I’ve hardly been home a month from my self-exploration trip abroad in Europe, and I’m already gearing up for my next adventure. In less than a month, I’ll be jetting off to Panama City, Panama for an internship with a wonderful company called Kalu Yala. I’ll be working with a group of other like-minded individuals to build a sustainable city in the rain forest.
I’ve always been a bit of a risk taker when it comes to traveling; what can I say? I like to live. Right out of high school, my best friend and I spontaneously bought plane tickets only three days in advance to spend a week in New York. Traveling and seeing things outside of my little Michigan town is too fulfilling for me not to take every opportunity I can to get out there.
Every day since I got back from Europe, I have been counting down and planning for Panama. I’ve been drawing up packlists, emailing program coordinators, stalking flight price trends, and obsessing over everything I may or may not need while I’m there. I am literally driving myself crazy, and it’s hard to take a step back and just breath for a second sometimes. In these common moments of insanity, I remind myself of the principles of Taoism: to just be. Be who you are, where you are, when you are there. Be happy just to be.
I’m looking forward to meditating in the forests and in our little pink apartment building to relieve myself of the stresses of life and work. I’m looking forward to meeting many wonderful souls during my time in southern Central America. I hope to pick up some Spanish and do something that I never would have expected myself to have the guts to do. This will be a spectacular adventure, but in the meantime, I am here. I will be.
NERDESTINY 