I left my job. With the over-stressing lack of opportunities to travel or even move up within the company, I knew that it was time to leave. Though, at times I think that I should have given it more time and wait for my chance. But, that thought was not working for me either, as I watched my fellow co-workers not having to endure a long wait for their chances to make more money or have the chance to truly travel. I guess my patience ran out, my life there was a farce, as well as my living conditions.
Though, at the moment, Attila, Nathan and I are still without work or a mailing address. In any case, I rather be moving around like the middle-class vagabonds that we are than the life I had back in Germany. This journey has been a strong test of confidence, life and friendship. There have been times where I was waiting for the worst to take place with me and my friends, and I know at times, I was probably the most difficult person in our journey. I think my friends understand that it was fear rather than anger that was making me feel this way. I also know that even with the struggles to find a job, or to catch the next train out of town cannot be explained to my family and friends. For them, having the opportunity to leave a good-paying job and adequate benefits just to find something that is not guaranteed or promised, will not hold very well.
The first test: the big departure, money, no income, jealousy and friendship.We left Garmisch, Germany to catch a connecting train to Munich, which didn´t cost much since one ticket can hold up to five passengers. However, as soon as we got into Munich to catch the connecting train to Paris, the guys were lucky to get Eurorail passes and a low cost for youth, or anyone under 26 years of age, I was fucked! €100.00 for me to take the train to Paris and that was about eight hour train ride. From Paris, we left for French Basque country to the city of Bayonne, that was about €46. From Bayonne, France we headed to San Sebastian, Spain also known as Basque country, €20. After three days in San Sebastian, we took a twelve hour train to Lisbon, Portugal. And from Lisbon, we went to the southern region of the Algarve in the city of Lagos, also in Portugal. That was where Nate was able to find work at a bar, while Attila and I were left with empty bullshit possibilities of passing out flyers and not making a dime or €5 cents, nothing! Jealousy and envy dominated our time in Lagos. Nate was also able to meet girls, make friends in this small portuguese town, and at the same time, he didn´t know how to speak the local language.
Attila and I spent most of our time listening to music, reading books or walking around town, basically, we had nothing else to do. We spent about one week in Lagos and it was evident that Attila and I were not going to find a job, and passing about flyers and trying to get at least ten people into the bar and possibly making ten euros was not enough. There was even thoughts of leaving him there while Attila and I go somewhere else to look for work, because maybe Nathan´s style was going to get him ahead of us. That same night, Nate came back to the hostel early that evening, he got canned and it was probably because Nate was hooking us up with free beer or €cents worth of beer. We agreed that we must stick together as agroup. We left for Huelva, Spain.
