Me in the wild (Wanaka, New Zealand)
An insight into who I am and why you should read my blog about travelling
- Brief overview
- My upbringing
- What do I do for a living?
- Former overseas experience?
- Introduction to the overseas trip
Brief overview
Hey there, before we dive into the good stuff, you probably want to know more about me right? After all I will be the person who will be spilling all the tea on travel (not literally I hope).
For the curious souls out there, let’s kick things off from the very beginning. And for those who aren’t feeling curious, well… this is awkward then.
I go by Jordan, a 23-year-old rookie in the blogging game. I’m still learning the ropes in this blogging world, but here’s the deal: I’m serving up nothing but unfiltered, honest takes on my travel adventures. Get ready for the lowdown on handy tips, nifty tricks I pick up along the way, and maybe a few “what-not-to-do’s” that I’ll bravely tackle so you won’t have to. From the planning of the trip to the real-deal experiences during the actual travel, stick around for the ride as we learn together!
My upbringing
I grew up on a farm in the beautiful South Island of New Zealand, where the lessons of hard work and the perks of a strong work ethic were woven into the very fabric of my upbringing. Our farm wintered 300 bulls and a handful of sheep, providing me with a wealth of valuable skills.
In this dynamic environment, my mother’s nurturing care as a nurse and my father’s stellar people skills as a Sheep and Beef buyer added layers to my diverse knowledge. Mum’s compassion and Dad’s knack for connecting with farmers became integral parts of my upbringing.
But, you might be wondering, how does farm life relate to my globetrotting adventures? Well, it gave me a solid foundation to embrace new challenges and instilled in me the belief that with hard work, anything is possible. For me, jetting off to foreign lands was a natural progression—a challenge waiting to be conquered. And what’s the fun in conquering challenges if you can’t share the experience? That’s where you come in. I’m here to share my travel tales, offering advice and insights from my own journeys, whether they bring you reading pleasure or, perhaps, a touch of displeasure I’ll leave that up to you.
What do I do for a living?
So, what’s my story? Well, as high school drew to a close, my older brother Wilson and I decided to kick things up a notch by starting our own firewood business. Little flex moment here—Wilson’s now a doctor. Impressive, right? Our little venture helped us somewhat navigate the financial maze of university life.
Now, during those high school years, I found myself intrigued with buildings and architecture. No surprises there. Naturally, I pursued architecture in higher studies, and boy, did I fall head over heels for it. Along the way, a flame for therapeutic architecture ignited in me—a passion for designing spaces that could genuinely benefit and aid people, especially on their recovery journeys.
Fast forward to my graduation in architecture, and I began my career as an Architectural Technician. And here we are at the current juncture—I’ve boomeranged back to the family farm with my folks, gearing up for the grand adventure overseas. Life’s a journey, and mine seems to have quite a few interesting twists and turns.
Former overseas experience?
Have I ventured beyond my homeland? Absolutely! I’ve been fortunate enough to embark on a couple of overseas family holidays when I was younger — one to sunny Australia and another to the tropical paradise of Rarotonga.
But the real game-changer happened in 2017. I had made it onto the Youth Otago/NZ Football team (FOYDAT), and we jetted off overseas to the UK for the SuperCupNI World Football Youth Tournament. Playing against powerhouses like Burnley FC and Birmingham football club was an experience like no other. That trip marked my first real taste of overseas travel, and let me tell you, I was hooked, big time.
That adventure sparked a burning desire in the depths of my mind over the following years of study and work—a yearning to explore the world, soak in diverse cultures, and see what our planet has to offer. The travel bug had bitten, and there was no turning back.
Introduction to the overseas trip
Fast forward to the near end of 2023, and here comes the juicy part—my good mate Matt and I are gearing up for an epic adventure overseas. The plan? Kickstarting in the UK and weaving our way through most of Europe over a span of 4-6 months. Now, if you’ve managed to stick around through this whirlwind tour of my life so far, here’s the scoop.
This blog is about to shift gears, focusing squarely on the upcoming adventure. I’ll be talking about all the planning intricacies, the gear I’m packing, the destinations on our radar, and, of course, the real-deal experiences awaiting us on this journey. No fluff, just straight-up perspectives from the starting line to the finish, because life isn’t always a box of fluffy ducks.
So, now that you’ve got a sneak peek into my world and how this brain of mine ticks, the question is: Are you ready to join me on this wild ride? Stick around, let’s unravel the mysteries of travel together.
Big thanks for letting your eyes and brains engage in my tale so far. Hope I haven’t lost you in the details because the next post is where the real fun begins—planning and the actual journey!
Now I’m throwing this at you so you head to my next post where the start of the travel begins…
Rural Lad Abroad 