End: Year Two, Bozeman, Montana

Reflections: 2016.

Two years in now.

Although my year in Montana has come with more surprises than my year in Minnesota, I’m feeling more adjusted to my “routine of change.” It seems I’m becoming more of a seasonal worker (taking time off from paid jobs in the spring and fall). Arriving at new hosts is less nerve-wracking. More comfortable.

More normal.

I wrote of year one: “I am fascinated by this experience, by this existence. This way of life. It has captivated my mind, given my body a greater sense of purpose, and nourished my soul in a way I can’t describe in words. I feel somewhat enlightened, evolved.” These thoughts and feelings have only grown stronger in the year that followed.

I’d like to say that this lifestyle gets easier with time. But I can’t. Leaving people behind is as difficult as it ever was. Connections made through chance or providence feel all the more meaningful. Hence, it is these connections that continue to fascinate, motivate, and inspire me. The shifting landscapes serve as a living backdrop to the ongoing adventure.

And there are only more experiences to be had.

After the winter season ends, my journey continues to Washington.

“You know more of a road by having traveled it than by all the conjectures and descriptions in the world.” – William Hazlitt