I have an important deadline that is coming ever closer.
In February 2027, I’ve decided to leave the country I’ve been calling “home” for the past 25 years and go…
Well, to be honest, I don’t know where.
All I know is that I’m going.
For context, I live in Germany, and the reason I want to leave is simply that I’ve been here for far too long.
I’ve always had the urge to wander. I wanted to leave my parents’ home when I was just eight years old, dreaming of becoming independent as soon as possible. Then I started dreaming of living in London, wishing my parents would send me to boarding school. And the older I got, the farther away my dream destinations became.
Leaving Germany for good has been a dream of mine since my twenties.
And yet, here I am.
I was fortunate enough to travel quite a lot in my twenties and explore a little of what the world has to offer. But something always brought me back.
Convenience.
Germany has been the country I’ve called home for the past 25 years, and living here is relatively easy for me. I speak the language, I know how to navigate the system, I have health and social insurance, and I have the right to work here without restrictions. I also have an advantage when it comes to finding employment.
And even when I have nothing—no job, no apartment—I still have my family here and a social system to catch me if I fall.
Being in Germany is easy. Probably one of the reasons why so many people want to move here.
Because, as far as I’m concerned, Germany itself isn’t particularly exciting.
But an easy life isn’t necessarily a happy one.
I’ve come to feel that convenience is holding me back. I’m stuck in a system that seems to revolve around the same endless routine:
Sleep. Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
And I find very little joy in it.
I’m perfectly aware that life isn’t necessarily any different elsewhere, and I don’t expect it to be.
Humanity has created a system in which we have to work to afford to survive, not to mention all those little luxuries that are supposed to give us something to look forward to and make all that work worthwhile.
And that system exists almost everywhere.
But even if life in other places turns out to be exactly the same—or perhaps even harder—I want to take on the challenge of leaving my comfort zone.
I want to experience what it’s like to build a life somewhere unfamiliar, where I don’t necessarily speak the language, understand the system, or have the security I’ve always taken for granted.
Maybe I won’t find the happiness I’m looking for.
But I’m absolutely certain that every new situation I encounter will teach me something, challenge me, and help me grow as a person.
And I want to grow.
So, I’d like to take you along on my journey.
The journey of a 37-year-old woman, traveling alone, without nearly enough savings to simply pack her bags and enjoy life without a care in the world.
But doing it anyway.
I haven’t left yet.
Right now, I’m staying with my family. I promised them one whole year of my life, dedicated to spending time with them and helping out wherever I can.
And that year comes to an end in February 2027.
Until then, I’ll be sharing how I’m preparing for this life-changing adventure, the decisions I have to make, the challenges I encounter, and all the thoughts going through my mind as the departure date gets closer.
I don’t have a detailed plan. I don’t have a destination. And I certainly don’t have everything figured out.
But perhaps that’s exactly what makes this journey worth sharing.
I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
I’m happy you’re here.
XOXO,
Andy