Notes on Feeling Fernweh

Fernweh

[n.] an ache for travel; being homesick for a place you’ve never been

Fernweh is a lot like wanderlust, (a strong desire to wander & travel the world) but it’s different. When I look at the definition of fernweh versus the definition of wanderlust, it feels to me that fernweh is deeper. It isn’t just that you have this desire to travel, which I have constantly. It’s something that aches. It’s that emptiness you feel after coming home. It’s craving the new, missing culture shock and feeling adventurous at essentially every moment. This isn’t a new feeling for me, but recently I’ve been feeling fernweh in a deeper way than ever before. 

I think that root of fernweh is actually « W A N D E R L U S T ». When I got back home from Asia, I still had wanderlust, of course, but I was ready to be home. I had regular old homesickness (well, really, I had Matt-sickness). As the weeks being home have passed by my wanderlust gradually became greater and greater and the inspired feeling of wanderlust was starting to turn to a longing and a desperation for adventures and explorations of new places!

The thing I’ve discovered about feeling fernweh is that it doesn’t go away. It doesn’t just magically get better. It’s something that can only be cured by getting out there and exploring. Nothing can cure that ache but adventures.

I’ve been trying to decide what exactly it is that has pushed me past wanderlust and has me feeling so much fernweh and I’ve narrowed it down to two different things: missing long-term travel & the desire to see the world with the love of my life.

This trip to Asia was the first trip longer than a month I have ever taken and I miss it every single day. Is life easier at home? Yes. Do I enjoy my life at home? Very much so! But that doesn’t mean that I don’t crave the unknown and the thrill of truly living life day by day. Being at home has me settled into a routine, the way home does, and I miss the adventurous life of a wanderer. I feel like I’ve just gotten a taste of it and I know that there is so much more to see!

Then, there’s my fiancé, Matt. This man is without a doubt the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Because I love spending time with him, there’s obviously nothing I want to do more than see the world with him! We have had so many amazing moments exploring together already. Since January we’ve been to 10 different states, hiked almost 20 miles together since July and we’ve shared amazing moments together on top of mountains, in museums and eating local delicacies (like Key Lime Pie). I’m eager to see more and do more, with him!

We’ve started planning this amazing Round the World Trip, but we’re not positive when this is actually going to happen. However, this week we started getting down to it and had our first “map date”. We spread our world map out across the table and started an outline for our big trip and have decided to do this once a week until it’s time to take off, which just makes this love-fueled fernweh burn even stronger.

Until then, though, I’m soaking up all the micro-adventures that I can in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains with the love of my life. I’m making the most of living in a magical place. I’m feeding my soul with nature. I’m being grateful and I’m being real. This is me, feeling fernweh, aching for the road and saying that’s just fine.

Did You Enjoy This Post? PIN IT So Others Can Too!

To keep up with my travels in real-time and read more posts and travel articles I find interesting ‘like’ the For the Love of Wanderlust page on Facebook. Simply click HERE.