89

There may not look like a lot is going on in this photo and that is exactly the point. I had reached a point in my year where I had stretched myself too thin. I was continuously exploring what was externally motivating me and I lacked an internal animating question. I wasn't focussing on my well being and although I was learning a lot about ecotourism I felt I lacked self awareness of what I truly needed. That was until I experienced the true Brazilian summer. I had travelled south from Rio to an Island called Florianopolis where I met up with Liam, another fellow of the Flight School. The majority of my year had been spent alone or primarily alone which meant I had a lot of time to explore interests that were exactly what I was interested in. However I learned through my time in the south of Brazil about the need to be with other people as they challenge your beliefs and shift your habits. All of a sudden I wasn't able to explore how tourism affects a place and I was just able to be. I would wake up, surf, play music, laugh and live. I slowly learned the importance of pausing and slowing down. Liam and his friends use this word called Dejega which essentially means chill. This was a perfect moment after the sunrise surf when I started to feel what this meant. I hope to carry this feeling as I move forward through my launch year.

Until this point in my journey I had been feeling very confident and successful. However around this time I was in a slump. I didn't feel like I was learning that much about tourism and I was feeling a lack of purpose. I was close to Puerto Vallarta surrounded my crowds and crowds of tourists and it felt disconnected from the local experience. After a week feeling this way I was completely changed by this magical moment. One evening I had a very difficult decision to make between comfort and many hours of discomfort. Earlier in the day I had commuted 3 hours away from where I was staying to meet some friends at a beach outside of the town. In the evening I was walking to the station to catch the last bus of the day and there was upbeat Mexican music playing in the background. I decided to follow my heart and instinct and walk towards the music and give up on the bus. I knew this would mean at least 6 hours of walking and waiting for many other busses before I made it back but I was so inspired to see what was beneath the surface of Puerto Vallarta. All of a sudden I stumbled in on the villages anual fair where the entire village was celebrating. There was a rodeo, chicken fighting, rides, games and of course the most delicious food. I was the only foreigner in sight and I got a sense of what life was like in this community. I played with the kids and watched events that were similar to a western fair in my hometown. Not only was it fun however it also gave me the chance to talk with locals and learn about the current situation of La Parota. I learned more about the Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta one of the biggest resorts newly created in Mexico. This resort towers over the small village and receives extreme pushback from the local community. While it employs many people in order to create this massive resort they also had to push back the local population of crocodiles and divert the river. Apart from the environmental damage I also learned how sadly this resort doesn't help the village that much as the guests rarely leave which was proven by me being the odd one out in this festival. It was very special to learn about this and see the issues from their point of view. This celebration lifted me out of my slump and showed me how culture and prevail despite the impacts of tourism.

After many months of work from other volunteers and a few weeks of many hours of work put in by myself I was very thrilled to see the results of the rewild festival. This was Thailands biggest eco festival and the first year of it hosted in Krabi. There was four main sections including Cave stage, Natures classroom, Sharing stage and Mind body garden. This two day festival really had it all and it was one of the most transforming experiences of my life. I tried new types of yoga and meditation from professionals in their domain. I learned so much about caring and permaculture practices for the land from Thai locals and indigenous communities across southeast Asia. I also experienced performances from the most famous Thai bands and locals who were masters of their traditional instruments. There was also an eco market where the eco businesses from the provinces shared their sustainable businesses and shared their unique goods. I was even able to share my own knowledge on permaculture and vermicomposting with individuals who were interested in starting their own practices. I was able to walk freely between all the activities and even do a few fun climbs in between. Where I spent most of my time was at the sharing stage where there was different panels on sustainability with individuals at the top of their field from Thailand. Over two months and even months before departing to Thailand I had been trying to chase down these people and organizations to get a moment of their time. However now they all came to my doorstep where I had translators to help me receive the authentic information. Every moment of these two days were exactly what I was interested in and exactly what animated me. It felt like a dream and was filled with gratitude for everything and everyone around me. This picture encapsulates it all as it was on the last day on the last moments. We had a guided meditation and sound healing. We embraced our neighbours and were all filled with peace. I remember taking a step back after this picture and wiping tears from my face as I had never experienced such love and peace radiating from one place. With the location, sound and weekend of learning this festival was one of the most powerful experiences of my life which I will remember forever.

