Change Your Thoughts

Photography by Dustin Watchman -  www.whoisdustin.com

             Who and what you surround yourself is truly what defines you. I can't express this enough. This doesn't always mean it has to be negative though. In short, surround yourself with people that you wish to be like. Now, the other side of that coin is that if you are striving to become that somebody, why would that special somebody want to hang out with you? There must be a beneficial gain for both of you to create a relationship with each other. An example is that if you want to be a millionaire then you should hang out with millionaires to learn from them. Second though, you need to find out the answer to the question of, "Why would that millionaire want to hang out with you?" So sometimes, you have to go to option number two in life, and surround yourself with the books that they write instead! Many successful people have clearly stated that they spend a lot of time reading, and therefore so should you! I purposely surround myself with motivational quotes and posters at my work desk, next to my work area at home, and with friends that are just as motivational. These are constant daily reminders to be positive and productive in everything I do. To many people will live their lives surrounded by watching the news ( highly negative ) and always being around people that often complain about problems, with no possible solutions ever given. Day in and day out people are surrounded by negativity and don't give a second thought about how to change that.
           Currently, I am re-reading this incredible book. It has so much information, and highlighter marks from me, that I need to read it again just to wrap my head around all the great information. That, and it's a reminder to stay on my goal orientated path. Anyone that seriously wants to work less or at least work more efficiently needs to read this book. I used to read books from certain authors about how to be successful, but all the hype built up during the book was quickly diminished when you finished it and there weren't any real solutions on how to accomplish anything. This book does the exact opposite. It is filled with solutions, answers, guidance, and you won't be disappointed at all. Believe me, I am the worst salesman when it comes to 99% of materialistic goods because I don't think people need most of them, but this book is a must read because it is practical for you to live a better life than you are now. If you spend your days reading gossip tabloids, newspapers, or online news you may find yourself uninspired in life. Find something inspiring to read!

         I have actually been accused in the past that my life might not be as awesome as I portray it to be on Facebook, my blog, or other internet locales, but you can go to sleep tonight knowing that I really am excited about my life every single day, and I am willing to show you why! Life really doesn't have to be difficult. With only a few small changes in your lifestyle you can see dramatic changes in your happiness as well. We all are constantly bombarded with these before and after pictures of people who have transformed their unfit bodies into great physical shape, but what's a healthy body without a healthy mind? If you absolutely hated the year it took you to loose all the weight, do you think it is going to stay off? Are you going to continue to hate your fitness program for your entire life? I say you should work on the mind first, and the body will follow. Start by surrounding yourself with positive thoughts, people, books, and anything that makes you mentally happy. That is the first step in the long road to perpetual happiness. Believe me, at times I do get bored, too. When that happens I decide what to do, and I go do it. It's that simple. There are entire weekends that I do nothing but sleep, but it's okay because it's what I wanted to do. Time spent doing what you want to do is not time wasted. I have weekends where I do nothing but sleep because then I have weekends that I take road trips across the foreign country I am in exploring new places and seeing new things. Then the next weekend it may be off on a plane to another country simply to do an extreme hike, such as Mount Hua Shin in China. The point is that your life is up to you. You have only one life to live and if you do it right, then one is all you'll need. Take control of your life and you will never regret it.

MAKE IT COUNT!

The magic key to happiness? Choice.

Whether we have been asked this question of what we would like to someday be, or not, it is usually a passing thought for many of us well up into our adulthood. The world puts such a heavy emphasis on figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life by the time you are 18, so then you can begin your college years of accumulating debt to become what you believe you want to be at an inexperienced age. Often the reasoning of becoming doctors and lawyers is because they are high paying jobs and always in demand. Shouldn't the reason be because they are positions in society that can help others in times of need? They can help right the wrongs of the world? Wouldn't that be a more humanitarian answer to why you choose to pursue such a profession? John Lennon stated that he wanted to be "happy", and that is a direct reflection of most of the world. Teachers want to be happy. Volunteers, Doctors, and Lawyers too. Even religious zealots and terrorists want to be happy. I will admit they have a different idea of how to achieve happiness, but in the end they are still fighting for something they believe in because this idea they believe in makes them happy. We all fight for our happiness is some way or another. My answer to finding happiness is simple. The answer is having choices.

