"Right Place at the Right Time"

A friend of mine recently commented on an Instagram photo of mine with these words. Little did she know, those words were more spot on than I think she even realized. For quite some time I’ve been struggling with various issues and once I landed in Bogota, all of these struggles were magnified. My ability to recognize hunger cues was completely gone, my stress levels from my college finals failed to decrease, my body refused to agree with anything I put in it, and mentally, I was struggling to just stay afloat. It felt as though I was trying to swim to shore, yet was being continuously bashed by waves of sadness, frustration, exhaustion, confusion, hopelessness, etc. I wanted so desperately to “snap the fuck out of it,” but I later realized the Universe had other plans for me.

In no time, I was immersed into these emotions completely. There was no escaping them, even through all the activities I did and people I was surrounded by.  I noticed how easily it was for me to get lost in deep thought and harsh emotions while immersed in this still unfamiliar setting too, and I sunk further and further (all while trying my best to not show externally the struggles I was dealing with.) Due to the lack of total comprehension and ability to participate in the common language here in Colombia, it was easy for me to disappear into my own little, painful world, which in turn, made it all the more difficult. Through all the “quiet time,” emotions, thoughts, and memories that for so many years I suppressed arose and pummeled me repeatedly and unexpectedly.

After over a week of this, I knew I needed to change something. I knew that I was not going to be last much longer in this state... I wanted to travel to find inner peace, not to experience seemingly never-ending internal war. My uncle, without even knowing the struggles I was going through, invited me to come to the tropical, beachfront city of Cartagena a few weeks early. I immediately agreed and boy, was that the best decision of my trip thus far. The moment I stepped off the airplane, the feeling of relief completely washed over me. When I couldn’t stop smiling to myself the entire car ride to the apartment I was staying at, I knew I was in the right place.

Since I’ve arrived, I’ve been able to see clearer, breathe smoother, focus on the important things, and give myself the time I've needed to heal. Without having experienced the depths of my struggles I went through in Bogota and California, I may not have been able to truly feel the way I do now. I came to the place I was meant to be, and it could not be any more perfect. 

I’m truly in the right place at the right time.