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I am originally from the States, but I’ve lived in Europe for most of my adult life. I am not entirely nomadic, but I’ve been back and forth, especially in the last couple of years. Many of my travels focus on Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. However, I do pop up in other places. I am fascinated with the unrecognized or partially recognized states; I even wrote my master’s dissertation about them. I’m also curious about unique diasporas and overlooked corners of the world.
What is with the name” Southern space cadet”?
The creation of “Southern space cadet” comes from a collection of several running jokes.
The first part is easy to explain. I was born and raised in the Southern US. My mum’s family goes back some generations. While I show little to no of the “stereotypes,” my family’s paternal side is the polar opposite of the southern. I have come to realize that the label isn’t going anywhere. I have ambivalence about it but decided to accept it. Besides, Dolly Parton is a queen. Southern literature is excellent, and shrimp po’boys are fantastic. My birthplace, New Orleans, is one of the best cities in the world. OR I just wanted an adjective that started with an S to go with “space cadet.” I don’t identify as being from anywhere.
The” space cadet” part is more complicated. I am jokingly referred to as a space cadet for two reasons. I grew up in a town which relied heavily upon and still does, to some extent, on the space industry. My father recently retired from working for 30 years in the space program. My stepfather also has worked in the space industry. I was interested in astrophysics and astronomy until I learned that I sucked at physics.
The second element of the “space cadet” factor is that I suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, aka ADHD. I was diagnosed when I was a teenager. I struggle when focusing on some tasks and give the impression that I’m pretty absent-minded. It is my blessing and curse in every single aspect of my life. My travel experiences are not excluded from it either. I feel like my ADHD helps me see a bigger picture of the destinations that I visit and blends my love for travel, geopolitics, and global affairs.