Location, Location

For the past year I've been asked more times than I can count what my plans are for life beyond graduation. To each I gave the same response, in varying degrees of detail: I'm going backpacking through Latin America. Some were amazed, some happy for me, some confused as to why I'd waste my college degree trying to learn about something outside the box... but for the most part, people tried to offer me safety precautions about traveling through Latin America. There was a surprising amount of fear among those I told about my prospective travels, revealing itself in the form of warning me about my safety. Sure, life in a non-first-world country may be more dangerous. There may be more thieves, worse health care, and unclean water. But how many of you who have not traveled can say that you understand life?

Despite being heavily fixated on Latin American shamanism, I have finally made my decision to go to India. I just got my visa yesterday and have scheduled a flight for six days from now. I will be visiting Auroville, a spiritual, self-sustainable ecovillage with the aim to be the first Utopian city. With 4000 members from 40 countries, English as the primary language, daily yoga/meditation/aikido/tai chi classes, freshly self-farmed vegetarian food, and conscious citizens, I can't imagine a better place to be.

Last night I went to a friend's house where three of my buddies and a father were eating dinner. I told them about my plans for India, and the father piped up offering warnings about the water quality and crime rate. I told him I'm not going to India, I'm going to Auroville, an international ecovillage; but he was adamant about displaying his "knowledge" of the land despite never having been there. I laughed.

If I get sick, fine. If I get robbed, I'll be that much closer to having no property and happy without the extra burden. If I get shot and die, I just want you all to know that I've already lived an amazing life and I'm sure you'll all do fine without me. But if I'm healthy, safe, and secure, I expect to have a radical lifechanging experience. I will truly become another man.

If you have any interest in Auroville, you may check it out at http://www.auroville.org/