Raise them good!

Let's be honest and not pretend. If you can't do that, pretend less. Let's try to understand each other, each others weaknesses, each others faults and each others mistakes. Let's not judge. If you can't do that, judge less. When you see a person, a person who is close to you or a stranger, ask yourself what's actually there. What is there behind the facade? Why is she or he like that? What has he or she gone through? Is that person hurt, is that person loved enough, is that person being misunderstood? Show compassion, it's in you. Hidden somewhere, try to find it. Show that compassion to that person. Show that you understand that life can be hard sometimes and we all fight different fights inside us. Don's say it if you can't say it or if you can't find the right words. Show it...and feel it.

Let's  be grateful. Grateful for things and people we still hold beside us. There's no guarantee they will be here forever. There's no guarantee they'll be here tomorrow. Thank each day for your life. Thank for your health even if you're not completely healthy at that moment, thank for it anyways. Thank for the love you receive and for the love you're able to give. If you cannot give love, start loving yourself, open your heart and realise the love within you. It's there, I promise, I see it! Thank people who loved you one day and hurt you the other day. Thank for the growth within you and for the strength to fight the pain they've caused you. Thank for everything! Because »everything« made you the person you are today! Are you proud of you?

Let's be happy. If you can't do that, be less sad. If you can't do that, start to enjoy in your sadness.  Give yourself as much time as you need to recover. Smile more often, even if it's fake - your brain will know what to do! Everyday thank for 10 things that make you happy. You'll see, you'll notice you have more than you think. Be happy with who you are and what you do. If you aren't, improve yourself. Focus on YOU only! NOBODY can make you as happy as you can! Give yourself love you want from others. Give yourself appreciation you want from others. And give yourself all that you can give, and they who are around you, will give you everything they've got.

Let's be more giving. If you can't do that, be less selfish. When you give yourself love, appreciation and everything you can give, so the others will give you the same, don't forget to give them that too. Give them more if you can. It's in you. You posses everything you need in order to give. If you like to bake, give people in need your desserts. If you like to sing or play music, spoil ears of the ones who need music. If you an artist, bring a piece of art in someones home, someone who's lonely. Tell a joke to someone who needs a smile on their face. We all have gifts inside us, let's embrace them, show them to the world and give them to each other!

Let's be braver. If you can't do that, fear less. WE ALL HAVE FEARS. But the greatest out of all, is fear of each other. Fear won't let us be who we truly are, because we are so afraid, what the world will think of us. Free your mind. And do your own thing. Because when you will show your uniqueness, others will find it in themselves too. They will see there's nothing to be afraid of if you are who you are. Because we are all a lil strange, we are all a lil crazy, we all embarrass ourselves sometimes, we all make stupid mistakes and we all make wrong decisions sometimes! But let's not be afraid to admit that. Let's be more honest...oh we've been there!

We've all been hurt. We all had our hearts broken. Deeply broken.  We've all been misunderstood. We've all lost trust of someone. We've all been lied to. But let's not forget! We hurt other people AS WELL. We broke other heart(s) AS WELL, deeply broke! We didn't show understanding to some people, AS WELL. Somebody lost trust in us, AS WELL. We all lied to someone at certain point, AS WELL. So understand, if you want to be understood. Appreciate, and you'll be appreciated. Love and you'll be loved back. Forgive, and you'll be forgiven. Help and people will help you. Live life and life will give you so much living, that you've never imagined.

It's not because of other people. It's because of YOU only! Be more responsible and stop blaming everything and everyone around you for your problems. Believe me, THEY have their own problems, they don't have time to cause you problems. And NO, they don't wake up and have an evil plan to make your life miserable. You make your life miserable. Society and the world HAVE NOTHING to do with it. Be more adaptable! You can't change circumstances, ignore and ADAPT. Adapt, fight and believe!

And don't forget your influence on other people. Remember how many people daily affect your life. In bad and in good way. Well, now, imagine how many lives, how many people daily YOU affect!  DON'T FORGET - You raise people. Raise them good...and than love what you've raised!

Happy life...or shall I say happy 2013!

