"At first, the trip was everything I could have dreamed of The first few months were magical, as my "Eat, Pray, Love" fantasy came to life. We spent our days savoring tapas in Madrid, biking through Copenhagen, and hiking the Path of the Gods on the Amalfi Coast. I rarely thought about the breakup, but when I did, the pain was buried beneath the next breathtaking view or plate of paella."
"Eventually, though, Megan returned to Europe, and I stayed behind in Taiwan to live with relatives. I ended up staying another six months to take care of my sick grandma. She was in need of constant attention, and I was determined to help support my family and soak in what could be our last moments together. Though I was grateful to be of service, caretaking was emotionally draining. It was clear I was no longer on summer vacation - I was drowning in diapers and desperation."
At the end of 2022, a breakup left me shattered and stuck at an uninspiring job, so I saved money, quit, and traveled to Madrid in June 2023 to backpack with my best friend. The first months were magical: tapas in Madrid, biking in Copenhagen, hiking the Amalfi Coast, meditating with monks in Thailand, and exploring Vietnam and Japan. When my friend returned to Europe, I stayed in Taiwan to live with relatives and cared for my sick grandmother for six months. Caregiving was emotionally and physically draining, turning travel from a tonic into hard work. After 18 months, I returned home seeking stability.
Read at Business Insider
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