As the wind howled by I couldn't hear anything. No birds, no guanacos, no life. I couldn't hear my own voice and it felt like the wind was even blocking out my own thoughts. Not only could I not hear anything but there wasn't much to see either. The dessert was endless with nothing but dust and rocks. After days of dessert and not seeing any humans in 3 days and not speaking for 6 I noticed three figures in the distance. As I approached I had no idea how important these three people were going to be. They were three hitchhikers that made it to the penguin sanctuary and got stranded. I had no food or tent and there was certainly not going to be any cars that would pass. That day I decided to give them a life line and made them dinner. We found a shelter and spent a very cold night. We laughed throughout the night and these new friendships were well worth the rice and lentils I gave them.

The magic of this moment went well beyond my first encounter with these new friends because they were a huge part of my journey throughout two months. About a week later I was trying to get into a hostel after arriving very late from the ferry. While they said they would open I was not able to get in and I was stranded on a cold night in Punta Arenas. Luckily the three hitchhikers passed me and welcomed me into their hostel with a whole meal and more great stories.

Later that month the karma kept giving back and I met two out of the three hitchhikers at the best moment possible. On one of my hardest and coldest days in pelting rain I had a flat tire. I thought I could change it but all of my extra tubes were losing air and useless. After a day of walking my bike trying to get to the closest town I wandered into a campsite. Randomly I met one of the hitch hikers and he helped me change the tire and had all the right supplies to patch it. About a month later I encountered another one who ended up buying my bike. All of these chance encounters helped me and was a great reminder in the importance of helping those in need when possible.

This was the first day exploring with a new friend. I had not yet met with any of the flight school fellows and our many conversations were through a screen. However on this magical day I had the pleasure of meeting Addis another flight school fellow from Ethiopia. It was so incredible to meet someone who was going through similar things as me and facing similar challenges. We were able to explore every part of the city together and turn every corner with pure curiosity. Having another person with me to explore was a fresh feeling and one day I will never forget.

This was my third day in the city and I was lucky enough to spend it with some locals I met. Although my Portuguese is limited, I was able to get by with Spanish and what I knew. Earlier I was feeling a little overwhelmed with everything to see. Rio is such a big city and there is so much to see. However I decided to slow down and find an activity that connected to my animating question. That is what brought me to the Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow) which is essentially a science museum but one that focuses on the future. When in line I had met three new friends that travelled across the country to see a new exhibition on dreams. This temporary exhibition explored the importance of dreams and what they were trying to teach you. It explored how dreams change throughout your life and how they are a key part in your development. This day felt magical because I was able to connect what I was learning in the sessions of the flight school around my enneagram type and what I was experiencing in the world. Beyond this exhibition there was also a very interesting model to visually show climate change in different countries. I found this very impactful and so did many of the other tourists. With translation help from my new friends I was able to learn about how museums like this shift the way people travel and learn. I learned how important learning is when you travel and how I need to continue to go out of my way to learn about what really interests me. To finish this magical day us four were able to find a hidden restaurant that served the best traditional dish of feshuada in Rio.

