You don’t have to leave the country to have a life changing event. When I was growing up we never went camping and the same applied to my X wife who was from New York City. In spite of this we took up camping shortly after we were married. It was a bit clumsy at first but we eventually got pretty good at it. There is nothing like a week in the mountains living in a tent without electricity or a phone to clear your mind and soul. I bought a new tent and a new lantern but picked up an old Coleman stove at a garage sale and refurbished it. There is a certain primordial sanctification with catching a trout you will have for dinner in the evening. It was not always easy – since we were usually camping in the Oregon Cascades thunderstorms were not uncommon and of course there were the mosquitoes. But it was always worth it.