What's Next?

"What's next?"

"What are you going to do after you graduate?"

"You're not planning on working here forever are you?"

"Well, what are you going to do with that degree?"


Have you ever wondered why so many people, so many complete strangers, seem to be so concerned with what you're going to do with your life? As I drove home from Brandon, MB on December 23rd, 2012 I found myself wondering many of the same questions. After the holiday season I was going to be  starting my last semester at The University of Winnipeg in the pursuit of two Bachelor of Arts Degrees - a 4 Year in Rhetorics, Writing, and Communications and a 3 Year in English.

Nurse. Teacher. Lawyer. Doctor. Accountant.

These are titles that people are used to hearing when they ask someone what they are in school for. Throw the word Rhetorics around and it's like you're speaking a different language. Knowing these questions would be abundant in the next few months of my life an idea suddenly hit me. I've heard people say that if you write something down - a goal, a dream, track your progress in certain aspects of your life, by writing them down you are more likely to see results. On December 23rd, 2012 I wrote the following:

On August 8th, 2013 I plan to make this dream a reality. I will be leaving Winnipeg and starting East. I have no plan. No time frame. No Schedule. 

The one and only place I plan for certain on being is in Times Square on New Years Eve. 

I know many people aren't going to understand this. We live in a world that is obsessed with stability, achievements, material possessions, and knowing what's next. I didn't choose the gypsy life, it chose me. And for those of you in my life that have been by my side since the infancy of this dream and supported my decision: thank you will never be enough. I may be different and a little bit crazy but this dream is something that would have remained a dream without encouragement and YOU believing in me. Those of you that have gotten excited with me, have helped me plan, that have suggested places to visit, offered up family/friends houses' for a couch to crash on or a hot shower, and for believing I can do this - thank you.

Why?

I'm not sure where this idea came from. Travelling, who doesn't love it. My entire life I have lived on someone else's time, someone else's schedule. Sure, this whole trip is partly selfish. But what really inspired me was the rash of tragic shootings in 2012. Millions of people sit at home listening to, reading, consuming stories of horror and tragedy and every single one of those people have an opinion on how things should and could be done differently, better. 

You can't inspire change or make a difference by being static. 

Anyone that has taken any type of journalism course has heard "go with the gun" or "if it bleeds it leads" when it comes to what type of stories are covered in the media. My goal? If it bleeds, it doesn't lead. I am on a mission to find the good that I know is still left in this world. Call me idealistic, call me naive, call me optimistic. Whatever you want to call me, on August 8th it'll be just me and a dream.

I invite each and every one of you, your family members, your co-workers, teachers, and even your enemies: follow along, share my blog. Spread the word. Suggest places, people to see. I'm looking for the good. What better place to start than North America.

Welcome to: The North America Project.