Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX
The philosopher Flo Rida once said, “I can’t hate where I’m from, cuz where I’m from made me.”
This is surreal. I’m at LAX about to board a flight to South America. I haven’t traveled abroad since I was a little kid. Certainly not by myself to a continent I’ve never been to with languages I don’t speak. Definitely not for two months. This is crazy.
The last eight months of my life have been incredible. And very hard. Going to guide at NOLS was outside my comfort zone. Moving into my car was outside my comfort zone. Whitewater kayaking was outside my comfort zone. Flying to Peru? Chile? This is way outside my comfort zone. I’ve written this before and I’ll write it again: I never thought this would be my life. Never dreamed it.
But here I am.
This might be a normal life, a regular thing for some people. But for me, for a poor kid growing up in Anaheim, this was never something that was gonna actually happen. Rich people do this. Not me.
Right now, there are a million thoughts flying through my head. Do I know any spanish? How do I travel around without a car? Where do I sleep? What the hell am I thinking?
But, there’s also a ton of pride. Some of that old angry defiance that I’m known for. Despite poverty and growing up without a father, dropping out of college, losing my mom to cancer, depression, spending a lot of time down for the count…
And yet, here I am. I made it. I’m living my dream. Getting on a plane headed for adventure and the rest of my life.
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