Choices are around you every single second of the day. You have simple choices that you make every single split second of your hectic days. These are choices that are, more often that not, done by autopilot on your brain. The choices that lead to happiness are larger choices. They are the choices that we consciously have to make to stay on track to having perpetual happiness throughout our life journey. I really started to understand the freedom and happiness that comes with choices when I lived in the United Arab Emirates and Bangkok, Thailand. Many universities that have international faculty will provide transportation to and from the university since foreigners will need to go through a process to obtain a license and vehicle legally in a foreign country. Many times due to personal financial difficulties some faculty simply cannot afford a personal vehicle. I was asked in each county on two individual times why I was using the provided transportation when I had my own personal transportation. It didn't seem strange to me at all, but when I looked at it from their point of view it became more obvious. The person who was forced to take the public transportation because they couldn't afford their own vehicle couldn't understand why I would still take the public transportation at times when I had my own vehicle. They had no choice but to take the provided transportation and they yearned for the choice to be able to take their own vehicle, if only they could afford it. Since I had the choice of which transportation to take, it didn't bother me to take the provided transportation on days that I was tired, the van schedule matched my personal schedule, or when I simply didn't feel like dealing with traffic. So ultimately having the choice of which transportation to take led to a greater happiness. 

Choices are different for everyone, but ultimately I think we can agree that money can buy choices. I have been traveling extensively since 2007, and having money has led to many doors of opportunity to open up for me to make a choice on which one to enter. Don't get me wrong, I worked normal jobs like everyone else, but I made the choice to work jobs that allowed me 2-3 months off a year to travel. I also made the choice to have jobs that pay enough income in the 9-10 months of working to enjoy that much time off. If your job is not in line with your personal goals outside of the job then you may consider making a change. My jobs were no longer in line with how I wanted to travel, so most of you know I made the change to where I get paid to travel, explore new countries, and meet people, rather than having to pay myself to do these things. I jumped the fence and now I enjoy receiving the money to follow my dreams rather than paying to follow them. Another financial choice is to not waste money every weekend and living paycheck to paycheck, but rather to live simply in daily life to create savings for the big purchases such as plane tickets, hostels, and global activities in any given foreign country. People that want that designer handbag or sunglasses are often unaware that for the same cost or less you could have a week vacation in a foreign land creating memories that will enrich you and make you become a better person. Again, having the choice of things to do with a lump sum of money is more important that overpriced Mochas every morning before work.

The third choice you may also have to lend towards your happiness is the choice to be sensitive about what matters. My first day in a new class I was teaching I asked my Russian student if he would be upset at me if I said something bad about his mom. Of course his immediate answer was a resounding YES! I asked him to hear me out though. The conversation went something like this:

Dustin: Would you be mad at me if I said something bad about your mom?

Russian student: Yes!

Dustin: Do I know your mom?

Russian student: No.

Dustin: So why would I want to say something bad about your mom?

Russian student: I dunno, maybe to make me mad.

Dustin: Exactly, my intent would be to make you mad, but you have the choice to let me win or not.

Russian student: But if you say anything about my mom I would be mad.

Dustin: What does what I say matter if I have never met your mother, or know anything about her?

Russian student: I don't let anyone talk about my mom.

Dustin: So knowing that I would say something like that only to make you mad, you are willing to give up your happiness and let me win, although I know nothing about your mother and my words don't hold any value because of that?

Russian student: *has to now think if his happiness is worth giving up now that he understands the situation more.......

The way you react to everything in life that is thrown at you on a daily basis is up to you. You can choose to be happy and realize that it is your choice to care about what actually matters. If Miley Cyrus is a bit to racy in her video, I can guarantee you this is not worth losing your happiness over. Change the station, problem solved. This is definitely a topic not worth being sensitive over.  If someone uses the incorrect grammatical use of the word to, too, or two on their internet post, I can also tell you that it is, in fact, not the end of the world. It doesn't really actually matter if they misspelled a word here and there. As long as you get the message they tried to portray then that is what matters. Sensitivity should be used in a productive matter of changing the world for the better.

