After I was successfully vaccinated and the rising confidence that travelling abroad a will be possible again soon, I had to take my final decision to make my dream becoming real in 2022.
The first step was rather easy. I got spontaneous support from my wife and our sons to go for it, since it was already a recurrent topic in the past years and months.
Next was my boss. Not an obvious case in my position and engagements in major projects. With some good arguments and self-confidence, I confronted him and thereafter the big boss with my plan. Surprisingly, both supported my plan without any hesitations. So, I had to set up a plan how to organize my job during my absence.
This felt strange. All seemed to be settled. But there was still about a year to go until my envisaged starting date early June 2022. But it was getting real for me and my family. We had many good and long discussions on how it will be for them and for me. For my side I was confident. During my studies I spent several times 3 to 4 months abroad in very remote areas of Eastern Europe. Sure, at that time I wasn’t a husband and a father. I will have only scarce contacts with them and cannot really participate in their life for a long time. About the other challenges like navigation, fitness, nutrition on long hiking journeys or the local languages I wasn’t worrying. For these I have sufficient experiences.
But what will happen at home? School and job certainly distract. But in the evenings, there is certainly one person missing to discuss with or simply to spend a cozy time together in front of the TV or around the fireplace. Besides that, how will be the vacation without dad? Who will bake bread and goes shopping? And many more questions of this kind.
We took the freedom of traveling again and spent our summer vacation again in the North. This time we explored the Faroe Islands. Besides the impressive nature and landscapes, we enjoyed a break from all the Covid restrictions at home.
