She knows her biggest challenge is making friends all over again. (well, she found me. Clearly, she’s overcoming that challenge)
she took off her jacket to take this picture to show the mark of a fighter. The mark of someone who has stopped caring about what people think and wants to live life on her terms.
and she hopes that this picture will inspire somebody who feels trapped where they are or feels like it’s too late for them to make a change — that her story causes YOU to take that first step, leave your comfort zone, and:
Take a one-way ticket at life, and Find your NEW!
PS: everything in this article was a fictional story. Don’t go searching for a TanyaLife_ on Instagram.
I've moved places where no one has known my name. My super power is being able to stay connected with those dear to me even miles, states, and countries away. It creates home anywhere.
Done it. Hard.