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My first thoughts after arriving in Antigua, Guatemala.

A year and a half ago I sat on a park bench in Berlin, crying. I was overwhelmed by it all. From being so far from home. From being alone. From the thought of long-term travel. I didn’t think I could make it for three months let alone 12 let alone 15. I just wanted to go home.

A few days ago, and really, the whole week before, I sat crying in my room. And on the couch. And in the bathroom. Terrified once again of the idea of being out on my own. Being in a foreign country where I didn’t know my way. Where I didn’t know the language. Where I didn’t know anyone. Despite the fact that I had traveled through Europe and Asia for fifteen months, fifteen months, after five months home I seemed to have forgotten what I was capable of. I wanted to cancel my plane ticket to Guatemala. I wanted to throw up. Constantly. The last thing I texted one of my friends before boarding the plane was, “I don’t want to go.” On my four hour layover in Mexico City I stared at the departures board and wondered if I could sneak onto the flight heading back towards Chicago.

My last day in Chicago involved coffee at Wormhole, mashed potato and bacon pizza at Piece, a dipped beef from Al’s, and a general feeling of anxiety.

Yesterday, on my second day in Antigua, Guatemala, I sat on a park bench, crying. I couldn’t believe how beautiful the square was. How beautiful Antigua was. How the town seems to be the perfect mix of Spanish charm and Asian grit. I couldn’t believe that I had just come from my first Spanish lesson. How four hours of learning the language didn’t seem like much time at all. How I already felt like I knew more Spanish than French (and I took four years of French in high school…)

How amazing my life has become.

I thought to myself, “I never want to go home,” and, “why, again, did I get stuck in Chicago for so long?” Thoughts that came to me ever so much quicker this time around. Thankfully.

I sometimes wonder if travel will ever be easy for me. If the thought of leaving wherever it is that I am, wherever it is that I’ve grown comfortable, will not make me feel like vomiting for a week beforehand.

But at least I know now that once I’ve taken that step, everything will be OK. And, at least I keep pushing myself to step out of that comfort zone, no matter how much I want to puke in doing so.

As I enter this next phase of my ’round the world adventure I do have one particular worry swimming in the back of my mind: money.

When I first left for Berlin I knew I had enough to do whatever I wanted for a year and not have to worry. But the money that I left with is long gone. I’ve halved what was left in my savings account to continue on in Central America. It was something I had to do. I couldn’t stop. But I know that when this money is nearly gone, I have to go home, get a job, return to a normal life. And that is scary. Especially when I sat down and wrote out where I want to travel and ended up with a four-year plan. To know that I can only afford about six months of that 48 month itinerary makes me anxious.

Of course, I do know that I’m blessed to have been able to travel for as long as I have and continue for as long as I can. I know that. But it’s still hard to know that I will probably have to stop before I am ready to.

I’m going to try to work more while I travel. I started a little while in Asia, so I know that it’s possible. I just need to push myself to find more opportunities for web editing and design. My friend Alyssa and I have been talking about collaborating: she’d do the graphics, I’d do the coding. We’re currently working together on a not-so-secret project (hello, redesigning my online-life). So, we’ll see how it works out. But I need to press myself to find more jobs. I have to.

But, that’s just me rambling again.

I’m spending the next month here in Antigua, studying Spanish with a tutor four hours a day, five days a week. I’m hoping to get a good base for the language before I move on around Central, and hopefully South, America. I anticipate more tears ahead: whenever I have to leave this town, whenever I realize how amazing the world is, and, eventually, when I have to return home. And, eventually, when I leave again.

Square One My first thoughts after arriving in Antigua, Guatemala.

Bucket List Idea: Travel to Antigua, Guatemala.