I knew virtually nothing about Colombia prior to visiting in December of 2018. I had never even heard of Cartagena until we went there. But throughout the week, I learned some valuable information about this wonderful location.

1. It is very hot there, to say the least- If you want a break from winter, this is the place to go. Temperatures reach in the mid-90’s on a daily basis and the sun is very strong. There’s not a whole lot of rainfall either so be sure to bring a hat and lots of lotion cause you’re going to need it.
2. Lots of fish and beef- Two main staples for dinners and lunches, Cartagena provides an abundance of fish options such as salmon, tilapia and swordfish, while providing different kinds of steaks. These foods are absolutely delicious and a big recommendation.
3. Narrow roads again- The roads in Cartagena are narrow and one-way, so I wouldn’t recommend driving around the area if you’re new. It gets very hectic and there are a lot of horns going off.
4. Be sure to go to the Castillo San Felipe fortress- Perhaps, the most visited attraction in all of Cartagena, this magnificent structure takes you all the way back to the 16th century, and provides historical recounts, passageways and breathtaking views of the city from above with friendly tour guides.
5. Be sure to try a mud bath- It was certainly a unique experience for me and one time was all I needed to get the most out of it. If you’re looking for something to get out of your comfort zone, this is a perfect opportunity to do just that. You’ll be out of your comfort zone the moment your toe touches the thick, sticky and gooey mud.
6. Lots of Spanish- Try and learn a little Spanish for the trip, it can help you out. I remember my father and stepmother lacked some communication with the locals which sometimes caused setbacks.
7. Drivers are very finicky about cash- If you’re taking a cab, be sure you have enough cash on you because some of these drivers will be on your butt from the beginning to the end of your ride, requesting the payment and an additional tip.

As mentioned before, my first true eye-opening experience to traveling came in April of 2014, when I went on a weekly class trip to four Italian cities; Turin, Venice, Florence and Rome. Leading up to that trip, I hadn’t really given much thought about going to Italy in the first place. My friends and classmates were very enthusiastic about the whole opportunity but prior to that point, I didn’t really know if it would be worth it. After talking with some of my friends and my teacher, they convinced me that I should come along. While traveling to Italy was a life-changing experience overall for me, there were some things about Italy in general that I took away as well.

1. Speaking Italian- If you’re going to Italy, you NEED to try and speak some Italian. You don’t have to be an expert, but at least attempting to do so will make the experience that much sweeter because you’ll learn things easier, and you’ll be able to interact with the locals a lot better and more efficiently. They’ll also appreciate the fact that you’re trying to accommodate them as well.
2. If you’re in places like Venice and Rome, get ready for an insane amount of tourists which can lead to claustrophobia. If you’re one who doesn’t like crowds or lines, then I’d advise you to avoid places like St. Mark’s Square and the Roman Colosseum. Those places are packed with tourists and it can be overwhelming and annoying to try and maneuver yourself around.
3. Do NOT, try and go swimming in the waters of Venice. It is against the law and you’ll be slapped with a huge fine if you do this. A member of my group was dared to jump in and luckily he made it out without getting in trouble, but he ended up scraping his knee pretty good and was shivering because he had no towel.
4. Narrow streets- some streets in Italy are incredibly narrow with people and cars. Sometimes, drivers understandably grow impatient and irritated with so many people walking around and slowing them down. If that’s the case, try your best to use the sidewalks as much as you can if you’re able to. Or if you’re able to find another road, that’ll also be beneficial to you and the drivers.
5. Be sure to try lots of gelato, pizza and linguini! This cannot be stressed enough. This is probably the most important aspect of your trip. If you don’t try any of these cuisines, you’re not embracing Italy. Each of these foods are so incredibly delicious.
6. Be aware of pickpockets. Like many crowded, touristy locations around the world, you need to be cognizant of your surroundings. Places like St. Mark’s Square, are an ideal place for pickpockets to get you. In order to avoid them, observe the area and be aware of who and what is around you. If you have a backpack, put a lock on the zippers, believe me it’s not worth it to just toss your wallet and personal items in a backpack pocket. They can easily be unzipped and taken when you’re not looking.
7. Not a whole lot of breakfast options. When I was in Italy, I realized that breakfast wasn’t always available. For the most part, Italians will dine down on croissants and have some coffee, but nothing too extravagant. So just be aware of that.

As mentioned before in my blog posts, my ultimate dream for a career would be to do something involved with traveling the world. Now for some people, traveling the world would just include going to certain countries, taking pictures and videos, and relaxing and having a good time. However, there’s way more than just that. I believe that every country has a secret treasure that nobody knows about or is just unfamiliar with.

For example, Jacob, for the most part, stays aways from heavily populated, touristy areas in the countries he visits. He does a great job unveiling what I like to call, “secret treasures,” of a country, or the parts that have yet to have been noticed by the public. These “treasures” can include a variety of things, such as spectacular views of nature, or meeting and interacting with the locals to get a better understanding of the way of life. I’ve noticed that many of these travel YouTubers do put themselves out there to meet with the locals and get personal stories or information about a country’s history, culture, current status, and/or relationship with other countries.

