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The Next Chapter

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Well this is my first blog. I am uncertain as to what proper “blog” etiquette is, but I will try my best to share my journey.  As I write this I am sitting at terminal 6 waiting for my direct flight to Hong Kong. This is a trip I have been planning to take for 2 years now, and is my 4th attempt at doing so. I feel that the fact that I have made it to the gate and the flight is on time, the next stop will actually be Asia.

My first attempt to Asia was 2014, to intern at my cousins hedge fund.  unfortunately, my father was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer in January of that year, and I decided spending time with him far outweighed any benefit I could have received by the summer internship.   My father and I spent the summer in his home country of Macedonia, and we made memories that will last me the rest of my life.

My second attempt was an 8 day trip departing June 12th of 2015.  A month prior to the flight I had just graduated college, and my father was still in decent health (or so I thought).  The promise we made a year prior was that I would fight to do my best in school (and I graduated near top of my class), and he would fight to stay alive to see it come to fruition.  Thankfully he and the rest of my family were able to see me on my graduation day.  However, 2 days prior to my flight to Hong Kong my father passed after a long, strong, and courageous fight with stomach cancer.  Obviously trip attempt #2 was cancelled.

My third attempt was to be the very beginning of this year, as I had what I thought was a guaranteed job on Wall Street, as well as 2 other definite fall back jobs.  The trip would have been around a week, and then I was to fly straight back to continue working.   While my father was still alive he begged me to take some time off before jumping into a career job, as what I had endured the last few years had taken a lot out of me. At the last second all of the job potentials fell apart, and I had a decision to make.  I could have continued to hunt for a job, and certainly I could have found something to “get me by”, or I could have accepted what it seemed fate was trying to tell me.  

Though I was a finance major, the most important classes that I ever took were “intro to philosophy”, and “search for meaning in contempary America”, both taught by the greatest professor I ever had the honor of learning from, Dr. Horton. He taught us about many of the schools of philosophy, but what resonated with me the most was Stoicism.  The Stoic Philosopher Seneca once said “Fate leads the willing, and drags along the reluctant”.   

I am taking a few months to travel Asia, with no idea what I will be doing, nor where I will be living once my journey is complete and I come back to the USA.  I believe we must make efforts in our life to seek what we think the next step is (we cannot just wait for good things to always happen), however sometimes our fate has plans in which we did not expect.   It is my belief that this trip around Asia, spending time with my family, and seeing different countries and cultures will be a life changing experience, and I welcome you to join the journey with me.
 

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14 thoughts on “The Next Chapter”

  1. Catherine Longo says:

    I am so excited for you to be on this journey. Your life has taken you many places so far and I am sure this journey will be an incredible experience. I can’t wait to see the pictures your eyes will see.
    Looking forward to your next entry son.
    Xoxoxo

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  2. Leeza says:

    “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

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  3. john says:

    Safe travels mate, look forward to listening to your adventures on your return, PS becarefull of lady boys in Thailand, check out the adams apple first before you dive in hahaha

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  5. Sam says:

    So excited for you to embark on this journey. I hope you find exactly what you’re destined to on this path that you’ve been given. Safe travels and feel confident knowing your dad is watching over you as your guardian angel.

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  8. Danielle Tabshey says:

    Very well said Adrian, they say timing is everything and it’s your time to shine. This is your journey I wish safe passage and look forward to your blog. And just for the record being an adult or overrated….

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  9. So excited for your once in a lifetime journey, you’ll never regret documenting or taking too many pictures. I hope that you find clarity, peace, and SOUP DUMPLINGS on your way.

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  13. Donna Hillman says:

    Life is a journey similar to traveling down a long highway, you will be making stops along the way, some good, some bad. But, it’s all a learning experience. You will be seeing and experiencing things that a lot of us will never see in our life time. Enjoy your new adventure and be safe

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  14. Donna Hillman says:

    Life is a journey similar to traveling down a long highway. You will make stops along the way, some good, some bad. But, it is all a learning experience. You will be seeing and experiencing things that a lot of us will never see or do in our lifetime.
    Enjoy your new adventure. Stay safe…

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