I've spent the last eleven months in a different country, and now the time to go back home, it's around the corner.
I've got all kind of feelings regarding the end of this period in my life but something it's true. I don't regret anything.
I spent all my money, everything I saved for one year. I stopped my professional career; I sold all I had, including my car, my clothes, everything. I left my family, my friends, and my whole life only to be able to come to this beautiful country.
I've been alone for these months, meeting new people, learning from a new culture, improving a different language, and getting to know myself better. That was the best part of this excellent experience.
My whole life, I saw a big part of my friends go away for short trips, travel around different countries, study abroad, or just go away on an adventure. And I always asked myself: how do they do it? I mean, how?
And yes! The big problem is money if you're not a wealthy person or if this is the first time you're planning to do something like that.
Well, the answer is simple. You must focus on your purpose and put all your energy on that goal. You might have to quit everything else, parties, coffees, dinner with friends, new clothes, movies, everything.
A few pieces of advice:
One: Go alone. There is nothing more rewarding for your inner self than the feeling of victory in the middle of an unknown airport.
Two: Live there. Forget you're a visitor. Find the way to actually live there; it doesn't matter if is one day or one year.
Three: Make friends. Leave the antisocial you in your country. Dare to meet people from your country, local and from other countries.
Four: Live simple. Enjoy all the free stuff in the new country, and spend your money on food, rent and cellphone. Give your self some little expensive things, but be sure that those things are experiences and not objects.
Five: Be present. Forget about all those things you left behind. That person doesn't exist anymore. Your life is just what you have right now, so enjoy it as much as you can.
Six: Be kind. Always be polite and thankful. Change your mindset from the moment you get on the plane, and always try to help, love, thank and share. It will back to you multiplied.
Seven: Learn. Open your eyes, ears and mind. Not because some things are some way in your country, it means they are the same way everywhere.
Eight: Read. Books always will give you the support you will need in difficult days. They open your mind and let you see things differently. You will definitively have rough days.
Nine: Take care of your self. Don't be reckless nor unreasonable during your trip. You need to be smart, preclusive and follow your inner voice.
Ten: See it all. When you're in a different part of the world, do everything you can to see all the wonders in that place. You're already there! So, please do it.
And eleven: Share. When you have done something and have learned, share everything you can to help others to do the same. There is always someone doubting about this.