Jacob, Indigo Traveller and Drew Binsky, are three of my favorite travel YouTubers who have mastered this art form and hence, this creates not only better content, but produces a better overall story, which at the end of the day, is what traveling is all about. Every country has its own story and some of these stories have yet to be discovered. I want to open up the covers and read these stories out loud to the world and open up people’s minds.

As mentioned, Drew Binsky is one of my other favorite YouTubers who travels for a living. The biggest appeal to me about his channel, is his determination to visit every country in the world. As of this blog post, he only has 15 left, and he’s not even 30. I would love to visit every country in the world, but I’d want to do it in a unique style. I’d really want to immerse myself. I’d not only want to be a storyteller, I’d want to be an inhabitant. I’d like to live in every country in the world for at least 30 days, to really gain a sense of the way of life.

I know some countries are probably too dangerous to visit for 30 days and I know some would forbid that, but you never know what could happen. Anything is possible, which is another seemingly repetitive but misunderstood statement. There are nearly 200 countries in this world and each one is beautiful and unique in its own way, so the journey would never die down as long as you have that passion and love for what you’re doing.

There’s really no right or wrong way to travel. You do it the way you want to do it. But there are certain elements that you should follow in order to make the experience that much sweeter. For me, dating as far back as my Italy trip from 2014, one of the things that I’ve learned when it comes to traveling abroad is embracing a change in culture. I get that people want to bring a piece of home along with them wherever they go. It can be intimidating at first when you go on a trip for an extended period of time.

However, you should really try and immerse yourself in your new location as best as possible. Some ways you can do that are trying out the country’s food, trying to speak some of the language if it’s different, and also dressing accordingly as well. It will make your life in the country easier because people won’t pick you out to be a tourist quite as easily, and that can lead to little to no stress or anxieties. You can freely move around and explore what you want when you want.

For me, the golden rule for traveling, is you must take pictures and videos. Memories last a lifetime, and having those memories captured really makes them stand out that much more. If you do take pictures, be sure to print them out as well. Sure having them on your phone and laptop is good, but having that hard copy in the palm of your hand is also incredibly special as well. Put them in a photo album and tell the story of your adventure. The saying, “a picture is worth a 1,000 words,” is absolutely true. There’s not a better sentence that sums up just how essential photography and videography is.

Interacting with the locals is another way to make your experience special. Jacob has mastered this art. He is able to easily connect with almost anybody, and make himself feel right at home. For me personally, I’m pretty shy so it’s a little more difficult for me to go up to people and talk. I am afraid of being judged, but that’s a fear that I need to get over. It’s arguably my biggest weakness that I possess. But I can’t think that people are going to immediately do that. I have to give them a chance. If I do that, they’ll reciprocate and give me a chance.

Additionally, walking around the city and absorbing the sights and sounds is also a critical aspect of the whole experience of traveling. I know it’s tempting to take out your phone and take pictures and videos, but at times, you just have to walk around and absorb everything with your senses as best as you can. It’s all about living in the moment and being grateful for where you are. It’s not everyday you get to have this powerful feeling so be sure to attain a firm grasp on it and never let it slip through your fingers.

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

Truer words cannot be spoken more than these ones above from the Irish writer, Oscar Wilde, whose grave I actually visited in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

I’ve had a tough time being myself throughout my life. Too often, I look at other people and am more interested in what he or she does for a living, rather than worry about myself. Everybody is different in their own way and I am aware of that. Consequently, I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands. I’ve decided to stop being inspired and instead become the inspirer. I want to aspire people to reach for their ultimate goals in life and not stop until they do.

For me, my goal is to travel the world in some capacity for a living. To me, life is too short to sit around and wait for something to happen. I need to take the initiative and start pursuing my dream as soon as possible and I hope to reach out to others in this manner. I want to say to anybody who’s struggling finding their life’s calling or is struggling to achieve their dream, my advice would be to never give up and stay true to yourself.

I’ve been a sore loser throughout much of my life and it’s time for me to change that. I have to learn to accept “failures,” or as my biggest inspiration, Jacob Laukaitis said, “lessons to be learned.” If you’re ever doubting yourself, you should stop, take deep breaths, and carefully analyze the scenario and construct your options. At the end of the day, there’s always something you can do.

One thing that I’ve learned when it comes to accepting myself is throw away negativity from other people and for me, social media is the main culprit, especially Twitter and Facebook. Now, I’m not against social media entirely, I have social media accounts and I think it’s a great way to connect, hell I wouldn’t have talked with Jacob if there wasn’t YouTube. However, I feel that social media should be limited if one wants to experience life to the fullest.

Too often, I’m stuck in my own head, thinking unrealistically and not embracing where I stand at the current moment. I’ve probably wasted more time away on my iPhone than I could possibly imagine. iPhones get you nowhere but trouble. I’ve realized that the phone unfortunately has consumed my life. It’s so bad that I almost can’t go anywhere without glancing at it. The phone is not you, it’s holding you back. It’s time to snap out of it and start living in the moment and I hope to do so more often moving forward. In my 22 years of living, I think I’ve seen the world move further away from humanity and more towards technology.

Technology can’t buy happiness. Attitudes, determination and perseverance in my opinion, are the keys to living a happy life and I should be more cognizant of that a lot more often.