November 2025
Deciding to leave my corporate job was easy. I didn't enjoy the work and felt like I was wasting my time helping others follow their dreams, too scared to chase my own. What proved difficult was coming to terms with the fact that my life would be forever changed by my decision to take a year or more—still TBD—to explore Central and South America; that I was nervous to take the leap and chase my dreams; that I would be exploring discomfort, a different way of life, one that might suit me better. America, to me, means extreme comfort. Leaving my home, where I felt most comfortable, would leave room for personal growth. I didn't hate New York—it's beautiful and filled with life. What I couldn't get over was that I didn't feel like I could be myself there, and that others seemed constantly unhappy. I wanted a change of scenery.
I chose Central and South America for two reasons. First, I could essentially leave the next day and cross all of these borders with minimal hurdles using what I already owned—the main one being the Darién Gap. Second, I really wanted to explore my Latino heritage and become fluent in Spanish. This felt like the perfect storm, and although some of these countries are considered by many to be unsafe, I embarked.
Leaving New York City was a whirlwind. Once I left the confines of the city, everything I would be experiencing was for the first time, in the US and beyond. Crossing the Williamsburg Bridge for the final time and then exiting the Holland Tunnel—it just got real. I was heading south, and I would not look back.