5 years after giving up the idea of giving birth, Marsha Jean (23 years old, from Hong Kong, China) set foot in 40 countries and received many valuable experiences from life.
“A few weeks ago, I left Berlin and went to Frankfurt by train, then flew over to Spain. I am in a small town an hour away from Malaga, ”Marsha Jean shared South China Morning Post.
Jean added that she needs to have a negative test result for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enter Malaga, after which there is no need for quarantine. Each province in Spain has different rules for epidemic prevention. “I’m staying on a farm run by a lovely old couple. There are 3 other volunteers here. We were fed and lived to do chores such as picking vegetables. Yesterday, I painted the fence. This place is beautiful and peaceful, ”Jean pointed her computer screen toward the farm, where sunlight shone in the olive-tree-shaded fields and the sound of cock crowing occasionally disturbed the silence. 
Jean in Pakistan. Photo: @themarshajean. Starting from the run Jean started a nomadic lifestyle since leaving Hong Kong. Though she doesn’t want to say it again, life in the place she grew up was a dark time. At the age of 18, Jean bought a one-way ticket to Australia, planning to spend all the money, then ending her life. “I gain my freedom by running away. At that time, I was a skinny teenager, wanted to kill myself and was scared of everything, ”recalled Jean. A few weeks after her trip to the country of kangaroos, Jean realized that the world was not a bad place as bad as she thought it would be. “I have a wrong view of the world because of the influence from my parents and society. I realize that I can work in the hotel industry or any profession that is safe enough. Then I can travel the world, ”Jean said. She reminisces about time working at private casinos in London (UK), diving shops, cafes, restaurants, and teaching yoga in Sri Lanka. “Before I left home, I thought if I didn’t have a college degree, I would have to live on the street. I never imagined these adventures ”. Jean uses her Instagram account to record her trips: from pictures walking along the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert in Morocco; Walk among ancient monuments in Luxor, Egypt to catch dawn at ancient temples in Bagan, Myanmar or atop cliffs in Sarek National Park in Lapland, Sweden. 
In 2018, Jean spent 19 days walking through the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan, using a donkey to pack things (left). 19 year old Jean, from Iran (right). Photo: Marsha Jean. At the age of 19, Jean traveled from Iran to France to Iraq. “I want to test my own fear. Although it discouraged people from hitchhiking, that experience taught me that there are still many good people in this world, ”she said. At the age of 21, Jean hired a donkey and walked with its owner for 19 days through Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor, one of the most remote places on Earth with no postal service, cellular waves or the Internet, to visit nomadic communities along the way. That same year, she cycled alone across Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and northern Pakistan. “Even though I only knew it, I was suddenly excited to buy a bicycle and journey through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan along the legendary Pamir Highway. It is the second tallest road in the world, along a stretch of the ancient Silk Road. Most of the road is unpaved, with many high passes to cross. The highest place has an altitude of 4,655 m above sea level. Every 3 seconds I have to stop once to take a breath, ”she said. Jean practices a philosophy of slow travel – a world view that focuses on connections with people and local culture. Food and music helped her strengthen these bonds. The 23-year-old girl is also a volunteer at an NGO and helps build a school in a remote village in Nepal. “I live very slowly. I spent 6 months in Pakistan, 7 weeks in Afghanistan, 10 months in Australia, ”she said. Jean has also tried traveling by means of various means such as traveling around the North of Vietnam by motorbike and sailing between the Indonesian islands of Lombok and Flores. Wishes after trips Through each trip, Jean wants to reshape misconceptions about the world. “Modern society scares us other cultures. The world is seen as a place full of danger through terrible stories and tragedy. Of course there are always risks, but I see the world with lots of nice people, ”Jean said. “We have always been taught to be wary of others, especially with countries in the Middle East,” she added. But that’s where I get to meet the best of all ”. Jean also hopes to become an inspiration for people because the media does not usually mention adventurous Asian women. She wishes by sharing her story to lay the foundation for small changes. 
Jean at Elephant Rocks, William Bay National Park in Western Australia. Photo: @themarshajean. Jean also has a tight budget for her travels and primarily sets foot in countries with low cost of living. “During the first two years of the trip, I spent 10,000 EUR (11,720 USD),” she said. During the bicycle trip through Central Asia, she spent about 2-3 USD / day. “Instead of staying in hotels or motels, I usually camp in the wilderness or stay in locals’ homes. I see travel as a non-religious pilgrimage. By venturing to unknown places and stepping out of my comfort zone, I changed a lot. ” Jean wants to share her story with her hometown where she was born to inspire and motivate others to overcome their fears and pursue their dreams.
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