Oh, and did I mention I’ll be arriving with no job?

The odds are against me, and for the first time I’m having to admit that one of my crazy ideas might not work out. This crazy idea IS happening though, and I may never be privileged enough to be in the position to take this risk again.

I am 20 years old and currently living with my parents in Sydney. If everything goes wrong in Canada, all I have to do is fly back to Australia. I can go straight back to my old life. Living with my parents and working for my mum.
Now, I’m not saying this to brag. I am saying it because for most people, picking up their entire life on the slight chance of following their dreams just isn’t possible. I realise the position I’m in, and I know I may never have the chance to do this again. So I’m doing it.
I leave for Canada in 8 days…

In June I received an email notifying me I was a bursary recipient to the TripLit Conference on Bowen Island, British Columbia. At the time I assumed British Columbia was just another name for Canada. I knew nothing about that part of the world other than some of my biggest inspirations were running a course about content creation.

A lot has changed since June. I now know that British Columbia is actually a province in Canada, and I also know I’m not ready to leave Australia. I’ll never be ready. That’s why I have to do it.

They say you learn the most when you get outside of your comfort zone. What I’ll say is that it’s fucking terrifying.
You can spend all of your time researching and preparing to get out of your comfort zone but at some stage, you have to let go of everything and jump in the deep end.
I’m only 20 years old. I haven’t ever held a stable job. I don’t understand finances. I’ve only ever lived a maximum of 45 minutes away from my parents, and I kind of suck at planning anything.

This trip is so far out of my comfort zone.
Things will get messy. I’m most definitely going to have a breakdown.
But it’s going to be an incredible experience with memories I’ll never forget. I’ll be bringing you along with me so hold your breath because we’re diving right into the deep end.

“Why don’t you just buy a new laptop?”

Ouch.

I know these words were uttered with good intention but they served to remind me of how badly my finances are in order.

I leave for Canada in 2 weeks and I have $100 in savings.

Now this isn’t because I haven’t been working. I have been working. A lot. It’s just that my ability to financially plan is very limited. I don’t really understand money, and I know I’m not alone.

Over half of Australians aged 18-29 have less than $5000 in their bank according to Triple J’s 2018 survey: What’s Up In Your World.

Last year, my social media was filled with pessimistic posts from millenials about student debt, high costs of living, and the inability of millennials to afford a home. I was miserable every time I opened my social media and tired of all of the negativity staring back at me.

It wasn’t until the start of this year that I realised the more I fell into these depressed rabbit holes of negative media, the more these negative posts would turn up in my feed. So I started curating my social media to make it a space that inspires me. I unfollowed over 1000 accounts on Instagram to make sure my feed was filled with the posts from entrepreneurs, creatives, and travelers. People who I looked up to and thought, that’s where I want to be in a few years.

It’s been great, but I’ve now realised there are so many places I’m lacking and need to learn. Particularly financial management.

It’s great to look at these posts from full-time travelers and say “I can do that!” but in reality, it’s a lot harder than it looks, and I’m learning that the hard way.

I leave for Canada in two weeks with only $100 in savings and for the first time, I’ve got to admit one of my crazy ideas isn’t actually possible.

Yes, I have a working visa and a camera to find a form of income when I arrive but it’s unlikely I’ll be let into the country without proof of funds.

I’m lucky to have parents who will loan me the amount necessary for the proof of funds I need when I arrive in Canada however being in debt isn’t something I’m excited about.

It’s time I learn about my finances. It won’t happen overnight but it did start today.

I have a massive passion for live music and because of this I started studying a Bachelor degree in Event Management last year. I dropped out of my degree this year to pursue a career in photography, however I still find ways to attend every festival I possibly can without breaking the bank.

I am super passionate about the environment and grew up learning permaculture from my parents. I volunteered at Taronga Zoo throughout high school which helped me learn how much we can each do on an individual level to change the world for the better. Meeting so many passionate people through the zoo has given me so much hope for the future of the world, and I’m excited to be part of this global movement of change.

In two weeks I leave my comfort zone in Australia and fly to Canada. I’m travelling solo for the first time and have very little experience in planning an overseas trip. I’m jumping right in the deep end and I can’t wait to share everything I learn with you all.

Thanks for joining me on this crazy adventure.

I’ll see you in the next post!