Mayita 

Learn how to unlearn

It was so funny these past few days, all I really wanted, was having a peaceful time with myself, enjoying the nature around me  and not talking to much. Not even interacting with people that much.  Just taking care of my body, exercising few hours a day, leading a healthy diet, reading a lot and cleansing my body through the meditation. Everything is just so new to me. I was never like that. It feels like I was never really me. Instead of being peaceful I was always rushing upon  new adventures, never let any event happening without me. It’s good to be adventurous, but not in the moments when you need peace, patience and security. How much approval I  needed. How much I wanted to be accepted and loved. Loved for the wrong reasons. My Ego standing in between the true love and me. Trying to shut down the emotions with constantly doing things that occupied my mind. Never really payed any attention to what I really felt inside me. Never gave myself a chance to be hurt and disappointed, because I always ran away from it.

I think about Carlos from Puerto Rico, everyday, many times a day. I kind of feel like he was my yogi. He thought me so much in just a few days. He provoked me and my mind with numerous questions that I didn’t understand at that time and couldn’t answer them. After my time in Puerto Rico, I traveled to Atlanta, US to have this seminar about discovering yourself. It was one of the best things I’ve done for myself and the knowledge I gain, will last forever. Even after few weeks I’m still discovering things about myself and parts in me that I’m not authentic with. And I’ll probably will discover them through all my life. It’s so much fun. The things I never knew before, have become so clear to me. “Now you know! The question is what are you going to do with it now?” ended the self discovery seminar.

I got the answer to the Carloses questions. I never knew what he meant when he said to me: “Maja, you have to learn how to unlearn” “What the hell does that mean!?!” I remember asking myself while sitting alone, observing the waves at the Ocean Beach in San Juan. I asked him again next day what he meant with this words. The funny thing about spiritual teachers is, they will never give you the answer! You’ll have to figure it out on your own. And after you do, you’d feel enlightened.

“Learn how to unlearn” bothered me every single day! I think I found the answer. To learn how to unlearn, in other words, simply means letting go of your ego. Way back in the time, you learned that being hurt is someone else’s fault and that you're not good enough. You've learned how not to trust people in order them not to hurt, reject or leave you. And you were living your life with these exact thoughts in your subconscious mind. Therefore you created that Ego of yours – “I’m strong persona, nobody can’t hurt me, nobody will tell me I’m not good enough.” But that was just a mask with which we all present ourselves to the world. That’s not really you. Your real self is afraid of being hurt, of being disappointed, rejected, being afraid to trust people. But you consciously don’t know that. You think you are your Ego, which is so deep in your unconscious you don’t even realise it. To unlearn means, letting go of your Ego and becoming your true self. To unlearn that being hurt, rejected doesn’t really mean anything. It’s OK to be hurt. It doesn’t mean that you’re not good enough or that you’re don’t deserve things. It simply means someone hurt you or left you, period! It doesn’t mean a thing! 

I’m really not quite there yet, but I’m getting a glimpse of the life that’s way beyond the life I was living till now. So when you learn how to unlearn it frees your mind and spirit. It allows you to live each day as you want it. To be everyday what you want it to be. It allows you to show your feelings in a healthy way and it establish beautiful harmony between you and the rest of the world. You start to love each and everyone, because you're not afraid of being hurt or rejected anymore, you trust the people around you. It allows you to face your true fears and transform them into Great love. It allows you to finally breath and you feel incredibly light after you let go of everything that wasn’t you. You don’t have to pretend anymore and use all of your energy to be your Ego. You can be you. And every day you can be whatever you want to be. 

Today? I’m going to be adventurous and hyper after all of this days of being calm and patient.

Tomorrow? Who knows? It’s not here yet. Tomorrow is still in the future. And the future is not here yet. What is here is today. And it should be lived now.

Understanding your Greatness and celebrating!

While in Munoz, I’m visiting local kids in one of the two Bates here. Bate is a Haitian refugee. Haiti and Dominican republic form an island of Hispaniola, and Haiti is known for its extreme poverty and is basically the poorest country on the western hemisphere. The earthquake in 2010 and all the other disasters that followed, brought many Haitians to their neighbouring country. They live in small communities in villages around the Dominican republic. The campsite where I’m staying offers some volunteering with local kids, but all the organisation is basically in your own hands. You prepare your own program and you do whatever you feel like. You can teach English, do some arts and crafts or just be there, as they really enjoy foreign’s company and attention. The community center for volunteers is a small little shack in Bate and it rains a lot, so my options are limited. But I do everyday something different and just try to bring the most to the kids, with my unconditional love and experiences I got through the years.

