I dropped out of University and took the first flight to
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Here’s what happened…
It was late July when I made my final decision.
The decision I made a year ago to drop out of university, didn’t seem nearly as scary as what I was about to attempt — to pick up a bag and fly across the world to Argentina.
What frightened me the most was not so much leaving my friends and family (although that was tough), but how in the world I was going to get by when all I knew were some basic Spanish words I learned from movies.
It probably didn’t help that I decided to take a 84-hour bus ride from Lima, Peru to Buenos Aires, and picked up my first Spanish book ever on the bus.
I also read one of the best books I could’ve read in those 84 hours.
It was Richard Branson’s Biography, Screw It, Let’s Do It, and somehow his crazy anecdotes of going bankrupt, making billions, and flying hot air balloons made me feel that everything will be okay.
And it was.
Fast forward twelve months later, what was originally planned to be a 6-week trip, turned into a year-long adventure.
In the last twelve months, I’ve lived and travelled around: Argentina, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Korea (random I know), Mexico, and there will be more to come soon.
I’ve also started a language learning website, learned how to speak Spanish, and learned more about myself than I would’ve in 5 years; all while visiting the natural wonders of the world, and building life-long relationships with amazing people.
This isn’t to brag about the experiences I’ve had, nor how great my life is.
It’s to show you the contrast of the doubts I felt before my decision, and the unexpected outcomes after taking the leap.
It’s to show you that the doubts you may be feeling in this moment of whether or not you should go for it is completely normal.
But most importantly, it’s to show you that in moments of uncertainty, you should do what scares you, because you never know what’s waiting for you on the other side of the adventure.
Maybe you’re going through a tough transition in your life, or you have a life-changing decision you need to make.
Or maybe you’re someone who has been too comfortable throughout your life, who’s yet to explore the boundaries of your comfort zone.
Whatever the reason may be, I get it, because I was in all of those situations.
Having already made one of the biggest decisions of my life to leave school,
I was left with less than a thousand dollars in my bank account, and zero know-how of communicating in Spanish.
I had absolutely no reason to go, but at the same time, I had every reason to go.
In fact, I can’t imagine what my life would have been like, if I didn’t overcome my own fears.
With that said, here are a few lessons I learned that it help you reduce your anxiety, and give you the courage to go.
- Bring a friend
The easiest way to muster up the courage to go traveling is to bring your close friend. Make sure this is someone that has a similar lifestyle as you, and particularly someone who has the same interests.
Going for beers with a friend once every two weeks is very different than sticking together side-by-side on the other side of the world.
Personally, I would recommend you go alone. Traveling alone can seem like a lonely process, but you’ll get over it quickly, and will have complete freedom to make time for yourself, while meeting other great people.
2. Book a one-way ticket
This alone helped me get through the analysis paralysis decisions of scheduling everything in advance.
Keeping it flexible will allow you feel peace of mind, knowing that you can come back the next week if you wanted to, or in a years time.
Some countries may require you to have a return ticket before you leave the country. In this case, book a ticket on the day of with the following airlines:
- Delta
- United
- US Airways
- JetBlue
- Southwest
- Spirit
- Frontier
- American
These seven airlines allow you to purchase a ticket and cancel within 24 hours of booking.
3. Don’t let money get in the way
I had less than a thousand dollars when I left to travel, and I’ve heard stories of other people having less than that. You can always get by with less.
There’s two ways to overcome your money fears:
a. save money
There’s countless ways to save money traveling from: flights, accommodations, transporation, or simply traveling to a cheaper place.
b. make money
As I mentioned, I’ve learned the art of making money online, while being able to travel. But starting your own business is certainly not the only route available.
You can be a freelance writer, coder, designer, perform coaching/consulting for individuals and clients, or you can even work in local places that you’re traveling to.
There’s always a way.
4. Travel not to escape, but to explore
There’s hundreds of reasons to travel the world, but escaping isn’t one of them.
If there’s a problem you have at home or in your professional life, running away from it isn’t going to solve it.
The potential of what you’ll discover about yourself is limitless when traveling, but it’s solely dependent on how prepared you are for the opportunity ahead.
Travel not to escape from the old you, but to become the new you.
