Colombia - A reflection (part 2)

This morning, whilst waiting for my 7am coffee to brew, my thoughts wandered to some of my more recent travel experiences to date.  I am recently home in Northern Ireland, following a year of working and living in Bogotá, Colombia.

I am lucky and have had the chance to travel a lot for such a young age. Mostly it has been for work or study but that is not to say that it has not been a conscious choice of my own. I guess I’m a bit of a travel nerd. There’s something about it. I guess I’ve got it…’the bug’ that is…and not the type I got trekking through the Lost City in Colombia! The travel bug…

This blog is a continuation of my most recent one, a reflection upon my recent travels to Colombia where I was working for a year teaching English Language at la Universidad Nacional in Bogotá. I’m not overly religious, but there is something special or perhaps let’s say ‘spiritual’ about travelling...or at least, being abroad, being removed from your own culture and exposed to a completely different one.

During my travels, primarily through Asia and South America, I have learnt a lot about the world. I have seen sights that have shocked me, scared me, amazed me, amused me, bemused me and made me laugh till my sides hurt.

But…there’s something more to travelling than that selfish obsession with ‘the experience’ or the story that you’re going to tell your friends and family upon return. For me, and I speak for most ‘travelers’ I think, it’s something more: it’s a never ending journey of self-discovery. Travel is a therapy. It heals wounds that some medicines cannot heal and it teaches you lessons you won’t learn at school or find in a book.

The following list is a continuation of what I believe is the main things I have learnt during the past year. May I continue to do so…

1.       Find what makes you happy…and do it
Life is short. Find out what it is that makes you happy. Discover something new you love doing or take up a hobby. Enjoy the little things in life; spending all morning in pyjamas, watching the sun set and enjoying a bottle of good wine.

2.       You are stronger than you think you are
Don’t be afraid to realise that you are strong than you think you might be. Life throws some curve balls sometimes. Fight back. Life is worth living, so don’t let it get you down. Surround yourself with positive things. Expel negative people and thoughts from your life…you do not need them. Be strong. Look after others, but remember to look after yourself first. Make yourself a priority.

3.       Don’t hold grudges. Forgive and forget
Friendships can be easily broken and sometimes irreparable. Time can heal, but it can also strain relationships. Don’t let time pass without patching up unresolved tensions or problems. Forgive, even when it’s not easy. Holding grudges won’t help you.

4.       When shit happens don’t let it stop you from living your life.
Being cheated on, being robbed, and getting drugged with scopolamine. The above are all things that happened to me during my time in Colombia. They weren't pleasant and they certainly knocked me back a few steps. Nonetheless, despite how hard it is don’t let it prevent you from moving forward in life. Face your difficulties and your fears and surround yourself with friends and loved ones for support. When you’re ready, confront your personal demons and move on.

5.       Stop over-analysing things
When you don’t understand something whether it be a complex Spanish idiom, a text message you have awkwardly received from an ex or a certain aspect of a culture that you struggle to digest…stop over-analysing the situation and accept that things are done differently in other parts of the world. Take a step back, breath and count to ten. Everything will be ok.

6.       Some things ARE out of our control and we can’t stop them from happening
Sometimes bad things happen. Even more-so, sometimes bad things happen to good people. Try not to dwell on the hard times too much. Karma, fate, destiny, whatever you wish to call it. Whether you chose to believe it or not, acknowledge at least the truth that you are only in charge of your own actions…not the consequences that stem from them.  When shit happens, keep your chin up and keep moving forward.

7.       Don’t be afraid to move on

When you get bored of a place or lack inspiration to continue doing what you do, stop and move on to find something new that excites you.

8.       We are all the same.
Despite our differences, we are all humans trying to make sense of an endlessly evolving world. Skin colour, sexual orientation and political stance do not and should never encapsulate our very being or sense of identity.

Thomas Stephen Szasz said that:

      “The plague of mankind is the fear and rejection of diversity: monotheism, monarchy, monogamy and, in our age, monomedicine. The belief that there is only one right way to live, only one right way to regulate religious, political, sexual, medical affairs is the root cause of the greatest threat to man: members of his own species, bent on ensuring his salvation, security, and sanity. ” 

We need to realise that we are all different but we are all humans and stem from the same branch. Therefore we should put aside the small cultural differences that make us different and focus on the larger things that unite us. No one deserves to be judged by or have their life dictated by their personal religious beliefs, socio-economic background, political ideology or sexual orientation.

9.       Be wary who you trust
Be careful who you decide to make friends with. Not everyone has your best interests at heart. Be honest to others and to yourself and be careful not to get hurt.

10.   The world is small. Embrace it.
The world is small. People travel more and know more things about countries and cultures which are not their own.  Diversity is not something to be afraid of but to embrace. Only then will we ever be able to try and make sense of the world in which we live.