The life we live and other stories

As I am patiently waiting for the next big chapter in my life (or I should say now in our lives) I wanted to look back on those last couple of years exploring the world sometimes on my own, sometimes with friends or sometimes family. From the endless mountain ranges in Canada to the great barrier reef of Australia my life has been full of twists and turns.

Travelling has taught me so much throughout the years; from learning about myself to learning about the world it has been by far the greatest and most rewarding experience. No schools or human being can teach you as much as being on your own in a foreign place. The transition was not easy but somehow I blossomed into a better, stronger and wiser version of myself.

Travelling will touch your soul and mind like nothing else.

It all started seven years ago when I packed my bag and left home to study in the beautiful state of Mississippi. At this stage I had no idea what I was going for nor what to expect from this crazy journey ahead of me. However, I got so hooked that every decision I made thereafter was done to ensure I could continue to explore the world freely.

I will always remember the tears leaving everyone behind me, the constant fear of missing out and the sleepless nights overthinking about my selfish decisions but what I remember the most vividly is the indescribable feeling of being “alive” and this one helped me overcome everything.

Never ever have I felt more alive than lost in a new place with no familiar faces around me. Learning again everything that you thought you once knew, meeting new people hoping to one day call them friends, making rookie mistakes, losing your senses again and again, being misunderstood so many times that you just want to give up. The learning curve is steep and you quickly see everything from a different angle. Life starts being exciting, the little things make you happy and you slowly understand that you are your greatest investment.

That’s one lesson I have learnt whilst roaming the world and maybe the most important one: to be successful in life you need to invest, trust and love yourself first. Stop fighting and start appreciating what life gave you, once you get this mindset magic happens.

I certainly had times I wanted to give up badly, felt very lonely or in a limbo like when I decided to move to North Carolina on my own for work not knowing anyone and being only 22; or when I fell off my skateboard the first day of a road trip with my sister and ended up with a broken ankle and no extra money.. Stuff happens all the time and it is your own responsibility to keep a positive mindset and see the glass half full.

Without the downs you would not be able to enjoy the ups… like when I got to witness one of my best friend’s wedding in North Carolina years later or when I ended up being carried by firefighters and got to wear their jackets as they took me to the hospital.

”To travel is to live” will be my forever motto. The journey that is life should not be determined by one location, we have so much to learn, discover and experience. When I look back on those years, following my instinct to get out of my comfort zone, I now deeply understand why I had this urge. I certainly never felt anchored to one place but I just wanted more, I dreamt big and was absolutely certain that the answers I was looking for were outhere. Detaching myself from my roots helped me discover who I was deep down, fight my inner battles and gave me an outlook on life that I will always be grateful for.

Most importantly I grasped the real meaning of travelling: making memories and stories that will last forever.

So to celebrate the end of decade of adventures here’s some unseen pictures taken around the world.

Sunset in Newport Beach, tired but happy

So after having looked back on those precious memories I can only be grateful for where I am now. Forever thankful for the laughs, the tears, the mistakes, the new encounters along the way but most importantly the baffling and mysterious feeling of being alive.

Cheers to the next decade of adventures!

The life we live and other stories

The Wanderers