The fourth was the perfect holiday weekend to catch up on the first half of the year with family and friends. To make conversation easier, I shared my first half of my top 20 moments yesterday, here: PART ONE & PART TWO.
I’m excited to share these moments to inspire or spark the dopeness and greatness that is embedded inside of us! Phenomenal, funny, fearless, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences characterized the first half of my 2016, check five more of my top moments from the first half of my 2016, below:
11. Buenos Aires Graffiti & Street Art: Before moving to Buenos Aires, I Google Map’d the location of my residence, only to see frequent occurences of graffiti, I became apprehensive about the quality of neighborhood where I would reside.
Nevertheless, after talking with locals and friends, I realized that graffiti didn’t necessarily insinuate criminal activity—and many times graffiti and street art were means of communicating ideals or ideas.
Universally, the meaning behind cultural activities or cultural expressions at home don’t hold the same significance abroad.
12. Argentinean Patagonia: That 16-Mile El Chalten Hike, Seeing Icebergs, & Hiking on Glaciers: Earlier on in the year, I talked about the longest hike I ever did in my life (pictured below: Early in the Hike, When I Almost Quit, When I Made It) and the amazing experience of seeing icebergs and hiking glaciers.
Definitely a top moment for me—that shows me that when you strategically test your limits, you’ll reap valuable experiences; some expected and some unexpected.
13. South America Travels | Mendoza Airport Sickness, Chile Missed Bus Fiasco, Early Mornings in Rio de Janeiro: Whilst travelling in South America, I had some wild experiences: my vomiting spree (yes, tmi) in Argentina’s Mendoza Airport for over 8 hours, strolling through sketch parts of Santiago Chile after missing my bus back to Argentina & staying awake in the airport all night, to dream vacations throughout Rio de Janeiro. Ultimately, you’ll never know what you will encounter, but LEARN FROM EVERY EXPERIENCE.
14. Entertainment in Buenos Aires: Tango, Traditional Argentine Folk, + Fuerza Bruta Show: Throughout my time living in Buenos Aires, I had the opportunity to attend a Tango Show, Improtu Opera Dinner, Traditional Argentinean Performances, and a phenomenal production called Fuerza Bruta. With all of the phenomenal productions, they demonstrate the power and greatness that can be found in your own culture, if you reach down deep to find it and communicate it!
15. Frequently Speaking Spanish: The language barrier and my introductory level of Spanish made me apprehensive about coming to Buenos Aires and living with my madre—I consistently wondered how would I communicate with her, or how awkward it would be trying to converse. Luckily, when I arrived, I found out that homestay brothers were there to assist me in conversing during dinnertime. Throughout my time interacting with locals in Buenos Aires, I felt more of an idiot for my lack of Spanish skills because this was THE language I have studied on-and-off for 10 years. Nevertheless, I have learned that you: “Simply have to try. If you succeed, try to succeed again. If you fail, try to succeed the next time. Try.”.
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Five Insights & Inspirations for the Second Half of Your 2016:
- Universally, the meaning behind cultural activities or cultural expressions at home don’t hold the same significance abroad.
- Strategically test your limits, you’ll reap valuable experiences; some expected and some unexpected.
- You’ll never know what you will encounter, but LEARN FROM EVERY EXPERIENCE.
- Greatness can be found in your own culture, if you reach down deep to find it and communicate it!
- “Simply try. If you succeed, try to succeed again. If you fail, try to succeed the next time. Try.”.
