I used to think that my life is unique, but then I came to the realization that everyone’s is. I’m 26 years old and I just quit my job in commercial real estate finance to embark on the biggest adventure of my life. I booked a one way ticket to Bangkok and plan on traveling in Southeast Asia for three months and Europe for another two months. I have the opportunity to see the world and the sky is the limit. While in Southeast Asia, Bangkok will be home base, and I plan on visiting the northern and southern parts of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. In Europe, I would like to visit Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, France, Spain, and Portugal. Why now? It’s a long story.
I am a first generation immigrant from Sri Lanka and I spent my infant and toddler years traveling the world. I was born in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, along with my older sister and brother, Natashya (33) who just recently got married and my brother Ryan (30). My dad worked at 3M, a multinational manufacturer. Through 3M and hard work (mostly hard work), my dad and mom were able to move from Sri Lanka to Dubai. I don’t remember much from Dubai, nor do I remember our travels as a family in Europe, but there are plenty of pictures and home videos of little me! In September of 2001, my parents were approved to come to the Unites States through the Green Card Lottery (Formally known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, but Green Card Lottery sounds cooler). My parents packed up all the important things, including me, and the five of us moved to Wichita, Kansas. Wichita has a 3M location and shortly after we moved there, my dad got the opportunity to relocate once again to 3M’s headquarters just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. My dad took full advantage of that opportunity. No surprise there. My mom, sister, and brother and I stayed in Wichita and I started preschool while my dad was working in Minneapolis. After a year in Wichita, my Dad bought a house in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. My mom, sister, and brother packed up all the important things, including me, and we moved to Cottage Grove. My parents then got their United States citizenships shortly after and my sister, brother, and I automatically gained citizenship as a result of that. My parents did it. They made it to the United States from Sri Lanka, had work lined up, started a family, and bought a house all at once.
So, my family and I started our lives in the United States in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, which is home for me. I made it just in time for Kindergarten, where I met my best friend Sam. Life as a kid growing up was great, until around 13 years old when I experienced a significant decline in my mental health. My parent’s relationship with each other had taken a turn for the worse and it continued to move in that direction. They also had high expectations for me to do well in school, go to a good college, and get a good job. I was struggling to say the least, but I did learn from my dad that hard work does payoff. My mom also did the best that she could as a stay-at-home mom, and I am grateful for that. After high school, I went to the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and got a degree in Finance. Going to college was the first time I felt a sense of freedom, and is where I met my closest friends today.
After college, I got a job in commercial real estate finance as an analyst. I find commercial real estate capital markets interesting and enjoyed relationship building, but I didn’t like the primary functions of the role.
Fast forward to about a year ago, my mental health showed very minimal improvement. I still couldn’t seem to shake off the feeling that there was something wrong with me. I was going through the motions after college. Unresolved trauma had lingered throughout my life and I didn’t know that it was a problem that I had to deal with. This all changed when I reconnected with a dear friend, Hannah. Hannah gave me the push that I needed to take on my mental health issues with a full head of steam. It has been a challenge, but I have really made an effort to improve on my relationships and work on myself over the last year. Looking back at 2024, I accomplished a lot that I am proud of and experienced significant personal growth. I ran the Twin Cities Marathon and did a solo backpacking trip in Costa Rica. In doing these things, I built the courage to take on this adventure with nothing but a desire to learn, explore and continue to grow. Many have questioned my decision to quit my job, but all things considered, I think taking a step back from my professional career and corporate America is the best thing for me right now. I can fully enjoy the experience of solo traveling, and truly believe that being away from home for a while will be a rewarding experience. I have no idea what I will end up doing when I come home, but I am nothing but optimistic.
So, for those who would like to tag along, I will be posting about it here!
