TRAVEL
I never envisioned myself travelling for more than a couple of days at a time. when my work commitments allowed for it, I Could afford it, I had the time to allocate to it, and I had at least one other person to go with. but I clearly didn’t know any better!
Although I didn’t purposely seek out travel experiences I inherently did as a biproduct of the endeavors I had committed to in the last couple of years. I have some childhood memories of camping road trips to the countryside in Paraguay with my family; however, travelling wasn’t necessarily a custom for us. Growing up in my teens and early adulthood I never really felt tugged by the idea of travelling; most likely because it just didn’t seem feasible for me. The concept I had about travel was that it’s expensive and it’s limited to only a short period of time for most people, because of work as well as other responsibilities and commitments. Furthermore, I had the perception it’s always better to travel with companionship. Due to my own insecurities and fear, I didn’t think I could ever travel solo; hence I would always be dependent on other people’s schedules and availability.
Going to soccer tryouts around the US and a few countries in Europe forced me to travel by myself. This not only opened my eyes to the misconceptions I had but progressively gave me the confidence to pursue solo trips. As a result, I discovered how liberating and enriching it is to experience life in new places. Eventually, getting into endurance running and challenging myself with racing marathons in different parts of the US, I found myself travelling more often and gained more awareness about travel possibilities I couldn’t have imagined. I started conceiving I could indeed make it a part of my life. Embracing travel and having the courage to simply do it, inspired me to believe in the endless ways it can promote continual self-evolution and life transformation.
In late 2023, long-term travel finally became attainable. Unknowingly, the decisions I made and the lifestyle I chose to follow throughout the last several years facilitated the opportunity. Having developed a desire for volunteering, set a long term goal of running a marathon in all 50 states of the US, recognized my corporate career in finance and accounting lacked fulfillment, simplified my life through minimalism, and saved enough money to cover about six months of living expenses; I quit my corporate job in May of 2024 and embarked on an indefinite journey around the US and other countries.
