For hundreds of thousands of years, human kind has taken up more and more space. We’ve spread out of Africa and expanded over mountains and deserts and land bridges and oceans to occupy every continent on Earth. I think that urge to go somewhere new is in all of us. Perhaps that’s why we all leave home.

The date of my departure from Flagstaff is looming. In seven days, I load up a U-Haul truck and start driving to my new home in Western Washington. I’m excited and terrified, but it all feels right; a thing that must be done.

Previous generations of my family came to America from Ireland and Germany in the 19th century. They came not knowing what their lives would be like, but believing that they would be better off in this land of opportunity. When I was young, my parents left Pennsylvania for the Southwest. And now, I’m making the journey to the Pacific Northwest.

I’m going because my girlfriend got a good job there, but also because of a streak of pioneering spirit within me. As much as I love it in Flagstaff, I yearn for a better life. Like my ancestors before, I’m leaving for a strange land on a leap of faith. In doing so, I’m reinventing myself.

I don’t have a plan once I get there, but that’s the chance immigrants and explorers have always taken — a trait hardwired into our genes. There’s something something innately human about that.

— 30 —

Jonny Eberle is a writer, editor, photographer, filmmaker, social media marketer and adventurer in Flagstaff, AZ. On July 31, he’ll start his 1,300-mile trek to Tacoma, WA (and blogging about the whole thing). If you know of a job or networking opportunity in the Tacoma or Seattle area, please feel free to drop him a line at eberle.jonny[at]gmail.com, on Twitter or on LinkedIn. Thanks for reading!

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