My Short Story

I am an “old” Italian guy in his “freshly new” forties trying to break social rules and conventions. Last year I quit another permanent, well-paid job for the 7th time in the previous 11 years. I have worked so far in 8 different countries in the last 16 years, within several US multinational companies. Still I need to raise the bar to restlessly discover new shadows beyond our assigned comfort zone.

Whenever I left my work to travel (2013 South America, 2016 along the Silk Road, 2018 from Lebanon to Malaysia, 2019 to Santiago de Chile and South America, 2021-22 North, Central & South America, 2023 Cyprus, Israel, Palestine and Madagascar, 2024 Indonesia, Malaysia, East Timor, Philippines, Brunei and Singapore), I always came back to Europe with the hope to have finally changed. I deluded myself I could accept my ancient urban life without any repercussion, any mental crease.

Instead, after only one or two years of routine, my unsettled mind always looks for the final, extreme act to express its never-ending research and satisfaction.

The concept is well-described in the lines of the Italian poet Giuseppe Ungaretti:

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2020 and 2021 were the “sepulchral” Covid-19 years with all the related restraints and aleatory consequences. They carried, at least for myself, the idea of postponing all the foremost choices. I have thus referred to them as 2 stolen years, even though it was still possible to divert one’s view towards different life aspects.

2021 represented somehow the turning point of my durable International career as a worker and traveller. I was living a still unsolved duplicity: on one side I was turning 39 and I had just spent 16 tough months under the Covid segregation. I hence deemed I should indulge myself with a last commemorative sabbatical year (extended finally to 2 years), in order to:

• Reach 100 visited countries (update: reached in August 2023!!);
• Celebrate and seal my 30ies decade in a proper way;
• Leave behind and reset that fatal biennium;
• Sketch out my next decade as a 40 years old fella with new “mature” challenges and perspectives;

On the other side, nevertheless, I was aware that by quitting jobs every other year I am setting apart any long-term “career ambition”, even though it is never too late to eventually start.

What is most definitely sure is that the 20 years period between 20 and 40 is a unique and unrepeatable opportunity to express oneself in the freest and most spontaneous manner. You are building up the best memories of your life too. Not to mention your personality and stamina.

As a consequence, I consider the unbridled wandering at this age as a natural (and modern) continuation of the student’s learning process. The “senile and applied” epilogue of the theoretical education.

Now that I have just turned 40, I have just concluded (Dec 2022) a 16 months trip to North, Central and South America, endlessly searching for a new, final identity.

My goal would be reaching the 100 visited countries (update: reached in August 2023!!) and cover the first check-point of the half-of-the-world.

After two months in Italy, in April 2023 I completed a 72 days journey to Cyprus, Israel and Palestine. I then hit back my homeland while waiting for new, stirring challenges.

Another transitory project could be working and/or volunteering outside the long established Europe, to gain a close, different perspective about how each society may create their own forms of value. This constitutes an invaluable learning tool to constantly improve my awareness against distorted views and Western prejudices. Besides, the experience fosters a twofold kind of gratitude: on the one hand towards humble but very generous local people; on the other towards the fortune of being born in one of the richest parts of the world (Africa is the best gym to learn that!).

***Update August 2023: In the end I got the new, stirring project here in my homeland (Italy) from the 1st September 2023. Meanwhile, with shocking Madagascar and just brushed Mauritius, I could complete my first 100 visited countries, my first “real” (and toughest) Sub-Saharian African country (in addition, Madagascar is the third poorest country in the world) and my 16 years as a solo, nomadic traveller around the world. This stunning combo is now instilling in me the long-coveted inner peace, for the time being, of course:)***

***Update January 2024: After the failure of my Italian project, it is now time to head for country number 101, Indonesia. To be precise, I got a new job offer in Bali starting from 26th February 2024. It is a great opportunity to work and travel in a paradise island close to many unknown countries in Asia and Oceania!! Stay tuned!***

***Update July 2024: Unfortunately the Bali company turned out not to be up to the task. Bali itself was a great massive and commercial mess, totally the opposite of my idea of travelling / staying to / in genuine, authentic places. I thus quit my position after 3 months and spent the following 2 months travelling across West Timor, East Timor, Sulawesi, Kalimantan (Borneo), Malaysia, Tawi-Tawi (Philippines), Malaysia again, Brunei and Singapore before ending my trip because of family duties on 16th July. Total visited countries count is now 105. New challenges await though for September.***

***Update August 2024: received offers as an English ESL Teacher and ready for a new exciting challenge in Vietnam from September 2024. Work number 17 in country number 106. ***