The one trip that changed my life

Keeping dreams alive and dreaming about traveling. Let's heal the world and continue to discover it.

By AdrianaPublished 3 years ago • 5 min read

My story starts like any other. Back in 2018, personally one of the most difficult years to date, just finished my bachelor's studies, with no idea where and what I would be doing for my master's and with all my dreams a bit blurry. Well, instead of staying home and crying my soul out because of my situation, once I anticipated that this would actually happen, I had already started looking for ways that would help me navigate this situation once it gets to it. Traveling for me has always been something I wished I would be able to be doing more often, but coming from a middle-class Eastern-European family, with many of my relatives never getting out of the country, would bring along some challenges. I knew I had to work twice as hard for me to be able to continue my studies, but also secure one trip here and there once in a while. I couldn't really see happening for me to actually travel outside Europe for now. Well, when you don't have opportunities, you got to make them. And that's what I did.

Read my article Why do people fear change.

While attending an event, I met an amazing group of people who actually helped me organize my way out of Europe in 2019. I am thinking every single day, not having enough words to express how grateful I am for have done it then before the world took this opportunity away from us. So after emailing back and forth, interviewing, and meeting some super passionate people amazingly willing to receive me in their homes and countries, IT WAS OFFICIAL: I was about to spend around 2 months in Brazil, in Salvador, the state of Bahia, working with Climate actions and empowering children to see themselves as heroes and act on the things they care about: our home, our planet. If you want to read a bit about my experience, here I previously wrote an article on the subject.

Now that the day has come, with all my packed bags, I am hopping on the train that would take me straight to the airport. I was going to cross the ocean all by myself, being on a plane for over 14 hours. Who would have believed that 5 years ago? Not me for sure. Shortly once arrived there, what at the beginning started as a solo-experience (as I thought), turned into a family-experience, community-experience, or in short one of the best thing that could have happened to me at that point. From then on, something really changed inside of me. I wasn't judged for trying to speak another language I am not proficient in, I wasn't criticized that much based on my nationality, looks or other such things, and most importantly it made me reflect on what happiness truly means and feels like. Because today's society measures happiness based on health and income [1], we fall into this blind circle that because we are earning, and because we have material things, that should automatically translate to happiness. Well, I hope we all know by now that things don't always go that way.

Besides the community, Brazil showed me that it's okay to let go sometimes and do things as it feels right for you, without forcing anything, and without stressing out too much about them. It gave me an ideal routine with work, fun and purpose combined, where although being away from "home" daily for very long hours, the next day I would still have the energy to get up and do it all over again. It gave me this energy I needed to really continue on the path I was already on, and gave back the hope that all my dreams will eventually come true, but only if I am okay, comfortable and surrounded by the right people.

So, if you are asking me why I am even here, you just read it: I want and I need to get my freedom back. I’ve been inside for way too long already, moved countries, still trying to manage school, personal projects and other professional arrangements, all from only one place. It’s so unbelievable to even realize how many things have changed since last year, but if there’s something from this trip I’d like to take with me and share with you for any future trips, here are a few:

You’re never really lonely

You’ll always find people like you, sharing the same ideas and hope from life. Those people will make your trip worthwhile. So have the courage to strike the conversation. Those people might just become your friends in minutes.

Focus on discovering the culture and the people

You’ll never learn as much unless you really get out there and try speaking with people, even if you don’t speak the same language. I guarantee you that your experience will be way different than doing other ways.

The world is a field with incredible food

I know you might shy away from trying out different foods, but now it’s your time to get out of your zone. Brazil has a looooot of amazing dishes, but personally, I love street food. I think experiencing the culture through street food, really adds a plus to your experience, that any other fancy place won’t offer you. I promise that you’ll leave Brazil with at least 2 favorites: mine is definitely pastel and tapioca.

You don’t need that much to be happy

It’s packing time and you would really just want to take up the whole wardrobe and off you go. But hey, just think about it. Haven’t you been struggling so many times with all the packing you’ve been doing, ending up using not even half of the things?

Relax!

Take this time to really enjoy yourself and to forget all about those things that have been bothering you recently. It’s been a long year and full of everything and you truly deserve at least a moment of stillness, with everything put aside, and to really appreciate how amazing life is.