I had lots of jobs  where I worked with kids and in each country I spent some time with the local kids as well. But kids here are somehow different. They come from a really poor country, I know that. They were born into families who struggled every day through life, and they still are. Those kids had to learn how to survive at their early age. Every time I bring something for arts and crafts they rush upon stuff I brought, before I even try to split in between them. They beg every day to give them something. Even something that they don’t really need. They have lots of food, because DR is self sufficient and they have place over their head as well. So they have basics for survival.

They just want something. Something materialistic. Maybe because they think then will matter more in the eyes of others. It’s completely the same as in the western world. We think material makes us better and bigger. Those kids think the same. In Dominican republic the racism is a big thing between black people. The lighter you are the more you value. Haitians are completely black. They probably feel like being at the bottom and crave even more for the acceptance. Is that why they yearn for material things? They just want to be accepted?  Accepted in other people’s eyes, accepted into the world we live in. Don’t we all? We just want to be good enough. We all want to fit in. To be accepted. To be loved. And to even deserve love. That’s the problem in the world today. We all want love, but we think we don’t deserve it, because we think we’re not good enough. We feel others are better than us. Do you ever feel like that? I certainly did, I still do sometimes.

But in the end, we are who we are. When you accept yourself as you are, when you become sincere to yourself and others, and you show to the world who you truly are, then you are good enough.  Just as you are. You don’t need to be rich, You don’t need to have influential parents. You don’t have to have 45045 FB friends. You don’t have to own a car. You don’t need to be on the upper position at your job. You don’t need to wear fancy cloths. You don’t need to be strong and fearless. You DON"T NEED to be all this things to be good enough! You just need to be you! And the right people will love you and stand by your side and support you with your crazy ideas and they won’t judge your actions. They will be there because of YOU only. So if you want acceptance of other people, shouldn’t you accept yourself first? Are you good enough for yourself?  Do you love yourself? Do you even like yourself?

Then how you expect people to accept you, like you and love you, if you can’t?

A quote from one of my idols, who just blew me away with her words and being HERSELF is Lisa Nichols, motivator and powerful coach of living the Great life:

“Now I know, until I fall in love with me, when I’m madly in love with me, not in a braggadocios way, but I fully love me, then I’m the example, I’m the first example of how the world is supposed to love me. And I have to give them the best example ever! I can’t expect people treating me better then I treat myself, it’s unrealistic and it’s unfair. But we do it all the time. We expect someone to show us our greatness, when I’m supposed to show understanding my greatness and allow YOU to celebrate it with me!”

Mayita

Calm and patient

Munoz, small local village in the north of Dominican republic. I wake up in the tropical morning, with crickets chirping and roosters singing their morning balade (if I nicely describe their annoying screaming starting at 5am!) I look outside and observe a beautiful palm tree which grows on the shoreline of the small river passing below my shack. I hear Bobby (one of numerous dogs here) waking up as well, after he slept in my kitchen and has guarded me all night. I slowly stretch every inch of my body and don't really feel like getting up, it feels so comfortable in my half broken bed. I count my brand new mosquito bites and slowly put feet by feet on a cold concrete ground. The room is modest and basic, but it feels so mine. 

I start with my morning ritual - coffee and Internet surfing. But my coffee here, with a splash of coconut milk, tastes like heaven. Breakfast consists of the local fruits or muesli. My invention of "Breakfast made in paradise" leaves me full but light and keeps my body in balance. Banana, papaya, pineapple and raisins covered with coconut cream. After the breakfast I go and do some activities, maybe exploring the nearby towns and villages, walking along the empty white sand beaches, hiking in stunning tropical nature, or for example today, horseback riding and visiting the state fair. 

After the day of adventure I return back to our campsite and make myself something to eat, something delicious, light and authentic. Have to wake up my light head with strong coffee or two. I slowly start ending my day with yoga and light meditation when the sun goes down, so my mind calms down before my evening ritual. Mint tea in my hand, my body is completely relaxed and my mind open and ready to share (writing) or receive (reading). Snacking on tamarind fruit which looks horrible and it is quite complicated to eat. It's sticky and dark brown color, but its sweet and sour taste opens my senses even more. A decent amount of antioxidants and vitamins before my bed time! 

