The opportunity to travel and practice something internal, in my experience, was a practice in consciousness-raising. It was finding something to focus and hone in on that was important to me, within myself, and to be able to practice and expand and explore it. It grew me immensely in many ways. At this point, for me, maybe even more importantly than the way it allowed me to change the way I related to myself, was how it altered the way I related to my surroundings, the country I was in, and the people around me. It created space for me to act and think in intentional ways I hadn’t considered before. I acted and thought from a space of vulnerability, reflection, value, courage and trust.

This is still something I carry with me in my travels today. Though I do not always place myself in a space of identifying, practicing, and exploring something narrow about myself internally, I am purposeful in how I participate, how I act, how I relate, and what I get out of different experiences. I am fully present even in seemingly insignificant moments, and I am able to catch myself when I am not. In effect, I believe that I learn more about myself, the people I am surrounded by, and the place I am in than I otherwise would.