For Thursday, May 21, 1998 Drummer Column, Gibbs, 712 words

Bon voyage

Got an interesting e-mail from our son, Adam, at college down in Santa Cruz. He's

finishing his sophomore year. The e-mail said, "This will be my last quarter of college, folks. I'm hitting the road." I'm paraphrasing, but that pretty much sums it up.

His wanderlust is so bad he can't focus on his studies. He said he feels trapped and rudderless. He is still ambivalent about his major, and it's time to declare.

He wants to travel, and not just around California or the United States. He wants to go to Europe and find work in Ireland, or Russia, or Italy. He's willing to bus tables or wash dishes. He just wants OUT.

Naturally, my wife and I are relieved. We've been paying big bucks for Santa Cruz and it has been uncomfortable knowing that he doesn't know what the heck he's doing there. How many people have either earned the wrong degree or had to go back to college a second time? We just don't want to see that happen.

If the boy wants to take a year off to cool his heels, find himself, find a livelihood, that's fine by us. He can miss a year of Santa Cruz without having to reapply. He's better off to get this out of his system now before focusing on a career and a full-time commitment.

However, and this is a big however, we have no intention of paying for his European adventure. We did offer to buy him a one-way ticket anywhere in the world. Beyond that, he's on his own.

The trick will be to see if he can pull this adventure together by himself. We've been around to book his exploits up until now. This will be his first solo flight since being lowered on a safety line out of the nest. He'll need to quit spending his savings, find a job, and maybe even sell his truck to pay his way.

Of course, if Adam didn't have this burning unrest, I'd say, "Focus on a career and get your education now. Competition is fierce, and steady workers have the leading edge."

The fact is, right or wrong, Adam has giant thumb-sized, man-eating, smoke-agitated fire ants in his pants, and he wants to explore the world, now.

I don't think this affliction is particular to my son. Youth in general has an innate desire to explore, journey, travel, adventure, quest, crusade. I think it's grand. I traveled a lot -- on this continent -- while in college -- during the summer -- throughout my youth. I didn't discover the meaning of life on the road, but it helped me to settle down later, knowing what was out there.

I just chatted with Adam over the Internet using ICQ. I told him I was writing about him again. He's fine with that. He asked me to list the web sites he's been using to explore his European possibilities, in case there are other youths like him out there.

First comes the home of cheap-as-dirt air fares. Visit www.isicom.fr/airhitch and learn how anyone can fly to Europe from California for $239 by "hitchhiking" on empty seats.

Present currency exchange rates are at www.dna.lth.se/cgi-bin/kurt/rates. The Dutch Guilder today is worth 50 cents.

A most extensive work/study opportunity awaits college students at www.ciee.org, the Council for International Educational Exchange. Founded in 1947, the council helps students and teachers find work and classes abroad.

Yes, he seems to have done some research. He's attended a workshop and filled out a few applications. This makes us worry less about his safety and survival so far from home.

I can't help but recall last year at this time. Adam told us then he was leaving college to go work in Italy. We were against it at the time. He was just a freshman. We figured he needed another year of college to find himself. Instead he stayed home and worked for minimum wage at VideoTime.

This year we favor his decision. He's 21. A work experience abroad has to be more stimulating than reading bar codes off blue boxes at the local shopping center. We figure if the boy…oops, the man…still wants to go this badly after putting in his second year of college, we'll send him packing.