To determine what matters and what you should actually care about, throw out the microscope and take out the telescope. Some people choose to get so angry about such small issues every day to the point that it effects their health. Are you mad the Starbuck's employee spelled your name wrong on your coffee? Are you mad that the person in the lane next to you is cutting you off and you have made it your daily goal to just not let them in because they didn't use their blinker soon enough? Now, take a step back and look at the world as a whole. What you should choose to worry about is the segregation of the human species based on job titles, nationalities, and borders. How is it that we have enough food to feed the world, yet people starve daily because they can't afford the food we are selling. Is money more important than life? These are things to worry about. Why is it the war machine of America continues to rage on like it has for over 200 years of America's existence and we act like this is just the way the world works. I can tell you first hand that wherever I travel that people don't want war. People don't want hate crimes. They want acceptance of their ideas and to have the freedom to live how they want within their own beliefs on a wide range of topics. So now you have the choice to decide how to do this. I totally get it that the easier solution is to get mad and correct the Starbucks employee on the spelling of your name every single day you go there, but really the world needs each and every on of us to lend a hand in tackling the global issues. I say start with yourself. Be the change you want to see. You want the terrorist to understand your struggles in life, then understand theirs. We are all fighting for something in one way or another. Some shoot with heavy weaponry while others kill with heavy words. The choice is yours. How do we make a change in our world?

So, in the end, the choice is yours to maintaining your happiness. Live your life so you have more and more choices available to you. The more choices you have as solutions to any problems will allow you to never stop moving forward. Whenever a problem presents itself, choose the best solutions that you have created for yourself and go with it. If it doesn't work out, then make the next choice and try again. Life is as simple as that.

SUCCESS: Redefined

 WHO you are is more important than WHAT you are.

A life worth living is a life that is lived by your own rules. We are raised with advice and guidance from our parents, but there is also much to be learned simply throwing yourself out of your own comfort zone .
This is where you find who you really are, not what society says you are.

From a very early age we are always asked, "WHAT do you want to be when you grow up?" This seems like such an innocent enough question, and more often than not we receive some very colorful answers ranging from an astronaut, a doctor, a veterinarian, to an actor, sports star, or singer! From a young age we are taught that certain jobs are considered more successful than others as well as certain job titles hold more value in society than others, and in these titles you will find yourself as a person.

The problem with this ideology is that you find self worth and value in yourself based on societal views of what "success" is. It is obvious that a 5 year old doesn't know enough of their likes and dislikes to decide what they want to spend a good portion of their life workin as, but that's the beauty of a child's innocence. They are creative and still know that they can truly be anything they want in life. This is a trait that many adults seem to forget over time. Even when a child turns 18 and is ready to go off to college to earn that degree towards their dream job they are still generally unaware of what they want to spend that much time of their lives doing, yet they choose a degree path and head down that road with little practical knowledge of the outcome.


Now, if we instead asked the question, "WHO do you want to be when you grow up?", it would warrant much more authentic answers. I think most would agree that we want to be happy. We want to be part of something greater than ourselves and give back to humanity. We want to just be an overall good person. Now, how can we accomplish these things? First off, think about the lifestyle you want to have. Then figure out the time frame you want to achieve those goals in. Now look for any type of job that will fulfill the financial requirements to achieve your goal in the proper time frame. You will realize that having a fancy job title is meaningless when you aren't able to leave that title behind to persue your own goals of travel, health, education, or the endless persuit of self developent. You may feel important within your office, but when you step outside the rest of the world doesn't care if you're a manager or not. They care if you are a good person.

Let me give you two extreme examples of success. You can decide what is success truly, and which person you'd rather be.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?"
Some would say this type of person is successful. A person that works 40+ hours a week often with much more overtime. Their health declines in direct relation to the hours spent at their work increasing. They have a fancy title at their job, they have a good size home, new cars, maybe some toys like a motocycle or jet skii's, and they even have a few name brand clothing and jewelry items to show off to everyone that they can afford these things because of all the hours put in at work in their nicely titled position. They are living the good life full of material possessions. Their entire life socially and financially revolves around maintaining that job. If the job is lost, their world crumbles.

"WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?"

