1 month before Costa Rica!*

"Follow the tugs in your heart. I think that everyone gets these gentle urges and should listen to them. Even if they sound absolutely insane, they may be worth going for." -Victoria Moran

Since I can remember I have always dreamed of living in a big city. I moved to Chicago barely a month after I graduated college in August 2012 to start a new life, job, and adventure. I knew that my first job wouldn't be my dream job but going from Criminal Justice to Logistics was quite the 360 change. In the 6 months that I have lived in the city and have embarked on this new life, I have learned so much about myself. 

With that said, a few shorts weeks ago I made the decision to volunteer abroad in Costa Rica. This decision, I know shocked my family and friends. It also shocked something inside of me. For the first time, in a long time I finally feel alive. I feel like this is something that I not only want to do but need to do. 

As I've grown up my family has always inspired me to do things that are out of my comfort zone and to do things that I am passionate about. The support from my family members is something I am forever grateful for. Their support has made me feel like this really is the right decision for me. 

There has only been one other time that I really felt like I needed to do something that was this...drastic.  That was picking up and moving to Chicago after getting offered a job that required me to start work the very next week. I knew in that moment that Chicago is where I needed to be and that I was going to go out in to the world and really do something for myself. Chicago has been one of the best decisions I have made thus far. I can finally say that this is my home. 

So why leave it all? 

You are only young for a short time. There are very few windows of opportunity for someone to go out in to the world and make a difference. This is what I want my life to be about. I want to go out in to the world and make a difference in people's lives, I want to experience a different culture than my own. I want to understand other people so that I can better understand myself. As I prepare for my journey to Costa Rica, I feel more and more confident as the days pass that this is exactly what I need to be doing at this point in my life. 

So thank you for those who plan to follow me on this journey..