Ha, the most interesting part of the day? My shower time. If I actually do have the water to shower (don't even think that is anything but cold), then probably the light would go off and I'd have to shower in the dark. Which is ok, at least I don't see the unknown animals, who are sharing the shower with me. Flying frogs over my head are just one thing that raises my heart beat in a second, so I don't feel that cold anymore.

So practically it's fun and adventurous being here, as my life has been last years. But these past few days all I want to be is calm and patient. No more obsessive planning and 24/7 action. Just peaceful mind. To dedicate all my spare time to my true self. To go beyond when exploring my soul and mind.  Having no expectations of myself, others and future. What ever will happen will happen. It doesn't matter. All it maters is this moment. And all the fear disappears. It can hardly get much more peaceful than this. 

Mayita

Looking at the same moon

It's like every other first day, when I arrive to a new country. Loneliness striking straight to the bones. Feeling alone more than ever. I'm in completely new world and my friends and family are everywhere but here. Looking for security in people who pass by, but the fear is arising and trying to conquer every inch of my body. Yup, that's me. Scared an insecure every time I put my feet on the unknown ground. 

It's not really the fear that something will happen to me. It's the fear of unknown and fear of being left alone on my trip. But gradually I find security in people I say hi to, in sincere smiles and shy looks that we exchange. You never feel completely safe, the fear is never absent. But you face it. Every single day of your trip. And that's what makes you strong and powerful. The feeling of coming out of your comfort zone once again and the feeling of controlling your emotions and fears. 

Then I look around. What is there to be afraid of? I'm just as everyone else here. Race doesn't matter. Money and status don't matter. Religion doesn't matter. We're all one. We're all the same. We're simply all being human, trying to survive in this wild crazy world. The guys who are trying to sell me paintings. Pretty Latina making me smoothie. Old lady sitting on a pavement. Homeless man begging for money. Adorable baby girl smiling at me. Exhausted dog lying on the street. The tourists sipping wine. And me, walking the streets of Santo Domingo and observing these human beings. We're ALL THE SAME. We are all ONE. Living the same life. In the same Universe. Looking at the same moon every night. Struggling sometimes. Being hurt and left behind. Falling deeply in love. Trying to make a living. Trying to find a meaning. Trying to survive. So what is then to be afraid of, if we're all made of the same dough? No one is better  and no one is worse. We're all the same. We are all one.

Mayita

PRESENT.

My life. My crazy life. Showing my strong, fearless, independent, adaptable persona to everyone I meet and to people back home! Going from place to place, country to country, city to city! Finding work when I need money. Travelling 3^rd world countries, when I need pure travel. Visiting my friends around the world, when I start to miss them. Then it ‘s time to visit my family back home! Then to find work again! After work I really want to go for some real travel again! But I miss my friends around the world, so I would go visit them! I need money again! Find a job somewhere on this planet! But then, it’s time to visit my family again! I want to go surfing! No, I rather would go to do massage course somewhere! Or even better, go hiking somewhere!  Actually some volunteering would be great! But what I really want is just pure travelling somewhere! Have to visit family again! Oh-oh, no money, need to find work! Skype sessions, emailing, keeping in touch with people around the world, writing, photographing, planning, booking! Banking! Health!....!....!......!!!!!

 STOOOOOP!! It’s enough, god damn it! Cut it OFF!

All I actually really need is this magical moment, sitting on comfortable chair on the terrace of the cute coffee shop in Marietta, Georgia. By the river, autumn starting to show its beauty, with this guy I just met. Sharing a comfortable conversation with David and having peaceful mind. And enjoying the moment. With no past, and no future. Just being there and being. That’s all I need. No more chaos, no planning, no worrying, no living in the future and dwelling on the past. Just being there, sipping coffee, watching leaves falling off the trees, listening the water flowing and talking about life. Not knowing what the future will bring. Letting go the past. And being real, authentic, sincere. Bring ME to the conversation. With all my fears, without my mask. And I was. I actually WAS. It was the greatest day of my life. I lived it. I lived every single moment. I TASTED the coffee. I LISTENED to the nature. I LAUGHED. I was THERE. Real ME. Present. With no past. With no future. That’s all I NEED. To be.

Mayita

Be. You.

Just a thought of the day I think I need to share! 

You don't inspire people by living your dream life or going after your dreams. Well in some way you do. But you truly inspire people by being who you are, being real, being YOU. You inspire them when you admit to yourself the struggles and doubts you are dealing with. When you admit, it is OK that you get stuck from time to time in life. When you admit, you don't have any idea, what you are doing with your life. And you inspire them when you admit that you are lost, feel lonely or need change in your life. 