Some would say this type of person is successful. A person may work 40 hours a week, or maybe sometimes more or sometimes less depending on their current goals of what next adventure they are trying to finance. They are generally in overall good health because the next adventure often requires some minimal level of fitness, because the great world that lies beyond their doorstep is full of hills, oceans, mountains, and trails to enjoy. They own very little belongings because not much is needed when you are traveling the world in search of adventure. Jet skii's can be rented to cruise the beaches of Thailand, as well as ATV's are much cheaper to rent to explore the rainforests of Costa Rica. The costs of a daily Starbucks coffee is saved and used towards their next airline ticket for this type of person. This type of person may rarely work a full time job, but stretches their part time money to constantly be learning about themselves through interaction in unfamiliar situations all around the world. They may have even saved up enough money to put a down payment on a home to rent out while they explore. This person also doesn't worry about the small things that create drama in a stagnant lifestyle, because they are never in one place long enough to allow drama in their lives. To this person a fancy job title is nothing of a status symbol or validation of self. They don't care what kind of work they do, as long as it allows them to invest for their future all the while continuing on in their accomplishment of their personal goals. They heavily concentrate on doing what's right and treating people of all cultures with mutual respect as human beings. They may even have authority issues because they truly know that a title doesn't give you respect. Being a respectful person gains you respect.

So, what defines "success" to you?

I decided at a young age that I didn't care what job I did, I just knew what sortof lifestyle I wanted to have. I have no problem cleaning up a homeless man that crapped himself just to get a free shower (true story) if it means I get to live in Hawaii. I have no problem being a dishwasher in a restaurant if it buys my airplane ticket to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos for a three month stint volunteering and vacationing in exotic locations (true story, as well). I also had no problem being a CEO by starting my own startup company and charity (yet again, true story). So in the end, the question was not WHAT did I want to be when I grew up, but instead it was WHO did I want to be. I wanted to be a good person. I wanted to spread love around the world. I wanted to make a difference in others lives. I've worked in film and television, restaurants, teaching, videography, security, military, hospitals, catering, bartending, and many other fields of work that simply got me to my next goal. Titles are meaningless, but being a good person is what matters.

When you die, do you want to be remembered as a manager, or do you want to be remembered as a good person that contributed to humanity and made a positive difference in others lives?

The choice is yours.

Will you stand up for your fellow man?

1 Life. 1 World. 1 Love


So you say your (insert nationality here)? I say stop thinking so small
We are different because you were born in (insert country name here) ? I say stop thinking so small
So you say your Western, Eastern, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere? I say AGAIN to stop thinking so small

We are all one of the same. We are Human Beings. Love one another.







































Here's the link for all basic human rights as decided by the United Nations.
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

For thepicture above follow this link:http://zenpencils.com/comic/134-the-universal-declaration-of-human-rights/

The most profound song that spans generations.

John Lennon

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Thailand Charity a HUGE Success!

THAILAND FINISH STRONG CHARITY 2013

SUCCESS!

The Charity was a huge success! August 8-10, 2013 the 60 scholarships were hand delivered to 3 schools in Isan, Thailand. Thank you to everyone that took part in changing the lives of others, people you don't know and may never know, but you entrusted me with your donations and believed in me to do what is right. My close friend, KEO Fraternity brother from Hawaii, and all around great guy, Alika Rivera, joined me on my charitable journey to spread kindness across the globe.

 It was an amazing time from start to finish. I got to meet some of my previous students from 2008 again. They were all so grown up from the past 5 years! We got an extra special greeting form one of the schools since it was Mothers day in Thailand the day we were delivering scholarships. All the mothers would sit in chairs placed at the front of the stage. Their children would then come and bow before them showing them respect. The mothers would reach down and rub their heads and backs before the children would stand up to be embraced by their mothers. There were pictures, smiles, and tears all around. It was amazing to see the respect, gratitude, and love between the parents and children. All the students, as well, were dressed up in colorful outfits. The boys and girls both wore makeup and they all looked like precious little dolls. 

After the ceremony we toured the schools and saw the classrooms and talked to the ever-dedicated teachers. To end the journey we were invited to a teaching seminar in the beautiful Chaya Phum area of Thailand. We got to try out different teaching methods that they used in their own classrooms. We sang, danced, played games, and talked about other ways to motivate the children to learn English. The journey ended with a group of teachers all sitting on the sidewalk outside the cabins discussing the English language as the stars sparkled above and the sounds of nature swirled around us. The entire journey was a win-win for everyone involved. The students received scholarships, the teachers got to learn from each other, the people that donated get a sense of helping humanity, and most of all for that moment in time, everything was just fine.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone that made this charity event possible!

