New beginnings...

It brings me great joy to announce that my hiatus from blogging has officially come to an end. In truth, I never should have taken a break to begin with, but I have found that returning to normalcy can have a considerably detrimental effect on the motivation to create. However, this is not to say that familiarity does not have its perks, because there is certainly something to be said for the type of respite I have enjoyed in recent weeks. Spending time in Colorado has allowed me to climb to the crow's nest on my ship of life and take a nice long look at the places I have been and focus intently on the direction I am now headed. Immediately beyond the wake I fondly recall my backpacking trip through South America and cannot help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for having experienced such an unforgettable journey. I do not know how, in this seemingly unfair world, I came to be one of the lucky few for whom dreams of grand adventure are realized, but I can say with certainty that I will not let the opportunity go to waste. On the subject of dreams and in the vein of corny analogies, I gaze over the bow to see a goal, one and a half years in the making, on the verge of fruition. Pending the acceptance of my visa application, I will be leaving the US once again in late May for a year of teaching English as a second language in Seoul, South Korea. At this juncture in my life, no path has greater appeal for me than working abroad in a wildly unfamiliar country. So, considering the many additional bonuses, including a substantial income, South Korea fits my current needs quite nicely. This experience will fuel the very real and evidently insatiable addiction I have to all that is strange and unknown, the undeniable urge I feel to escape from the monotony of the daily races. I am young, untethered, and blessed with the freedom to roam, but I know that it will not always be this way. Therefore, I have a personal obligation to explore the vast expanses of both the world as well as my inner self. I will spend the next few years in a state of constant discovery, always working towards the ultimate goal: to reach the point of self actualization, the complete fulfillment of one's true potential (http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/hierarchyneeds_2.htm).

I will use this blog as a tool in this process, a way to express my thoughts, opinions, and experiences in an intellectually advantageous manner. Whereas "Explore Dream Discover" has previously been used merely as a mechanism to post travel updates, it will now have a much broader scope that may include, but not be limited to... opinion, social/political commentary, psychology, philosophy, fitness, nutrition, religion, poetry, fiction, journaling, Korean Culture, and more.

Finally, and most importantly, I want to express my gratitude to anyone who chooses to follow this blog. While I find writing to be a very personal activity, receiving audience feedback is remarkably beneficial. So, if you have something to say, please feel free to post it in the comments section and in return, I promise to keep current with my responses. As always, thank you for reading; I hope very much that you continue to do so.