About My Blog and My Plans for the Future

Last Updated on March 25, 2021

The Rocky Safari is a journey that started back in January of 2013.

I was a high school student at the time and I had a dream to write, travel, and meet people from all across the world. I began to build this website from the ground up. Since then, my blog has evolved significantly and today, I now run a multi-topic blog with stories about my most peculiar travel experiences, what it is like doing the things I do as an introvert and living as a gay man.

A quick search through my blog will turn up hundreds- if not thousands- of detailed posts where I’ve poured my heart out, talked about my highs & lows, told crazy and surprising stories about things that have happened to me, and searched for people out there in the world who might be able to relate to a thing or two. Writing is my way of spreading awareness about the things I am passionate about and it allows me to share my knowledge and emotions with people from countries all across the world. The Rocky Safari is read in nearly every country around the world on a weekly basis. That is something I never could have dreamed of! I wanted to write this post now, in 2018, to share a few life updates about who I am, where I’ve been, and where I’m going. 

10 Facts About The Rocky Safari

  1. My name is Rocky. Right now (2018), I am a 23-year-old who grew up not too far from New York City!

  2. I graduated from Rutgers University where I studied psychology and entrepreneurship.

  3. I have spent the last year working in financial services learning about how money works, how to invest, tackle debt, and save money on several types of insurance. I’m also a VIPKID Teacher and I love it!

  4. My ex-boyfriend, who I was hoping to eventually travel with, recently broke up with me. We were in a transatlantic LDR. I am American, he is European, and I always felt we’d make a good travel team with our different strengths and skills. After our break up, my vision for the future was shattered and I started to give up on my dreams of traveling the world. Until recently when I decided I should still go for it – solo! (Update – we are kind of together again? It’s complicated. Check out my relationship posts for the latest details.)

  5. After four years of living on my own at college and working as a Resident Assistant for my university, I am back to living in my original hometown with my family. I’d like to think all of the moving around I’ve done these past few years has mildly prepared me for the nomadic traveling that awaits me in the coming months.

  6. My dream is to experience long-term travel as a lifestyle. The longest I have ever stayed out of the country was just one month. I want to go full-on digital nomad for a while!

  7. I am OBSESSED WITH BIRDS.

  8. I have never had coffee IN MY LIFE. Never. Not even in college! I’m low-key proud of it. Instead, I get my caffeine fix from tea. I love tea!!!!

  9. Watching Survivor is my guilty pleasure. I actually AUDITIONED hahahahahahah.

  10. I love meeting new people, forming deep and meaningful relationships, and helping others. If you know your Myers-Briggs personality type – I am INFJ.
Remembering my days in China.

10 Reasons I Want to Travel

  1. Most of my favorite memories stem from learning about other countries.

  2. Curiosity. I want to prove to myself that I can do it!

  3. They say amazing things happen right outside of your comfort zone. It is time to get uncomfortable again.

  4. Part of me feels like if I don’t do this now, when will I ever?

  5. I believe this type of experience will teach me lessons I can’t learn any other way.

  6. In China, I had such an incredible time interacting with the locals. I want to meet native people from other countries. Oh and fellow travelers too!

  7. I am not a picky eater whatsoever. I am actually quite open-minded when it comes to food. I want to try new and crazy foods I have never seen before.

  8. I hope traveling will improve my blogging and photography skills.

  9. I want to show other introverts that this can be done, as unnatural and scary as it may feel for us. There is nothing easy about sacrificing your own comfort for the uncertainty and unpredictability of the world.

  10. I don’t want to have any regrets. Life is uncertain. Things happen. Sometimes, when we least expect it. I understand that with delayed gratification, I might be better suited to doing this one day down the road but when the time comes, will I still want to??? If I don’t do this now, there is a high possibility I never will.

Where Will Rocky Go?

Truth be told, I honestly don’t know where I will end up. I want to see as many countries as possible but also within reason. Originally, I was going to plan my trip in great detail because I HATE the feeling of uncertainty but planning out all of my travels would defeat the purpose of going in the first place. I have a general idea of where I hope to go but even then, I am going to take it step-by-step and day-by-day.

My purpose is not to travel quickly
but rather to enjoy and understand the places I visit.

My first destination is TBD. I may start in Lisbon if I opt to visit Western Europe first. I was also considering Croatia to avoid the Schengen zone altogether for now. Then there is a part of me that would love to even start in Thailand since I’ve always dreamed of going to that country!!! SO MANY POSSIBILITIES.