Because many people can not do that. They can't face their reality, they are not sincere to themselves. But when YOU are, you inspire people. Because it takes a lot of guts, to admit that you are the point of your life, you really don't know what to do. And it's OK. Because when you say it out loud, than you go in action and change things that need to be changed and you get unstuck and get back on the track.

What I'm trying to say, don't try so much to inspire people with what you are doing but rather with what you are feeling and by just being YOU:)) 

Never plan too much in Puerto Rico!

"I know you only one day, but I can already say this is so YOU!" said Sebastian (room mate in a hostel) after he asked me how was my overnight on the island of Culebra and I replied I never got there, because I missed all the ferries, due to the people I met and had amazing conversations with, so I just didn't feel like going. 

How my day looks like, you may ask? Well, I have a special way of traveling, which I like to call "getting interrupted and lost all the time". After so many years of traveling I haven't got that feeling of orientation just yet! Is that frustrating? YES! But is it fun? Ohhh, yes, it is! I start my day  deciding where I'm going, but as soon as I leave my beautiful hostel, I get lost. When I finally find the way out, I get lost again. Then I end up doing something completely different and I make a new plan. But after all of this, I usually meet really awesome people, who I end up hanging out with and miss out the thing I was planning. So the whole day I end up getting lost and finding beyond amazing people and not doing what I planned. It works the best for me and it makes a hell of an adventure! 

Yesterday I was discovering the local side of Fajardo and Ceiba, which definitely was a bit of a bumpy ride all along. I reckon Enterpreise shouldn't have trusted me their car. Let's just say local roads are not as good as highways, where tourists usually take their rent-a-car. But is so much fun! There's nothing like a legit roadtrip in Puerto Rico. The car will take you from a rain forest to nice sandy tourist beaches, to countryside, to old town or a local beach in not more than an hour. 

You can not come far with buses here in Puerto Rico, because all the people here own a car, so  buses are not really needed. A car cost me 20$ per day including the insurance. The petrol is so cheap, that when I went to a gas station yesterday and payed 40$ to feel up the tank, the tank was full at 29$ (you have to pre-pay before you feel up). And with the car you're way more faster, more independent and always off to a great adventure.

So bottom line, never plan too much in Puerto Rico, because there's adventure waiting around every corner. Don't listen to anyone who says Puerto Rico is dangerous, because you will hear that at least 5 times a day! Who's dangerous?? It's so much fun with all this people here! Some will take you for a surf, some will take you to salsa in the afternoon, with some you'll share great conversation but definitely all of them will give you great advices and unique experiance. 

"Bievenidos a Puerto Rico, la isla del encanto!"

Mayita

It's you against the ocean!

"It's like being reborn, no seriously, it's like coming out of your mother's womb all over again" was Tomas trying to explain to me, the feeling of riding a tube. We were sitting in the beach bar after my surf lesson. I was drinking Coke, and he, as a real surfer, had a Corona in his hand.  For all the surfers I met around the world surfing has been their life, but nobody couldn't explain the real surfer's lifestyle, as Tomas did.

I was just parking my car and saw him approaching on his cool bycycle, with a big smile on his face.  He's living on the beach of Luquillo, town, which always offers great waves and friendly people, but most of all, a unique relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. He has been riding for over 50 years and is one of the first big wave riders in Puerto Rico. Living 15 years in Hawaii, definitely put him somewhere on the map of great surfers. 

"Surfing addicts you, It becomes your way of life, nothing matters anymore, surf is your life" he says with passion and complete dedication in his eyes. "You go in the water and you leave all your problems with money, boyfriend/girlfriend or family on the beach. You're in the water, and problems are on the beach! It's you against the ocean! You can't think about your problems while in the water, because you have to stay focus, otherwise you're going to get smashed big time. It's like some kind of therapy!" explains why all surfers are so chilled! "

"Maja! You never turn your back against the ocean, remember never!" was one of the first advices he gave me, while we were in the water. I asked him why he thinks surfing is so addictive? "It's you against the ocean, you against the nature, when you're riding the waves, you've conquered the nature, you are above anything, you're controlling the nature!"