Thailand FINISH STRONG Fundraiser.

2013 Thailand FINISH STRONG Fundraiser

 by Dustin Watchman and friends

 FINAL CALL FOR DONATIONS (june-july)
My goal is $1000 USD to be delivered August 2013

$450 of that has been raised so far.
100% of the DONATIONS will be given to students in need.

I volunteered in Thailand teaching English to elementary students in 2008. This is now my way of continuing to give back to humanity. I am asking all of my friends to click on the PAYPAL button to donate whatever you can afford. 100% of the money goes to the students. I pay my own tickets, transportation, and housing costs. THIS IS HOW CHARITY SHOULD BE. Please do your part in helping others. Not all of us have time to volunteer but $1 can go along way when combined with others donations.





























1 LIFE               1WORLD              1LOVE

Same Same, but with little differences.

Believe me, I know sometimes our day to day lives can seem overwhelming. The great realization though is that 99% of our problems aren't really a big deal at all. They are a big deal simply because we choose to make them as such. So why not make that same decision to tell ourselves that our problems are not in fact problems at all, but instead chances to grow as an individual.

The other overwhelming truth about the world that many don't know unless you have travelled a lot is that as humans we are all very similar. Of course with different levels in society, progress, and innovations we have some small differences, but at our core we are all Humans and are very similar.
Coca Cola once again breaks down borders and elevates humanity to a whole new level ( no I am not in anyway paid by them to say this ). Such a simple test on humanity and we realize how great each and every one of us is. I honestly can't come up with the words to describe this video. With a genius idea, a little set up and execution, Coke has brought together Humanity. Thank you Coca Cola.

Seeing the world in 3D HD Quality

       Many of our parents or grandparents had a black and white television when they were growing up. They watched silent films and were glued to their tv sets like everyday kids of today. Then came audio, then came color tv's, and it just continued from there. With each advance in technology we are amazed each and every time. Plasma tv's really got our atttention when we could have bigger screens without the massive sizes involved in having a big screen tv. LCD and LED technology continued to impress us with the clarity and sizes of our tv's. Now we have retinal display screens, super clear HD streaming through our televisions, and it feels like we could just step into our screens and be in another hyper-lush colored world of pure bliss and euphoria. Right now, many of us see the world in black and white. No, not literally, but you aren't really seeing the world in all its greatness simply because you haven't been taught how to. Many people look at pictures from others that have started to view the world in all its glory, and they are truly amazed by those pictures, but that's where it stops. Unfortunately, many people don't take the necessary steps to teach themselves how to view the world in 3D for themselves, and NOT through others.

        My question is: Why not just step out into the real world and see all that is has to offer with the same zeal that you have when you see it on tv or in pictures? With the ease of the internet we can look at pictures from the entire world without ever leaving our cushioned desk chair, or couch. We have some of the greatest abilities to get out and grow as individuals, yet we choose to just live through others. Does this sound like you? Do you aimlessly flip through instagram photos and dream about how great it would be to see just maybe 1% of the places you see in those photos? You tell yourself how great your life would be if only you could see it for yourself, live, and in person?

        Now is your chance. Not tomorrow, but now! Get off your butt and step outside your door. Greet mother nature with open arms and reintroduce yourself to her. Yeah, she can be hot, sweaty, and dirty, but that is what life is about! Do you think the photographer that took that picture that you were drooling over didn't have to break a sweat to get that perfect angle? Do you think they just took an air conditioned elevator to the top of the mountain peak that looks out over the earth for miles upon miles of serenity? No they didn't, and neither will you. So lace up your overpriced brightly colored running shoes and get out and start pounding the ground as you explore this incredible world that awaits you just outside your very own doorstep. 

