Five months ago I decided to embark on the best journey of my life. I clearly remember the nerves I had about being away from home and everyone I loved. Before I knew it I was on a 10-hour flight to London and would begin the adventure of a lifetime. I never would have guessed I would be able to visit so many places. The fact that I was able to visit 11 countries in this short amount of time still amazes me to this day. The circumstances that pushed me to study abroad overthrew the fear of being alone. As soon as I stepped foot in Europe I knew there was no turning back and my mom’s worst nightmare finally came true. Here I am five months later, reminiscing on everything that happened on this journey Where do I begin? This experience was absolutely magnificent. Through the process I managed to meet so many people from around the world. I learned how to say squirrel in about 5 different languages and managed to make lifelong friendships. Before I knew it, the people who I thought I couldn’t live without began to fade in the distance. This isn’t this say that I didn’t miss them, but I learned how it was to live on my own and led me to interact with people who I would never have hung out with before. From this I started to see myself doing things I wouldn’t do in the past and I began to change my everyday habits. The distance really took a toll on some of my relationships but the ones that managed to stay really proved that nothing could tear us apart. Traveling soon became part of my life, every weekend I looked forward to visiting a new city. Through my journey I managed to visit a whopping 24 cities and 11 countries through Europe. Everyday became an adventure with limited time. The fear of sleeping in and missing out on one of the major landmarks due to time constraint always came to mind. Through the act of traveling I managed to learn the art of hostels, and the satisfaction of booking a 50-euro flight, something that seems impossible to get in the U.S. I remember being nostalgic every single time I went somewhere new. I never would have thought I’d be able to witness places I read about in textbooks or saw in major films. Who would have guessed that this would become my newest addiction, one in which I learn about others and myself. Being back in the U.S I noticed drastic changes in myself. People refer to me as Ricardo 2.0, a person who managed to break out of his shell and be who he truly is. As uplifting as this sounds, it really isn’t all that true. I agree I changed, but ultimately it wasn’t 100% due to my own personality. Through this experience I went through the hardest challenges of my life. I went through betrayal and loss, two of the things I never really experienced in the past. I was also left with two decisions, lay in my room and pity myself, or live up to my fullest potential. As you can probably guess by my social media, the answer was pretty clear. I was living life, exploring, learning, and taking risks. Through this I managed to build a person far stronger than anything I had seen before. The pieces that crumbled began to build up again, and constructed who I am today. There is one thing that many people warn you about, but many don’t think much of it. Yes, it’s true that you grow as person, but the fact is that the person who got on that plane, is not the same one who comes back 5 months later. As I try to describe myself, I often times find myself describing someone who doesn’t sound like me at all. Looking back and seeing who I was before makes me realize I wasn’t living life how I wanted. I love the person who isn’t scared of taking risks, a person with a strong sense of adventure, and ultimately, a person who loves every bit of himself and his life. This experience was more than anything I could have ever asked for. Murcia my time may have come to an end, but I will hold on to you with memories, love, and the desire to come back. Para mi querido España, gracias por darme el mejor tiempo de mi vida y no hay ninguna duda de que un día volveré. Te amo con todo mi corazón, y no hay palabras para describir el honor que fue vivir en este hermoso país. Hasta luego.
Ricardo Perez
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AuthorRicardo Perez Archives
October 2018
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