June 2nd, 2023

Dear Readers,

It’s been a while, but I am back and ready for you to read a blog post that I’ve been meaning to write for a while but life has gotten in the way. After these past four years of traveling and living abroad there have been some reflections that have come to mind that I would like to share with all of you.

 Many of us use travel as an escape from “the real world” when in reality it is just a different part of your life, travel also has to have a place in your life, something to look forward to. Trust me, although many times travel, for me, isn’t about escaping, but  it can serve as a source of comfort to get away when things are overwhelming. Traveling is a nice break from your daily routine and an amazing change of scenery.

Many of us also use travel as a way to get to know the world. I can confidently say that I have learned more from traveling around the world that from sitting at a desk in a classroom. Being able to put theory and practice together has completed my education in a way that I cannot even begin to describe. Instead of learning about the Spanish Independence War in 1818 just by sitting in a classroom, I had the opportunity to visit the places where this war occurred, and in these moments is when history is not just a story written in a textbook but an event where you can see the remnants and have “evidence” that is wasn’t just a made-up story. Also, when traveling, you can discover new languages (or practice some that you haven’t used in a while), learn about new cultures, and communicate with the locals.

Travel can also just be an adventure that you don’t know where you’ll end up. During Spring break my friend and I hopped on a train going to the southeast of Spain, we had a destination: Alicante, but once we got there, we were able to take trains, explore other parts of Spain and have a whole journey that we never imagined. Sometimes the most spontaneous trips are the best since you discover places you never knew even existed.

 But travel is also important for another reason other than those listed above. Travel allows you to learn about yourself.  Something I’ve realized is that sometimes “the journey” before reaching the destination is not the most enjoyable part, but it is crucial because that’s where you learn so much about yourself. Some hard moments during “my journeys” include being on a plane when the pandemic started not knowing what was to come, traveling home after living abroad for four years with tears in my eyes as the city that had become my home became smaller and smaller as the plane keep flying higher and higher, carrying four suitcases by myself from terminal to terminal through the Madrid airport, and many more moments that will stay as memories in my mind; although these moments are not “fun” I learned about myself. I remember these moments because they all taught me something, but the overarching theme of all these events is that they taught me that I am stronger than I think I am. That is the message that traveling has taught me. Strength is a mental limitation. Every single time that I think that something is an obstacle or a hurdle, I try to give up, but many times giving up was not an option, so I fought through it and realized I am stronger than I ever thought. Traveling is an escape, a learning experience, an adventure, and an amazing experience to learn more about yourself and learn how strong you are. I just wanted to share my reflection about what I have learned so far, and I am sure I still have so much to learn and share in the future but until now this is it. Keep a lookout for a travel blog post that I will be posting soon about a beachy place that was on my bucket list and was finally able to visit.

Sincerely,

The Eternal Traveler