    Once you've managed to act upon that internal self motivation you need to think about how you actually view the world. I don't mean "view" it as in crime, corruption, humanity, or things of that sort, but I mean how you "view" the natural lines, curves, and colors of the earth. Stop looking at the world in 2D. It is not a flat picture on some computer screen in the latest social networking site. It has depth, contour, you can actually feel and hear things combined with the sight of the picture that you are observing. You can, and should, use all of your senses if you want to view the world with an unpresidented clarity of how beautiful it truly can be if you choose to see it that way. You need to SEE what is in the foreground, as well as SEE what hides in the background. Pay attention to the different colors and textures of objects. Pay attention to how the light illuminates certain features of an object and subtly hides other parts of it. When you see all the elements in their separate layers then look at the picture as a whole. Notice how the foreground colors are in stark contrast to the background colors. Maybe the large jagged shapes of buildings in the background are of a stark difference to the small, soft, and subtle shapes of the flower in the foreground. How do they come together as one to tell a story? Does the rail make your eye race to the end of it to find  out what awaits you in the background? Do the geometrical shapes cast under the bridge from different angles of light reflections match the angles of the nearby buildings that the bridge curves around? When you start to view the world as shapes and colors and pay careful attention to how they interact with each other it gives you a better understanding of how everything interacts with each other. 

            In the end, when you start to view the world in 3D you will start to see things more clearly. You will understand more about how things are connected. You will have to evaluate your own thoughts and how you perceive the world. You may not agree with everything that you will learn about yourself, but that is the reality of life. Because you simply make a conscience decision to not see certain things doesn't mean that they don't exist. It's better to see it, accept it, and make the necessary change to make it better. Only through viewing the world in 3D can we begin to really see its true beauty. The first step in accomplishing this feat is to establish the "want" to see the world in all its glory so in return you can make your own opinions based on the knowledge you have learned from seeing it, hearing it, touching it, tasting it, and smelling it.  The world has shown me some amazing things that I have been more than lucky enough to capture a photograph of to share with others. I don't want others to simply view my photographs and be amazed. I want them to be inspired to get outside of their homes and to find the hidden spots in their area that not everyone gets to see. Even if you can't capture that place in a photo, capture it in your minds eye and make a lasting memory of how awesome life can be. When you find yourself upset over some small matter that most likely won't matter in the upcoming year, you will need these positive memories of the good times you had with mother nature and the landscapes and cityscapes you encountered by simply stepping outside your front door. Life is what you make it, so why not make it the best that you can each and every day?

Thailand "Finish Strong" Fundraiser 2013

Thailand " FINISH STRONG " Fundraiser 2013 



*** UPDATE ***

January 12,2013           $450 US Dollars Donated
January 10, 2013  Due to an excellant change in my current teaching job location the fundraiser will be extended.
December 9th, 2012        $400 US Dollars Donated
November 18th, 2012      $306 US Dollars Donated 

 

It's that time of year! I, Dustin Watchman, am pulling together all my friends and family to assist me in making a difference around the world! As many of you know, I volunteered teaching English in Khon Kaen Thailand in 2008. Their school year is well under way in 2012, but as the school year progresses this also presents the problem of families running thin on funds. This is where I step in and help them "finish strong"! My desire is to help the students with school supplies, school lunches, and to help pay for their bus rides between their schools and villages. The scholarships will be presented by February 1, 2013.

Unlike 99% of the other charities I will not have any personal monetary gains from this fundraiser. Why do it then? Because I like to connect people with the right people to get their dreams and goals accomplished! My funding comes from my teaching internationally. This means that 100% of your donations will be given directly to the students. Tell me any other charity that will donate 100%.

I am in the process of finding 3-4 schools in Isan, Thailand ( the northeast part that is also the poorest part of the country ) that the donations would go to their most deserving students. Scholarships tend to be about $15US per scholarship.

As of this time the donations will be going to:
1. Ban Hua bong school
2. Nong hi pracharath school
3. Ban thasala school
4. Ban loa prachanukho school

HOW TO DONATE?

Click on the "Paypal" button on my home page of my blog. It's on the upper left. Click it and donate whatever you can. If i could get just $1 from all my Facebook friends that would mean $800+ towards scholarships. That's over 53 scholarships for the most deserving students!


Please spread the word. I have about 2 months to raise as much money as possible. If I receive enough in donations I will also donate directly to some schools in the Philippines as well. I WILL PERSONALLY BE DONATING $100US.

