Chris Djämber

I met Chris, short for Christian, at the Intersection of Pike Place Market at the end of July. I noticed him when he had walked out of the hostel on the same block. Chris is a 25 year old German explorer from Stuttgart, Germany. I knew he was from out of town because I had seen the wonder in his eyes. I sensed he was just looking to tour the town, and to my avail he was. I was able to meet with Chris a few times before his trip was over.

Chris is the kind of guy that has his dreams in his hands and won’t let them escape. He traveled on his own from Germany, to Vancouver, B.C. While looking for some work he had the opportunity to spend some time on a vineyard, working for a homegrown all natural family, where there were farm animals of all kinds, (except goats, which apparently eat the grapes!) and most of the food was grown on the land and consumed by the family and their guests. This was a time I am sure he will never forget in his life.

 After his time on the vineyard, he decided to come to Seattle for a trip. He was so close to such a city with a great musical background, he couldn't pass it up. Growing up in Germany, Chris had grown up to love what our generation would call ‘Oldies but Goodies”, or maybe just “Classics”. The kind of music that came out on vinyl is what Chris had grown to love and, highly appreciate. His favorite record from the Beatles is abbey road, which is his most prized possession in his record collection. Seattle has much to offer him in his personal life for music. Jimmy Hendricks was and still is a legend in this town. While Chris doesn't play an instrument of any kind, he feels nostalgic to be around someone who can play. Out of the numerous people I have met, Chris is definitely been the one person that I can agree with when it comes to being born in the wrong decade.

Reading is another thing In Chris’s life that he does frequently. Getting into the mind of another, by paper, is a form of understanding. Just like his love for classic music, Chris has a love for classics books. There are mostly no favorites in his life because he says “There are too many things to appreciate, it’s almost impossible to pick only one and call it the best” But when it comes to books, he has an ultimate favorite, On the Road by Jack Kerouac. This book made Chris want to travel, to become something more than a garden Salesmen in Germany. Chris wanted to get out, and after reading this book, he did.

Chris is the kind of guy who is subtle, and sweet. His love for music and travel are not the only things that make him “alive”. He has a sense of a fairy tale to him. Chris appreciates the little things in life. He talked about how much he appreciated and loved his parents for understanding his commitment to his own travels in life, his connection to his father because of the music that he introduced to him as a younger boy. I can only imagine if I had an older brother traveling the world, I would be in astonished by his accomplishments, which I am sure his two younger brothers are.

I had such a good time getting to know Chris and his life story. When I had asked Chris about how he felt about traveling and his own travels in general, he simply replied “I feel free”. I felt inspired in that one moment. I felt the urge myself to take the steps into traveling. Thank you Chris, for sharing your story with me, and for really feeling the moments in life and appreciating them as they come. Your words of encouragement on me and my future travels have been taken in by my heart forever.

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