MonkeyKnifeFight

First step into a larger world

I never did university. I never went traveling. I went from art-school straight into the design and web world which is the space I’ve inhabited ever since and let my artistic streak atrophy until I’m left with this vestigial tail. I need to work that phantom limb back into a usable prehensile state again (he said stretching the metaphor to breaking point).

I’ve met some great people along the way. Lost contact with countless others. Kept the dearest to me closest.
I’ve had two major relationships in my life both of which are now ended. Both of them were with women who weren’t particularly adventurous or gregarious people. Caring, beautiful and loved all the same.
For them I stayed in the UK, to make a go of things, to further my career and until recently I thought to get married and slip into middle age even further.
My father has always pushed me to move abroad, telling me that as a young man, the most exciting thing he’d ever done was to join the army and see the world. I’m now too old to join the army and I think I’m a mite too sensitive a soul to sign up to a job which might involve shooting people or being shot myself. He still berates me for not doing it.
Now I am self-employed and single. I have hardly any outgoings; no debts and few possessions; no pets or children; no bailiffs baying for blood. I hunger for travel and experience.
My father has offered me sponsorship so that at least I won’t starve to death when times are hard and I can’t find work. If I can convince my mother to do the same then I’ll be able to enjoy and immerse myself in an alien culture for a length of time, learn a language or two and see something bigger than the island I’ve been living on this past 30 years. Luckily my job allows me to roam free and earn money as long as I have my laptop and a wifi connection.
Ideally I’d be looking at moving in the new year, where is as yet undecided, but there is a short list. Some of the places have people I already know living there so I may sofa surf. Portugal and Egypt are likely to start with. After that there’s France, Germany, Austria and Holland. I may try and get to all of them. Who knows, maybe I’ll stay in a few for a while.
This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a young man. I’m not so young anymore but certainly no more adult and the mere thought of living abroad fills me with all sorts of conflicting emotions. Mainly excitement at the prospect of new experiences.
I’m sorry if this the first you’ve heard of it and I’m even more sorry if it upsets you but this is an action I’d definitely rather apologise for than have to gain permission.