A New Perspective
If you’ve been reading these blog posts you know I was lucky to be born in Norway. Norway was my first home. And then I moved to Orlando for 2 years and felt like the Florida city was my second home. Now backpacking across South East Asia we stumbled across a small town up in the mountains of Thailand called Pai, and this place have completely changed my perspective on what Home really means.
Through-out my short 25 year life I’ve felt the waves of it on both specters. What felt like Home to me when I was young was in my moms arms. We had our disputes, but it felt more comfortable there than it did with dad. Where we lived didn’t feel like Home, and neither did the huge house we bought in 2008. Therefore, the country of Norway and my mom became my first Home.
A Newer Perspective
In 2015 I moved to Orlando, Florida for the first time to work as a server in the Epcot restaurant Akerhus. In 2017 I moved back for a second one-year International Program. 1 month into my first year I started contemplating doing a second. (Fun fact: As I write this, I’ve been accepted to return in Jan / Feb 2020 for a third one-year program)
I loved it so much! Everything* about it was amazing! The people I got to meet from all over the world, I got to explore a new part of the planet I’ve never been in and I was making money while I did so. At the end of my second year I met my girlfriend, who is born in Sarasota, FL. Naturally, my second Home had now become even more qualified to its title.
I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced moving far away from where you grew up for the first time and completely change your surroundings, but it’s one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve had. For some reason, we get caught up in the collective aura of the place we’re in, even though our own energies don’t correlate with it. So when I had that realization in Orlando, it was like breathing out a sea whale of worries and breathing in a stream of relief and peace.
Therefore, Orlando became my second Home.
The Newest Perspective
Kayla and I moved to Norway after my second Disney program in Orlando. We came with the intention of getting Kayla a job so we could stay until Jan /Feb of 2020. Her work permit was rejected, and we had to take a quick decision on what to do. We spent approximately 6 hours debating and ended up backpacking across South East Asia.
We started of in Bali, and stayed at H-ostel in Kuta. There, we met Kelly and Jordan (@zenturers on instagram). They had spent 2 days in Pai, Thailand and said they regretted not extending their stay. Kayla and I had no plans after our stay in Bali, so we decided to take their recommendation and check it out.
A few weeks after we landed in Thailand. We spent 7 days in Chiang Mai and took a nauseating 760+ turns van ride up the Thai mountains to Pai. We spent 7 days at Canary Hostel, which was going to be our only 7 days in Pai.
I’m writing this as I am 4 days extended of my original stay, having 7 more days booked.
But that’s just the beginning. After Canary we moved to Pai Paradise Backpackers, and I can not describe how amazing this place is.
There are creatives working on their crafts everywhere (fire dancing, painting, slack lining, pool etc.), the scenery is stunning with the mountains in the horizon. I’ve never in my life been somewhere where I can express EXACTLY who I am. Here, I don’t feel judged, looked at or diminished. I feel strong, confident and f**king free!!!!
Seriously. We are in talks with the owner, and there’s a high chance we’re staying.
-Felipe
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