As this summer wraps up, I find myself thinking about all the amazing people I’ve been lucky enough to know and all the awesome things they’ve been doing. I’m feeling free knowing that I don’t have a job at Safeway, which means I’m under no pressure to stay in Seattle or Walla Walla next summer just for work. And I’ve been having such an amazing time traveling in Ghana and Ecuador, meeting people from all over the world who are on such varied adventures. All of this is making me think about what I want to do next summer. So of course, I made a list (is it just me, or do I really like lists?) And the best part is that I could probably do two or three of these ideas in the same summer! Basically, my goal is to make this summer look super boring by comparison, though four continents in three months might be hard to beat.
Here’s what I’m thinking, in approximate order of what sounds coolest to me right now (this may change in like five minutes):
1) Finally satisfy my burning desire to understand Mexico and the border by volunteering for No More Deaths, a humanitarian aid group which works in the desert Southwest.
2) Relatedly, I could do a summer program with the Mexico Solidarity Network, which is an awesome study abroad program focusing on social justice movements in Mexico. This might cost more than I could reasonably afford, but it’s definitely still high on the list.
3) Go to India with the family. With Dad living in Ghana, he and Mom have been meeting for vacations in Europe together. But after Greece this summer, we had a serious family discussion about taking a trip somewhere a bit more adventurous, and India was pretty high on the list. With a bit of cajoling, I could probably make this happen.
4) Stay in Walla Walla. I’m really motivated to do this because it would allow me to be in the same place for a whole continuous year and a half (January 2012 until May 2013 when I graduate), which hasn’t happened since I left high school. As much as I’ve been really happy traveling the West and the world, it’s nice to settle down in one place for a while and get involved in organizations and projects there. If I did stay (and I almost certainly will for whatever part of the summer I’m not traveling during), I would want to get started on my thesis, put a lot of energy into being on the board of the Walla Walla co-op, read a ton of books and have an easy part-time job. Mostly, though, I would want to focus on my writing, which could take a number of forms. I’ve been seriously thinking about writing a book about my experiences working at a grocery store, because there is not yet a definitive food politics book about the grocery industry, the way there is for fast food (Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser), industrial agriculture (The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan), vegetarianism (Eating Animals, Jonathan Safer Foer), global food justice issues (Stuffed and Starved, Raj Patel) or the politics behind nutrition and food regulation (Food Politics, Marion Nestle). Writing could also potentially involve working on stories to freelance, getting an internship with the Walla Walla Union Bulliten or just blogging a lot about my experiences volunteering with cool organizations. Plus, I’ve never gotten to see the farmer’s market in its full glory during the middle of summer, and I think it would be really fun to try to eat 100% locally for the whole summer.
5) Backpack around South America or India with a friend. This would be conditional on being able to convince someone to come with me, since I don’t think I would enjoy traveling alone for longer than a week or two. Bonus points if my family is going to India anyway (#3).
6) Roadtrip around the US, preferably with a friend. The goal would be either filling in my states list, which would mean the Midwest or (better) the South, or filling in my National Parks list, which might involve more of the West that I love so dearly. This could be a precursor to #1 if I end up driving to the border instead of flying there. Really, I would rather drive. Planes suck, and the West is gorgeous.
7) Work on a farm in the US. After my first experience with WOOFing here in Ecuador, I’d love to see something a little closer to home too.
Right now, I’m leaning towards a combo of #1,2 and 4. Or possibly 1,3 and 4. Or just 1 and 4. The border has been calling me for a while, though, and I think it’s just something I really need to do. And really, besides that, I just want to relax and write something good enough to prove to myself that I can make this whole crazy plan to not ever have a real job work out.
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