"Maja, what do you do?" he asks me. "I'm a writer, I write about the world and people I meet!" I say. "Well, I hope one day you can write about me!" "I sure will, Tomas!" and so we parted, he disappeared between the tropical palm trees on his bicycle and I sat in my car and drove away chilled and relaxed, as I had my head clear and my mind peaceful. 

Till Tuesday when we meet again, so he can present me another part of his home, The Ocean!!!:))

Mayita

Perfect love casts away the fear

 ...sipping mint tea on the tropical Ocean beach, watching the waves break, and talking...to HIM...

O.K., I have to admit that the main purpose of this trip wasn't travelling itself, but more like, finding and rediscovering myself again. With help of other people. People who's knowledge and experience can help me turn my life into the right direction. Or should I say, I'm on a search for the way to a Greater life! Yesterday was one of these days. A day! I met Carlos. The guy who helped me to stimulate my mind in such a way, that I'm kind of lost again. Not so much as lost as I want to discover what I really want in my life right now. Or what I need, shall I say. I will never forget his words: "Maja, in life you don't go for things you want, you go for things you need!" "What is that you want? But what is that you need?" "How will I know what I need and what I want? I asked." You'll know when you will stop asking yourself that!"

He said I have a great future ahead of me, I will live in abundance, I will be happy and my parents will be extremely proud of me. But that will happen, when I will go for things I need! I said to him that whatever I'm doing is never enough and I feel I need to do just a lil bit more for me to be completely happy.  He said I'll never be completely happy, because such thing as completely happy doesn't exist. I think he saw my bumped face. "Maja, you're different he said, and don't even worry, you'll be totally fine, you will live the life of you dreams, you're heading in the right direction!"

Is it possible that in the process of going after your dreams, you lose yourself somewhere on the way? Is it possible that what you need in your life is not the same that what you want? You want something, but you need something else? And when you fulfill your need, can you then go after what you want, or will you be satisfied after you fulfilled your needs so later on you won't want anything else? But does something like that even exists? Is there a point in your life, you don't want anything more that what you have? "You'll get to the point in your life, when you will realise that air in your lungs is all you need!" he says:))

Some other words of his I can't really understand at the moment. He looked at me deeply in the eyes and almost screamed my name: "Maja, remember this!!" "Perfect love, casts away the fear!" 
What does that mean? What is perfect love? Love towards yourself, love of your family and friends, love you give and get back, or love of true soul mates?? Or is it all together? And when you have that love, then you're not afraid of anything anymore? There's no more fears and you can do miracles? What is perfect love, that casts away the fear?? That's my mission on this trip. To get the answer! 

Mayita

Baliando con la gente en Puert Ricooo!

It's so not anymore all about visiting stunning places and doing all the activities. Of course traveling is usually based on that, but my main focus is on people. Sure, I'm amazed about the attractions that Puerto Rico has to offer. How can you not be impressed by the fortresses of El Morro and San Cristobal, who played the important role for almost 400 years protecting the Caribbean from invaders. And the tranquility of tropical forests and refreshment of rain on your skin while on a hike. Or the crystal clear ocean with waves breaking pretty much perfectly. It's a big fairytell around every corner. But basicaly, people you ran into, bring the real WoW to the whole adventure. 

"Andale mami, bailamos!!!" was yelling the seller to her friend, ''Au, au, auuuuu" was screaming the old lady when she heard a song she liked, at the fiesta I randomly ran into. They don't know what the old age is and they look and act like young people. What a passion and what characters!!

Our sweet Francisco and his hostel, which became such a comfortable shelter for me, I decided to live here for the rest of my stay in Puerto Rico. Francisco is extremly dedicated and impressive person, who is very passionate about bringing the budget tourism combined with volunteering, to Puerto Rico. He says in joke that with my knowledge of traveling, he would  love to employ me to help him.

The people you meet on the street help you all the time, with information and directions, even when you're not lost. When they notice you're looking at them them, they give you this warm and respectful look. Tomas and Alen, local surfers, we met today, loved to explained to us, about life in Puerto Rico and how everything works around here. Even tho the country is under the dependence of U.S. it's amazing how they have kept the culture and don't let the U.S. to take over. They stay loyal to their roots.