My departure date will most likely fall between May and July because there is still some necessary preparation that needs to be done before I leave.

I’m stressed.

I’m scared.

But more than anything else, I am excited.

UPDATE: I BOUGHT A ONE WAY TICKET TO GREECE AT 3AM

UPDATE: I BOUGHT A ONE WAY TICKET TO GREECE AT 3AM

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21 Comments

  1. There’s no time like the present and if feels right for you, do it and don’t look back! Have fun and be safe (although safety-wise, you’re probably safer OUTSIDE the USA as opposed to INSIDE the USA). Enjoy yourself and remember to keep a diary of your experiences. If you ever get to Africa, visit Lagos, Nigeria. I spent a month there and had the best time with the children. I wore cargo shorts the entire time with all my pockets filled with peppermints. I’d pass these out to the youth and soon we developed a game where they would chase me down the street and try to tackle me! Parents would laugh as we would be playing all the way to the intersection. My nest destination was Burkina Faso. Another story! Naked hugs!

    1. The Rocky Safari

      Hahaha thank you! Please tell that to my extremely concerned parents haha. They’re so distraught over this decision. I will most certainly continue to update my blog no matter what. I actually really want to visit Nigeria! Thanks for the recommendations. Hopefully I’ll be able to visit those places eventually. Recommendations and suggestions are always greatly appreciated!!!

  2. Stressed, scared and excited. Nice! I’m appreciating your inward and outward focus. I’m also disheartened to learn of parting ways with your Spanish man. I suspect your Psych studies will lend well to the next phase of exploring and discovery. Just visited Lisbon & Porto last summer; both are amazing destinations and affordable! ? Wishing you continued growth and happiness, Rocky.

    1. The Rocky Safari

      Aah, yes, we broke up half a year ago in the Summer time, around July. I’ve come a long way since then but I miss him badly. Lisbon and Porto are two destinations I plan to visit eventually. It is hard to choose a starting point with so many possibilities. I, too, think my psychology studies will serve me well in the future. Looking forward to seeing what happens!

  3. Hey Rocky, you left a comment on my very old blog a while ago, and I wanted to return the response! It’s incredible what you’re doing now and the path you’re on (and how different our lives are! we were so similar just 3 years ago!) Glad to see you living your best life and still sharing it with the world. Hope the adventure keeps going!

    1. The Rocky Safari

      Melissa! Oh my gosh, I’m so happy to hear from you! I totally remember back during my sophomore year of college in particular, you were quite active in the blogging community. I remember us both reading each other’s posts too. I was a pre-med student at the time. So much has changed, yet so little. My junior year I went on to study psychology, and my senior year, business! After college, I’ve started traveling the world and at this very moment, I’m in Croatia! But not all of my blog readers know this yet haha. I’m still writing stories about Mykonos haha. Anyway, I am super happy to hear from you. As different as our lives may seem, I’m sure that isn’t really the case. I would be so happy to hear about what you’re up to these days. Seeing your name pop up was such a pleasant surprise!

  4. I’m happy for you that you found the confidence to go for your goal regardless of how things go with your boyfriend. Also, BIRDS! When I lived at a group home I hated for a few years, the silver lining was a couple of bird cages that any of the residents could visit, and I’d often sit by them, watch and listen to them, which helped me cope with life there. One of them had very different looks on different parts of its body, like a sky blue area, a zebra striped area, etc lol.

  5. Good for you, Rocky. The world IS a fabulous place, full of wonderful people. I began travelling when I was 16, hitch-hiking to India and have done quite a bit since. Some of it is written up on my blog, but there is a lot left unwritten. I find it easier to write about exciting journeys, but am trying to also write about more ordinary, but non-the-less interesting stuff too. I look forward to following your blog. Mine is more about writing, trying to write as well as I can, and using travelling, working for Greenpeace, and other events as fodder to improve my writing skills. You write well. Keep it up! Best wishes on your journey, fellow traveller.

    1. Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Simon. I can definitely relate to leaving a lot of the travels unwritten. I’m aiming to do my best to capture the most important and interesting moments on here, but it’s hard to sift through it when so much took place! Your trip to India sounds like it must have been interesting. I’ve always wanted to go there and my heart is breaking for the people of India who are now suffering from the worst of this pandemic. Such sad news. On a happier note, great to connect with another traveler. Thanks again for the kind words!

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The Rocky Safari