So a few mere days before this picture was taken I was lost. Lost in the city, lost in the language, lost in the culture, I guess you could say I was a little lost in life. I was putting lots of my energy into curiosity conversations with people from my hostel in search of some new learning opportunities. These conversations had brought me so much in the past but with every day I felt as though values in travelling were drastically different. Many seemed to visit bangkok for a few days, go to a temple or two and most importantly for them go to a party. I felt so disconnected from this type of travelling and certainly felt hopeless in the way people travel and the lack of respect for the incredible Thai culture that is bursting at the seams on every corner in Bangkok. I was putting the rest of my energy into finding the absolute best organisation that could change the world in the two month time frame I was constrained too. Then I stopped. You will see in the last few pictures I met with Addis and we explored the city. It was so energising to walk everywhere and share the sense of exploring with someone else. Every new street off the main roads had a new smile waiting for me. Every new street had a new food to try and a new temple to see. This new energy led me to the monk Pm Charan. After a huge rainstorm which sent motorbikes floating down the road and tourists crying under shelter I wandered into Wat Maha That Yuwarat Rangsarit Ratchaworamaha a temple in the centre of Bangkok. With water that had flooded the green space it truly was a sight to see. That is when the 75 year old monk stood beside me and said “Beautiful”. By saying one word this monk had inspired me. Without knowing who I was or anything about me he invited me into the temple to pray with him. I knew nothing yet his patience showed and he taught me about the traditions. Without trying to convince me on the religion of buddhism and simply sharing with me the mindful practice that this chat was, I was hooked. After 45 minutes of what to me was very difficult he invited me to his home inside the temple grounds. It truly was an oasis of nature inside a bustling city with animals and plants everywhere. The hours flowed by as he taught me everything from his favourite Thai jokes to the most impactful buddhist teachings. He offered to stay the night and knowing that a monk's offer is special I slept on the floor in his very simplistic room. I noticed how he woke up at 3:00 am to meditate, something I certainly can't do yet. At 5:30 in the morning we woke up and he invited me to be his disciple for his morning ritual. We walked across the city for two hours where every Thai person would offer food and money to him and he would pray for them. My job was to carry the many bags of food we collected but this morning had an impact I will never forget. I finally saw what Thai life was like. I saw the lives of everyday people who were rich and poor and no matter what, still giving food for others. I saw the restaurants preparing the soup for the day and the kids getting ready for school. I saw the importance that travelling has. Pm Charan’s impact on my life is immense and I finally understand the way I want to experience other places. Not with a need of making a difference but with a need of exploring.

My expectations for Mexico City were very high and in every way they were still exceeded. I had never yet visited a city of this scale and I also felt like I had not really seen Mexico. I had been before to Cabo San Lucas which is a beach destination in Mexico however I always knew there was more to see. Mexico City has always intrigued me as it has such a rich history of Aztec and other indigenous populations as well as it being the current cultural hub of Mexico. Looking at the city from an eco tourism point of view it also has a lot to offer. As I learned from locals and prior research Mexico is trying to grow their tourism industry and diversify it from being more then just a beach destination. At this moment on January 10 I was in absolute awe of how much there was to offer and how much there was to learn. Just a quick trip from the city I was able to see real life pyramids and ruins of Ancient civilisations. If I didn't want to go so far I could see the ruins of Tenochtitlan the capital of the Aztec civilization right in the center. I was surrounded by more modern Mexican music and food and experienced it all. Through experiencing this city and especially these pyramids on this day I was inspired by how much visiting a place can teach you.

Going into my time in Patagonia I was certain that I wanted to complete certain tracks. I had already prepared the gear for my bike trip and I figured beforehand I could test it out on some overnight hikes. Many of the treks in Patagonia are full of people and completely overrun. On top of that at times there are insane camping fees and you must book spots months in advance. Wanting to go off the beaten path, Zane and Anna decide to attempt the Huemul circuit. This is a 4 day 3 night hike that circumnavigates the Huemul mountain. It is also the only way to walk on the Southern Patagonia icefield. There were however certain risks that came along with such an undertaking. Two river crossings in harness, steep ascents and descents with unmarked trails at points. Despite the known challenges we had an incredible weather window and decided to go for it. We also met two Dutch girls that joined us for the journey and gave us great company. Every moment of this hike was stunning and transformative. We all pushed each other as a group and were rewarded with incredible views. We were isolated and surrounded by the famous patagonian nature and finally slightly off the tourist path. I found it very special to complete this challenge with others and see parts of the world that were so untouched

Although I had always wanted to try this activity I never wanted to speant the extra money as I thought it was a tourist trap. However when I started at Nature MindED I was able to join these incredible activities in even cooler locations. We would have local guides take us to secluded swimming holes and I even got to this trip multiple times but it never got old. You are right in the mangrove forest surrounded by old growth forest and many animals. I also loved this activity as I could use my previous knowledge on the importance of mangrove ecosystems to help teach the students.