The Dirty Thirty
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. A.A. Milne Today is the day I am officially thirty years old. 30. When I originally signed my contract in Ecuador, I knew this major life event would occur. The combination of different factors-- aging, living abroad, traveling, among others-- started me reflecting on a lot in my life. "When I was younger," I dread the day I turned 30. It's old. It's an age more likely closer to death than it is to birth. Other people think it is old. You're tied down to a job and you don't have as much freedom to travel and enjoy life. Retirement is about twice the amount of time you've lived at that point. There was a point in time where I was positive I would spend my 30th birthday in bed all day, feeling sorry for myself. My god, I thought some radically incorrect things. Life is just starting. Age = Experience. Age = Self-E...