At the beginning I thought it will be a bit of a struggle to travel around, because nevertheless Puerto Rico is not a budget destination! But when you infiltrate into the local life, people will hook you up with some pretty good deals. Or they will introduce you to a friend who would take you somewhere for free. The traveling is just about nothing without people. They represent the essence of traveling itself. The majority don't understand the backpacking. It's not about the budget traveling. Maybe some part, but basically, is living it up with the culture, meeting people, who will unintentionally change the flow of your thoughts and help you realise the things you would missed if you haven't met them. It's about sharing life stories. Getting to know them and their way of life, their struggles and their happiness. That helps to start living in the symbiosis with the mankind and understand each others lives.  

Mayita

Things that put smile on my face...

Sometimes you really don't need a lot for your day to become 100% better. Be more aware of things happening to you and you realise there's a lot that can put a smile on your face. It was a long exhausting trip from Slovenia to Puerto Rico, all together 2 whole days (that's the price you pay for a budget traveling). 

For solo traveler as myself, sometimes it is a bit lonely and you have to find things you occupy your mind with. I like to observe my surroundings. 5 things that made me smile while long hours of waiting on the airports:

- A strick business man sitting across of me, wearing pink socks.

- A cute note on a coffee cup and a heart shaped foam milk on my coffee in Starbucks.

- A girl who didn't have lower part of the arm and made me realise how happy I can be cos I do have both arms!

- Anne, a German girl I've met on the plane who moved to Peru to live with her boyfriend. A still existing hope one day I can share similar story.

- Couples all around me, which are the proof there's much more love around us, than we think.

A BIG smile on my face today was Francisco, who made such a warm welcome to San Juan and his guest house for me. It's far away from a tourist hub. It's in a warm neighbourhood, full of playful kids and Latin music coming from the speakers all around. 

Even bigger smile on my face right now - bed! Exhausted but happy,

buenas noches amigitos,

Mayita

New way of seeing things

 I love this emotional moments just before I settle my horses for the next adventure. Moments, when I reminisce the good times on the road, when I feel sad for leaving my home again, but looking forward for the upcoming adventures and people I'll meet.

It's never easy to go, but hey, it definitely became easier through the years. I believe in myself more and more and I know that whatever I'll get myself into I'll definitely benefit from. Few people have asked me, how I know it will always turn out the best for me. I just know! I trust myself, my judgement and my power. I know I'll take up the next challenge that's coming my way. Also I know, when I'll screw up or things won't go my way, I'll accept that and bring only the best out of the experience. I don't mind making mistakes or wrong decisions. Because in the end you realise they were the right decisions, they led you to something better and bigger in life. 

I don't plan my life as much as I was. I truly go with the flow more and more. I let everyone and everything in my life and accept it as it is. Life is easier that way. How bad can it really be? Everything passes eventually and in the end turns into a great story. "Are you not afraid?" they would ask me. Of what? The world is not dangerous (well it is, according to the news). I have faith and I believe every day something great awaits me. And usually it does, also because you're more aware and cherish the little things. And if I meet someone who's not a good person, who will hurt me? Hurt me if you want, I'll survive. In life you realise that the only time people can hurt you when you let them hurt you.

I learned how to be emotional detached, so I have all the emotions under control, and I don't get overwhelmed too often and consequently take better decisions, which are not based on my emotions. I'm improving myself with concentration and doing things 100% and finish what I've  started. The most I improved  myself in clearing out my head and not over thinking things that don't need my attention anymore. When I'm done with certain thing, I make a closure and stop analyzing. I've learned how to stop thoughts going through my mind, when unnecessary. It helps a lot. Because you can focus more on the things that need your focus, instead of over thinking and analyzing every single thought or situation. 

So yeah. I'm so ready for my next backpacking adventure. I love how's my backpack losing its weight with every travel. I just don't need that much stuff anymore. Just few t-shirts, shorts, some meds and basic toiletries. No need for anything else. It's never about the material. I don't travel because I need a vacation, would go to a 5 star hotel, eat in a fancy restaurant and do whole lot of shopping. I don't need that in my life. And people said, money will change me, that when I'll come from yacht, I'll definitely go on a luxury vacation, and I backpacked just cos I never had money to afford better. Yea, I did change in some way. I realized even more, how money can never make you happy. OK, it's basic, you need it for survival, but how much do you really need to be completely happy?

