Well here I am, finally putting pen to paper (well figuratively anyway), and I have to say, despite what you might think, this is a huge first for me ... never thought I'd do one of these things, but, I really wanna make sure I capture the next 12 months the best way I can.

So most of you know Read more...

Well here I am, finally putting pen to paper (well figuratively anyway), and I have to say, despite what you might think, this is a huge first for me ... never thought I'd do one of these things, but, I really wanna make sure I capture the next 12 months the best way I can.

So most of you know that I left Sydney and went to NYC for a couple of years ... the time in that crazy/beautiful city was very challenging in more ways than one (and that's not all negative challenges I'm talking about) but during that time I certainly started to open my eyes and ears to things I've not come across before or even thought about.

One such thing I came across not long after I arrived in NYC was the Holstee Manifesto .... now those of you that really know me will know this means a lot to me and is a big deal .... mostly cos I rabbit on about it whenever I can, or cos I post images of it everywhere AND if you're really lucky I will have sent you a card or made you something. If you've not come across it then have a ganders:

www.holstee.com

The words have stayed with me for a long time. At the end of last year my 2 year anniversary was coming up in NYC .... that, coupled with a turn of events on the job front meant I had a fair bit of time over the Christmas holidays to have a think about what I really wanted to do .... not least which country, but what kind of new job, maybe a career change, when to leave, where to go ... head was spinning as you can imagine.

After a bit of volunteering in the city I started to get this recurring (almost nagging lol) voice in my head about going overseas to help kids who can't help themselves. This was my time to give back ... and in a pretty major way. Having already set up MAYDAY (Media Assisting Youth) in Australia with a buddy of mine, Kerry McCabe, I started to research where in the world kids were suffering the most ..... this would form the basis of how my journey would unfold. As if it was going to be that simple ..... aside from SO many places in the world where kids are not having a great time whether through poverty, abuse, poor living standards or abandoned) I started to realise that this 'journey' I was going to make was going to be more than one quick trip.

I'd been so blessed during my last few months in NY with great friends, supportive family, amazing 'strangers' and a generous, resourceful universe that I came to the conclusion that it was time for ME to give back .... and so the idea of taking a year sabbatical and going to as many countries as possible was born .... and that's the path I'm now on.

Before I do launch into this and start sharing my trip, I do want to take a 1 minute again and say a HUGE THANKS to all my friends for being incredible, surprising, generous and above all, loving. I truly do count my blessings to have such an amazing network full of flippin marvellous individuals.

Love n light,

Joe