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Why I Hitchhiked Across Canada for 8 Months — Part I
Here’s the story behind my 8-month hitchhiking adventure from Toronto to Vancouver Island. I was 21 at the time, on the verge of finishing university, and desperate for a change in the way I was living my life.
It was near the end of my fourth year at University when I took a break from my studies and started my first adventure across Canada.
At this time, I was studying Biomedical Sciences and decided to add a minor in Psychology to my BSc. Since this was late into my degree, I didn’t have all the requirements to graduate, so I would have to come back for another semester.
After checking out courses in the upcoming semester, Winter 2012 had far more interesting subjects than Fall 2012. So, once my decision was made, I had an 8-month window to do whatever the hell I wanted.
My Breaking Point
To pay for the yearly $6000+ tuition fees and the $13,000+ in living costs (i.e., apartment, food, lifestyle, etc.) I used to clean machines at a potato chip factory.
I started this job when I was 17 and worked two 12-hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday for the next 4+ years.
It paid $17+ per hour or roughly $350 per week after taxes. In the summer, I would look for more work and ended up doing general…
