Whether I am stressed about completing assignments by the due date or stressed about what to do in the next two years after I graduate, time is something to be feared. I appreciated Cobra's perspective on time. Instead of focusing on time, focus on the energy you put into everything you do. Most times I’m focused on getting things finished. I rarely feel proud of what I did; just relieved that it is over. Using Cobra's perspective on time, I will commit what I am doing rather than worry about getting it completed.
Last week, when I was in Buenos Aires, I met a man who was staying at my hostel named J.C. He was traveling throughout South America. He told me about all the countries he’s traveled to and the ones he wants to go to next. I was amazed at all the places he’s been, which include the Caribbean Islands, Central and South America and Asia! My friends and I congratulated him on being so well-traveled. He told us that we were the ones worthy of praise for starting our journey so young. He told us that “traveling is the fastest way to gain wisdom without aging.” I reflected on the wisdom I've gained from traveling and living abroad. The challenges and strangeness I've encountered while traveling has changed my character. For example, I have become more patient since living in Brazil. One reason is that the language barrier forces you to take your time and choose your words carefully. It forces you to really pay attention to directions so that you don’t get lost. When you do get lost, which you will, you have to be patient and calm and just ride the bus to the last stop so you can take a bus all the way back home.
