Summer's Over. Now What???

This is what I believe: That I am I. That my soul is a dark forest. That my known self will never be more than a little clearing in the forest. That gods, strange gods, come forth from the forest into the clearing of my known self, and then go back. That I must have the courage to let them come and go. That I will never let mankind put anything over me, but that I will try always to recognize and submit to the gods in me and the gods in other men and women. There is my creed.
-D. H. Lawrence
Your summer gig has either finished or is just about to. How do you create the next life chapter?
At times, the best approach is the wet spaghetti technique: throw a lot of stuff against the wall and see what sticks. In other words, apply to a large number of job possibilities and see which offer is most appealing when all is said and done.
Coolworks has always provided a treasure trove of possibilities, and offers a stable bridge from where you are now to where you are going. On the other hand, if drawn to a specific geographic area, sometimes I prefer to arrive first and look the options over firsthand.
Ideally your external circumstances are simpatico with your internal values and inclinations, i.e. if you really want to ski this summer, do not apply to wait tables at Death Valley. Duh. On a slightly more subtle level, if you are looking for hardy adventure then maybe you had better pass on that temp accounting job (unless it is in Afghanistan). Conversely, if you are looking for comfort and relative stability, do not plan on wandering aimlessly through the Himalayas.
If you are in school, your choice is already made. If winter is spent in the R.V. visiting the grandkids, ditto. Or maybe there is a career path that you are staying focused on. But if your road is open, where do you look and what are you looking for?
Different answers for different folks, of course. My own summer gig is less than a week from completion, and I find myself free (within financial limitations) to chart the next course.
There are so many options that it is mind-boggling. The buddhist temple that they are building in Northern California sounds intriguing. I have also toyed with doing the 3-month volunteer program at Kripalu, in Western Massachusetts. Working with Doctors Without Borders also has potential. . . .
Some kind of process is going on in my life (always, I guess), but I can not get a definitive handle on it. I suspect the handle is subtle, and requires a shift in awareness or an evolution in consciousness. Or maybe a zen slap hard enough to leave handprints. Then there is always the possibility that there is no handle.
But. While I am waiting for understanding to dawn, or for glimmers to crystallize, I am still faced with the pleasant task of deciding my next move.
Jonesing for an extended backpacking trip, recent summer jobs and foreign residences have created a logistical restraining order. So the first order of business/pleasure is a month on the Appalachian Trail, wandering and wondering through the Fall colors of New England. I have spent half a dozen autumns in Western Massachusetts, but always as a waiter serving people who come to see the foliage. What a refreshing October to be in the midst of nature, as opposed to catching glimpses of it from the Red Lion Inn dining room.
In early November I plan to connect with some faces and bases on the West Coast. Then a flight to South East Asia, heading into Bangkok on a one-way ticket. After the recent military coup, it will be interesting to see if I notice any changes.
Now the next step becomes somewhat looser. I have scattered friends in Thailand to visit, and I would not mind a month in either jungle or island to read, write, and nurture my pregnant pause. I am also inclined to do some exploring in the neighboring countries of Cambodia, Viet Nam, and Lao.
At some point though, always too soon, the savings will dwindle. I can prolong that point by finding short term jobs as I travel, a month here and a month there. Or, I can wait until I am about $300. away from insolvency and find a longer term position. Maybe China this time around. They have become such a world player on the economic scene that there is a high demand for people to teach English.
The thing is that, in the course of extended travel, many opportunities present themselves. And, if I have the leisure to keep my plans loose, I will be free to veer off on the road most inviting.
As Gandalph says (quoting wisdom wherever I can find it), Way leads to way.