The DEADLINE for donations will be January 15, 2013

*please check back to this blog for continuing updates to how much money is being raised.

The only thing permanent, is change.

Let me tell you a little story about how change affected my summer of 2012. My original plans were to go back to teaching at my same University in Saudi Arabia. I had a great school year teaching from 2011-2012, and the company had asked me to return the following year. This was all good, and I started making plans for my summer. I was going to spend some time back in Hawaii to visit friends and apply for the proper work visa to return to Saudi Arabia. Then I planned on renting a car in Vancouver, Canada and touring the west coast of the USA, heading south then eventually east through Las Vegas to then arrive in Colorado to spend time with my family. I would then return to Saudi on September 1 to begin teaching another year. Then June came. My contract was up and my company was not able to secure a contract with the University before all the teachers left. So plans changed.

I arrived to Hawaii, and decided that I could still do the road trip while I hunted for a job. After a few interviews, I landed a job in the city I wanted to be in near the water in Saudi Arabia, and as a bonus I was going to have access to the Aramco Compound. Its basically like a military base without the military. They have a private beach, cinema, women drive, and overall its a westernized city in Saudi. I signed the contracts and was ready. The thing was they wanted me back July 1st! This meant no road trip, and that I needed to head straight to Colorado for some family time before I returned. A week later I was on a flight.

So once I arrived to Colorado and visited all my family, I emailed the company to ask a few questions about my departure. There response was that the company had to move the start date til September 1st. Not what I wanted to hear, but instead I looked into toys to play with on my extended vacation, since I now had my full summer back again. I bought a Kawasaki KLR 650 Enduro bike and decided to do that road trip afterall. I knew I had my Masters degree program starting in late August so I figured i should return in time for that and enough time to pack for my job starting September 1st. 4427 miles, and 33 days later ( you can read my road trip blog in a previous blog post ) I returned to Colorado.

Upon my return, my brother and father were in preperation to go to Burning Man ( can read my previous post on that). They had one extra ticket. We had planned that 2012 would be the year that my dad and his two sons would all go to Burning Man, but they had not been able to get tickets until the very last minute. Now they had one extra ticket, and I had a choice to make. I wouldn't be back til september 4th, and my job was due to start September 1st. So an hour before they departed I emailed my company and decided that if they could push the start date two months, that I could push it 4 days more. They said that it was okay. After a short discussion with my parents about what happens if I come back and the job is no longer available I packed my bags in 22 minutes and off we went!

After an epic week at Burning Man I returned home hoping to see an e-ticket in my inbox. None was to be found. I promptly contacted the company and was told that they were having trouble acquiring the visas and that they don't know how long it may take. They also ended by saying it may be smart to look for aother job. They then offered me a position in the capital city of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. They even tried to sales pitch it to me. I've been there, and really the capital is landlocked with a desert 4 hours in every direction. Thats a far cry from a beach town with a park on the water and a Starbucks where all the motorcycle riders hang out and chat. This isn't the best news after the main hiring season has already passed and schools have already started teaching September 1st. So I quickly got online and started sending out resumes again.

After a few days I had offers lined up in Oman, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Riyadh ( capital of Saudi, but much better job than previous one), and in Thailand. I was really hoping for Oman since it is greener than Saudi Arabia, and is much closer to Dubai. The problem was that Oman wanted their teachers to have Masters Degree's, of which I did not. Luckily in the end they needed teachers bad enough that they offered me a position. I gladly accepted!

This summer has been an unstoppable whirlwind of changing events and all I could do was just enjoy the ride. In the end, I went to Hawaii, I did my motorcycle road trip, I went to Burning Man, and I got my job of choice in Oman. Everything fell into place PERFECTLY. I honestly couldn't have asked for it to have gone any better. I don't know how or why my life is so great, but man is it incredible. Thank you to all my friends and family that help mentally and emotionally support me along the way. I know some of you think I'm crazy, but I love and appreciate everyone that is in my life. You all make it special, and worth living!

At the time of writing this, I will be boarding a plane in about 5 hours to embark upon my next journey. I'm excited. I believe it will be my 26th country to see in our awesome world. Adventure awaits!

So how are you living out your dream life, and what are you doing to improve the lives of others?