Where I'm going now? Who knows? I have ticket to San Juan, but who knows if I ever end up in Puerto Rico, with so many things always happening on the way. What's the plan? I will write, I will photograph, I will enjoy and I will help on my way. I will only do things that make me happy. I will try to find opportunities for my career. I will accept challenges and I will learn. As once Henry Miller said: “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

See ya later, alligator,

Mayita

Quick inspiraton from the books

I remember back in the school days how I loathed reading and writing freaking summaries of books I couldn't be less interested in. My mom literally force me to read as much books as possible and to participate in reading badges all my schooling. First thing, first...i hate to be forced into something! If it's not my decision you will find out how rebellious I can be! Now? I love, love, LOVE reading. Because I read the books I'm actually interested in!  So no more writing for me today, just quotes from my all time fave books, which are helping me with my plans, decision making, growth and basically to live my dream life! Enjoy and hope you encounter some inspiration for yourselves as well;))

“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle…”

 “Our minds become magnetized with the dominating thoughts we hold in our minds and these magnets attract to us the forces, the people, the circumstances of life which harmonize with the nature of our dominating thoughts.”

 “Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.”

 “Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.”

quotes from Think and grow rich, Napoleon Hill, 1937

"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security."

 Don’t be afraid to talk about your plans, in order to properly investigate, by fear that if it doesn’t work out you will look like a failure. “You’re not a failure if you don’t make it, you’re a success because you try.”

 ” We can’t control our world but we can control our reactions to it.”

 “The way you use words has a tremendous impact on the quality of your life.” For example, instead of saying: I should/ I could, it is a problem/ it is an opportunity and, if only/ next time.

quotes from Feel the fear and do it anyway, Susan Jeffers,  1987

 “You are the masterpiece of your own life.You are the Michelangelo of your own life. The David you are sculpturing is you. And you do it with your thoughts! (Dr. Joe Vitale)” 

"When the voice and the vision on the inside is more profound, and more clear and loud than all opinions on the outside, you've begun to master your life" Dr John F De martini

 "Learn to become still. And to take your attention away from what you don't want, and all the emotional charge around it, and place your attention on what you wish to experience" - Michael Beckwith.

quotes from The secret, Rhonda Byrne, 2005 

It's the person who makes money valuable!

I could say I've met both sides in this past years. Extremely poor and extremely loaded. I 've seen smiles and hope on faces of people who don't have enough to survive. And I've seen  boredom and apathy on the faces of the rich. I was happier with people who don't have anything and they will still try to give you everything!  But nevertheless, I did meet wealthy people who are giving and generous. Money is not always a bad thing (sometimes it sure is, but not always). It's all about the success. Success first brings the wealth from within and later on, the wealth from outside.

There are four ways to get wealthy. Either you're lucky and you're born into the wealth. Or you are smart (!) and you get married to someone who is wealthy. Or you are stupid and you do the illegal stuff. The fourth way is a success! I've met lots of business men who worked hard all their life to enjoy the benefits of long hours and all the sacrifices. These people are rich and humble from inside, because they've been on the bottom while trying to get on top. This are the people who dreamed their way up. Who stepped outside of their comfort zones, who dared, who dedicated their lives to their dreams and believed in themselves even during the hard times.  All the courage and faith they had never lost while climbing the staircase to success. So yes, there are rich people who are humble and great men, because of all the things they've gone through to get where they are now. They are warm hearted and extremely generous. They don't take things for granted and are thankful for everything in their life. They help others and they would contribute to a better world. 

Money is not always a bad thing. If someone worked hard to get it, played fair game, gave up many things on the way,  isn't that money well deserved? Are we all capable of this? No, otherwise we'd all be wealthy! And we could be! Every one of us have the potential to be successful, to live our dreams and in reality live the life we're craving for! But it takes courage, faith, lots of optimism and positive attitude to get there. In real life, most of the people want to be rich, but they wouldn't do a thing for it. They would just sit in the couch, full of envy and disrespect the people who actually deserve everything they own.

I learned a lot about money. A lot about people with money. How valuable money is. And how full of values wealthy person have to be, in order to even deserve all the wealth. It's the person who makes the money valuable. Money will never come to people who are not grateful for the things they already have. Because if you're not happy with what you have, you don't deserve anything better. If I want money? I want success and recognition. I want to be a good person, the best version of myself and make the world a better place. If the money will come along, I definitely won't mind. In the end it's all about what you deserve and how much YOU actually value!

"The key to happiness is having dreams. The key to success is making your dreams come true."