I did what so many claim to dream of doing.

I gave up everything known for the unknown.

Over the years, I built my home fortress of luxury and comfort. Then in a few short months, I got rid of just about all of it – I sold the truck and the house, had a huge garage sale, and donated almost all the rest. While I tied up a few loose ends, I lived in a bedroom in my friend’s house and relied on my bicycle for transport.

I practiced law for 19 years, and I quit.

Then I went to the airport, not knowing the next time I would see snow-covered prairies, and flew off to find a new life based on criteria that were few in number but mine and mine alone. The grand adventure.

All that was the easy part. The hard part was deciding which acquaintances got to know I was leaving and would have the privilege of following the journey, and which would simply come to learn I had disappeared.

In other words, I ran away.

I originally named all my social media sites “yogogypsy” for two reasons. One, because I thought I was a nomad, a gypsy. Two, because while I love yoga, I’d rather “go” out and meet new people than perfect my yoga practice. But the first thing that I discovered about myself is that I am not a gypsy. As much as I love to travel, I need a home base. I missed being part of a community.

So I had to find a new place to call home.

And I have. 

Here I am, a girl from a Canadian prairie farm, now a resident of Gibraltar!  

But there is nothing straightforward or simple about my life in particular, or about life in Gibraltar. It is easier to run away than it is to restart. So while “gypsy” is no longer an appropriate part of my title, and I’m thankful to have learned that, I don’t know what my appropriate title is. But I do know that sharing my adventures travelling, living, and being part of a community, global or regional, will always be a part of me. I will always have something worth advocating, worth describing, worth writing about. So the grand adventure continues.