Goodbye Lockheed Martin

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Trip Start May 01, 2007 Trip End Jun 17, 2008 Next
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  Mountain View, California, United States
Friday, March 2, 2007

Well, I did it. Today I told my boss that March 30 will be my last day at Lockheed Martin. For the last year and a half I have planned to leave Lockheed and travel for a year or so. Today I took the first step to making it happen. I can't tell you how excited I am plus a bit anxious thinking of all the things that I need to get in line before I leave.

Once I get going I will put sporadic, unreliably scheduled updates on this travel blog site. That way you can change which e-mail address I'm using or add a friend or elect whether you even want to have to read my drivel. I pledge to keep my updates concise and meaningful. I want to keep in touch with you, let you know where I am, here how you're doing and I don't want to overwhelm you with details.

At this point I haven't laid down any specific travel plans. I have been doing some reading on places that I would like to go: Nepal, India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, New Zealand, and Australia, and trying to figure out the best seasons and all that. I think that I am going to try and find an NGO (a non-profit, a charity) to work for the first few months of my travels. Right now I'm thinking of Habitat for Humanity in Nepal, though I welcome any suggestions or ideas you have. And, of course, I'd love to hear any general travel ideas you and updates on what's up with you.

I know a lot of you are planning travels in the next year. I'd love to hear what you're planning and try and meet up at some point if it's feasible.

Run When the Cops Say Hottie

At some point I will visit Bill Haverty in Thailand and Chris and Ann in New Zealand. I'm guessing those will both come after the summer when the weather there is nice and when I'm looking for a break from solitary wanderings. I also hope to visit Janice and Jerry's little shack in Rwanda. Though at this point, having been to Africa a couple times already, I'm going to start my focus on Asia and Oceana.

I'm as curious as you as to how long I plan to travel. For now I am saying year. We know that my two year Peace Corps commitment fell quite short of two years. Who knows what will really happen. If funds and my energy last, I will keep going beyond a year and try to jump over to Central and South America. We'll see.

Right now the thought of no longer being employed thrills me. At the end of 2004 I realized three things that limited me from the being the happy, easy-going, adventuresome person that I once was. I took it upon myself to change each one of those things each year since then. Taking this step was the last one and now traveling will be the first thing I do having finally returned to the state where I feel whole.

I look forward to staying in touch. And...oh yeah...know anyone with a spare spot in a garage :) ? Want to rent some couches at no cost for a year? Could I interest you in a river-tested whitewater kayak?

Cheers,

Jeff

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