“I can hear the sky falling too.”
We often hear the phrase “the sky’s the limit” as a constant and steadfast reminder that anything and everything that seems unreachable or impossible, is in fact in our reality and within our grasp. But let’s think beyond that. What if there was no limit whatsoever?
Frank Ocean is my favorite artist, as his words somehow always force me to think introspectively, which is the reason for this whole intro. Within the liner notes on his Channel Orange album, he closes with “I can hear the sky falling too.” Ignoring the immediate Chicken Little references that pop in my mind, I interpret this quote as seeing the sky is not a limit to be set, since the limit itself no longer exists ;)). In all seriousness, I read his note today, and was drawn to reflect on my impending journey to Bolivia, working with Earth Regeneration, and how I aim to live as presently, respectfully, and freely as I humanly can. l refuse to hold myself back from absorbing and engaging in every last moment from this Global Fellows experience, because when else will I get the chance?
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I’ve been working on little bits of this blog post for a quite a few days now, all of it completely out of any order or chronology. It is currently 12:43am on Sunday, June 16th, and I leave for Cochabamba, Bolivia in a little over 24 hours. I can’t honestly say that the reality of my current situation has hit me quite yet, as the past few weeks my life has been hectic with finals, projects, moving out, trying to see friends & family, and all the while trying to get every logistical detail in check for this trip. I have yet to finish (or really start) efficiently packing my suitcase because my mind now can’t stop racing about every other detail I might be missing. I just picked up my passport with my Visa on Friday directly from the Bolivia Consulate after too much confusion, but alas. I spent about $50 at Target today on a load of probiotics and over-the-counter digestion medication after our last Global Fellows class littered my brain with (justified) concerns regarding my health and safety in this completely new country.
This will actually be my first time traveling outside the States. The realm of possibility and the unknown nature of this entire experience is sort of taking my mind for a loop. Travel is something that I have always known I wanted to do, and I feel more ready than ever to meet the world around me and completely take in as much as I can. Though I am grateful and privileged to have been raised in the US with the exposure and education I’ve had, I know my personal growth is limited by keeping within this country’s borders alone. Cultural immersion is one of the most direct and rewarding learning experiences, and at this point, I am excited and curious, but also nervous, as to how the next 6 and a half weeks will pan out.
If you know me at all, you know that it takes me 3x as long to do any one task as it would a normal-functioning human being. Now that this blog post has taken you all throughout my psyche, I think I should let you know that I am so genuinely and whole-heartedly pumped for this journey. I get to spend almost 7 weeks living in a place completely new to me, surrounded by individuals that I know are driven, talented, and aching to see positive change in this world. I don’t expect to change anyone’s life directly or single-handedly save the planet in the coming weeks. But if nothing else, I’m excited to learn as much as I possibly can in order to further grow into the person I hope to be in the future, and to keep my mindset limitless.
-T
