Hi, I’m Zefan — and this is Very Lost.
Very Lost started after an unexpected layoff from Amazon. I had just moved to a new city, and instead of scrambling to rebuild, I left. Within two weeks, I was on a one-way flight to South America — a decision that turned into a nearly two-year sabbatical across four continents and 25 countries.
What began as an escape became a long, unspooling question about what I want from life, work, and home.
Now, Very Lost is both about travel itself (I’m still addicted to it!), as well as what happens after. Things like feeling out of place in the places you’re supposed to belong, or trying to find meaning in new places.
Each month, I share a personal essay about travel, identity, or belonging.
Some of my favorite essays (although not always the most popular):
Courage Without Fear — how an unfortunate trek in the Himalayas helped redefine my ideas of bravery
Victory to the Masses — on my ancestral homeland and the values I take with me
An Unpacked Suitcase Is A Choice, Too — returning home after nearly two years, and the questions that it leaves you with
Thanks for getting lost with me. I’m glad you’re here, and excited about where we’ll go together.
—Zefan