By Walter Chang:

Exhausted from the job I didn’t study for, I decided it’s time to travel. For nearly a year I slept at friends’ places, worked additional hours and sold much of what I owned. On Sept 13th 2011, I boarded on a plane for what would eventually become a 3-year-trip around the world to 60 countries.

Budget backpacking across the world can be incredibly frustrating. I hitchhiked, stayed overnight in many airports, slept outside in parks, and camped. I was robbed of everything in Chile and had my camera gear ruined by water in Uganda. I nearly died when my car flipped over in the deserts of Namibia.

Nevertheless, strangers were willing to befriend me by taking me around their city, buying me meals, or providing me a place to sleep. Travelling keeps us alert about our differences and prevents us from taking the easy close minded way out. I hope to reach an audience outside of my immediate network to inspire others to travel.

More info: wecallthishome.com

I had just graduated when the global recession hit in 2008

Taman Sari Water Castle – Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Suddenly all the loans I took out to pay for my diploma seemed like a cruel joke

Arirang Games – Pyongyang, North Korea

So instead of pursuing work in the film industry,the profession I’d studied for, I decided to work as an audio visual technician

Sulfur Mining – Ijen Plateau, Indonesia

It was nothing but a short detour I told myself

Cappadocia, Turkey

But, three years later, I was still there and tired from being overworked

Machu Picchu, Peru

Sometime during 2010, I began dreaming of quitting my job and traveling through Southeast Asia for three months

Koh Lanta, Thailand

 

For nearly a year, I saved up money by sleeping at friends’ places

12 Apostles – Great Ocean Road, Australia

I worked additional hours and sold much of what I owned

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

On Sept 13th 2011, I boarded on a plane for what would eventually become a 3-year-trip around the world to 60 countries

Bagan, Myanmar

A long vacation may sound glamorous, but budget backpacking across the world can be incredibly frustrating

Milford Sound, New Zealand

I hitchhiked, took 30 hour train rides, stayed overnight in many airports, slept outside in parks, camped, and couchsurfed

Kyoto, Japan

I caught food poisoning several times, was robbed of everything in Chile and had my camera gear ruined by water in Uganda

Street Cap Ball – Havana, Cuba

I nearly died when my car flipped over in the deserts of Namibia

Semonkong, Lesotho

Nevertheless, strangers were willing to befriend me by taking me around their city, buying me meals, or providing me a place to sleep

U Bein Bridge – Amarapura, Myanmar

It bothered me that I was receiving so much yet giving back very little

Carnival – Olinda, Brazil

So through images I’m hoping to reach an audience outside of my immediate network to inspire others to travel

Bathing in the Ganges RIver – Varanasi, India

Because travelling keeps us alert about our differences and prevents us from taking the easy close minded way out

Pamir Highway, Tajikistan

This has been my way of giving back

Vilankulo, Mozambique