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Jean BeliveauCanadian traveler
Country:
 Canada |
A Biography of Jean Beliveau
Jean Beliveau - a Canadian traveler who walked around the world, spending 11 years of his life on this journey. The idea to embark on a world trip came to Jean Beliveau quite by chance. In 1999, at the age of 45, Jean was experiencing a mid-life crisis and felt that there was nothing bright and interesting in his life. One autumn day in November 1999, while walking on the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, he suddenly realized that his life was and always had been in his own hands. He decided that he could live his life the way he wanted, not how others dictated. And he decided to simply set aside everything and go wherever his eyes led him - on a walk.
After studying a world map, Jean planned his route, which was quite ambitious - he decided to circumnavigate the entire globe. He trained and prepared himself physically for this serious journey. During the preparation process, Jean realized that his depression had disappeared - now he had a dream and a plan that required implementation. Jean estimated that his journey would last about 10 years, but it took a little longer.
Jean considers himself very lucky to have a supportive wife, Luce Archambault. She fully understood and supported his husband's plans, never trying to discourage him or calling his idea crazy. In fact, Luce helped him start his journey and later worked on his website throughout the entire trip, providing him with emotional support. They only met once a year for three weeks during their winter vacation.
Jean Beliveau began his journey in August 2000 and by the end of his travels, he had walked through 64 countries. On average, he walked about 30 kilometers a day, and not all the countries he visited were hospitable. He learned a few simple phrases in many languages around the world and gained a greater understanding of the lives and cultures of different people. In some countries, he even received a police escort - this happened in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Macedonia.
On January 6, 2007, Jean reached the milestone of 40,000 kilometers while in Hungary. To his surprise, in some parts of the world, people treated him better and more friendly than his fellow Canadians.
Jean carried his few belongings in a three-wheeled cart, and it was with this cart that he appeared in photos in many print publications around the world.
He completed his journey in 2011, covering a total distance of 75,000 kilometers. After 11 years of absence, 56-year-old Jean Beliveau returned to Montreal. He had changed significantly during these years - becoming more open and tolerant.
It is said that a traveler is a traveler for life, so it can be expected that Jean will soon undertake something that will shake him and everyone around him. However, he has already promised his wife that his future walks will be shorter.
