S3E4: Richard Bruschi - 'Finding Myself'

Solitude, silence, and peace are craved by many when they are traveling. However, many others desire companionship instead, wanting someone to share their experiences with. Richard Bruschi has a healthy dose of both, but it was solitude that helped him to truly find himself. Richard Bruschi is a writer for Sonderers Magazine, which functions on the idea that everyone has a story, no matter how modest their experience is or unexciting their life is. Everybody has a story, everybody has a life, everybody has thoughts, and that is a beautiful thing; Sonderers operates under that belief. Richard is, as described by Hayden, very cerebral in nature, and he and Hayden deep-dive into a variety of subjects throughout the interview, eventually ending up in a rabbit hole of conversation.

Richard has done a considerable amount of traveling in his life, from the United States to Italy to Nottingham, and his experiences have impacted him greatly. Richard believes that there are opportunities everywhere if you just know where to look and how to prioritize. “Money is always out there to be made and caught,” Richard says, roughly paraphrasing Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , “but experiences - once you miss them, you’re not sure you can have them again.” Richard’s adventure, titled “Finding Myself,” takes place in Alaska. While Richard was backpacking in Resurrection Bay, Alaska, in an effort to be alone in nature for as long as possible, he cautiously realized a great deal about himself. What he found out about himself also led him to realizing how well he and his brother really knew each other. In this, Richard realized that finding himself also involved finding someone else along the way. Richard believes that he is a person first, and he is everything else second. Traveling and focusing on one worry at a time while you do it can really simplify your life and help you discover who you truly are as a person. Solitude can come in handy when the only person you really need to be alone with is yourself.

• 0:41 - Hayden discusses the longing for solitude and peace that some have, as opposed to the desire for companionship that others have. Richard Bruschi is a writer for Sonderers Magazine. You may remember (from S02E05) that Jeromy Slaby is a writer for the same magazine. Bruschi is very cerebral in nature, and he and Hayden deep-dive into a variety of subjects throughout the interview, eventually ending up in a rabbit hole of conversation.
• 3:35 - Richard, speaking from the city of Nottingham, starts to discuss the metropolis and why he chooses to live there with Hayden.
• 6:40 - Richard talks about his reasons for moving to Portland from Italy when his brother moved to Jerusalem, and his experiences while living there. This includes how the move led to his marriage and, soon, his baby.
• 10:20 - Hayden and Richard discuss how to overcome making excuses not to travel, or not to move, or not to have experiences outside of your typical days. Richard believes there are opportunities everywhere if you just know where to look and how to prioritize. Hayden agrees, and also thinks that you need to remember that, at the end of the day, you’re going to be fine.

Get in Touch with Hayden on Instagram: @backpackdigital