The Beginning (Part 1 of 3)

One day, early October 2014, I was at Cafe Monster, having my regular Vanilla Latte when I was figuring out what would be my purpose in 2015. I've been having this type of meetings with myself for the last 4 years, and it have helped me to ease my anxiety and hunger for purpose during the year. As big organization plan and budget their next year, I decided to do the same.

This year I felt that I was in a very good position and that I could be more aggressive in my dreams, this was my starting scenario for 2015:

-I was finishing my Master's Degree in Development Policies at KDI School

-I was living in South Korea (I'm a Salvadorian)

-I had no job commitment anywhere in the world

-I have some savings left

-I was just about to turn 26 (International age, for those Korean readers)

With these in my mind, I felt that my options were:

-Find a Job in My Country; it was the logical or the most common and practical thing to do.

-Find a Job Somewhere Else; it was hard, but I had a good CV and I'm confident in myself to risk something for this possibility.

-Creating my own enterprise; Sky is the limit, so why not?

-Travel for a while around South East Asia; I wanted to do it, It will require some savings, and it will delay my abroad experience, however it's not productive at all, just leisure.

After some thinking, several more coffees, and an overwhelming feeling that "This might be my last opportunity", I was headed to traveling for a while in the early 2015. I started doing some brainstorming about what to do? and where to go?, and while procrastinating for a school assignment, I end it up fantasizing about one of my biggest dreams in life: Traveling around the world.

I used an interactive map using Google "My Maps", and I drew a really ambitious journey, after all it was just a dream. While drawing my desired route, I felt myself wondering trough countless places, meeting good and bad people, feeling the freedom of moving and living at my own pace but, at the same time, I started to feel afraid of the challenges that this adventure might bring. I remember thinking "what will happen if I get lost, sick, robbed, scammed, etc.?" These fears are still in my mind, but that day, I just continued doing my map.

I dreamt of traveling around 38 different Countries and I was planning to do it in 10 months! I realize it was going to take the same amount of time that another master degree, but this journey would have more photos, more walking and more memories.

That day, I felt like I started to build my dream; this journey.

That map was sticked to my mind, and the next week I was checking it out, reading about the countries, reading about backpacking and also applying for jobs. At this time, I hadn't decide what I was doing. Little by little, the journey grew in me, and I decided it was my dream, I became a fatalist and told myself "maybe this is it, it's now or never", and while I talked with my roommate, and few other friends about it, I reach an agreement with myself: HABEMUS TRIP!White smoke came out of my head and there I was, decided to this trip, with no idea how to do it, but I was feeling happy that I was starting my journey.

The following weeks, I look up for Visa Requirements, estimated budgets from experienced travelers, and all other type of information that only the fear of the unknown and the joy of your dream can push you to look out for.

I spent around 2 weeks, dedicating 1 hour a day to build up my idea. I was ready to present a strong case to my family. I'm from El Salvador, so my family are huge in my life. I love them, and I care about their opinion, however, I was doing this either way, but I needed to talk to them.

Through our Skype meeting of every Sunday, I talked with them and present my idea, my dream. They reacted, as only they could. I remember vividly their words: "We support you no matter what you decide to do, If you're happy we are happy". I felt like WOW! They truly love me, because it's not easy to detached yourself from a loved one. Have you ever tried? It hurts like hell! But, they've done that with me, and I love them even more. This was the official starting shoot for my adventure. I made a commitment not just to me, but to them. The next couple of days I spread the word and with that I felt my own, socialized pressure: I'm doing this!

(To be continue)

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Thanks for reading my blog and this first part of the beginning of my journey. Please comment and feel free to ask anything. Also, please let me know of any type of grammatical errors that you find or any style suggestions. English it's not my first language, however I want to be better at it. If there is someone out there that wants to help me reviewing and editing my blog, please contact me :)