NHS grad travels the world

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
Venezuela, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Africa. The list of exotic places (and experiences) that 2009 Newcastle High School graduate Kade Ferguson has visited are endless. Despite seeing nearly every corner of the globe, Ferguson said the relationships and connections in small-town Wyoming brought him back, for now at least. 
“Growing up in a small place, you get this romantic idea of going to new places. That is initially why I wanted to travel, “Ferguson said. “I lived out of a suitcase. It was a lot of fun, but I was putting real life on hold.”
After realizing that teaching wasn’t necessarily for him, Ferguson spent years traveling the globe.  In those travels, he experienced people, places and things that many will only dream of. Only recently, he chose to return to Newcastle to manage the liquor store at the new Decker’s Market location for his high school friend, Jeremiah Decker. 
Ferguson’s journey abroad began in Venezuela where he taught at an international school. The country, he said, was nothing like America. 
While he and the other teachers were paid in American dollars, the value of the local money – the Venezuelan bolivar – was significantly less than the American dollar. Life in such conditions was hard to watch but made him appreciate what he has, Ferguson said. 
“Venezuela was the place that shocked me the most. When I was there, they were experiencing the same stuff that is going on now. Their economy is falling apart,” Ferguson said. “To live in that, I won’t ever experience something similar to that. Most people won’t.” 
While in Venezuela, Ferguson realized teaching was not a path he wanted to follow, so he joined a travel corporation. Starting in 2015, he ran trips across the country and into Canada, acting as a tour guide on a coach bus. 
“I finished my last trip in January. The work was seasonal, so I had time to do other stuff,” Ferguson said. 
He chose to travel the globe during those down times, living and working in places such as Australia and Thailand. Ferguson said that he also visited Africa to do some volunteer work, and he saw Cambodia and Vietnam, as well as several other places on this journey. 
“Australia was pretty fun. On the surface, it is very similar to the United States,” Ferguson said. “It was different enough to be fun though.” 
While working as a bartender in Australia for six months, Ferguson said, he had the opportunity to meet lots of people like him, traveling and working. Then, in Thailand, Ferguson worked for a company giving tours to travels in the country. 
Not all of Ferguson’s experiences were all wonderful, he said. 
“I had to have emergency surgery for my appendix in Vietnam. That was an expensive trip,” Ferguson said. 
The young traveler said that while he enjoyed his time in Africa, it was a very eye-opening experience. His time in Africa was spent helping nurses and doctors distribute supplies. 
At the time, Ferguson said, all he thought about was the heat, sweating all day and the lack of electricity and running water. Looking back on the experience, he said, he realizes that he learned a lot. 
After years of adventure and traveling, Ferguson decided in 2019 to stay put for a while, stopping for a time in Denver before making his way back to Newcastle to help with the Decker’s Market liquor store. Returning to the small community, he said, was something he was excited about – for several reasons. 
“The great thing about small towns is people are friendlier. The people that you know you see more often, and it is not as hard to meet up with friends. It sounds really simple, but it’s a big deal,” Ferguson said. 
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, it was hard to meet up with friends while living in Denver. 
“There are more real relationships in a small town, and you can enjoy more of your time. You are not burning so much time getting around,” Ferguson said. 
The ability to make a difference in a small community is something else that appealed to Ferguson. 
“You feel more significant in a small town. You know the community, and you can step in and make a difference,” he said.