We won the lottery and we didn’t tell anyone!

That’s right, this is what many of our close friends, colleagues, followers on Instagram, Facebook and some family think of us. And how can they not think this? Of course, they can think this because it’s already six months of experiences around the world that many have had the opportunity to follow through social networks where we try to share our adventure with photos and stories of everyday life, full of countless experiences, new friends, places, meals, etc. All and many more things that we have enjoyed since May 20, 2019; that day 20 where we were scared on a plane, sad to leave our families for a long time, but at the same time excited to experience in our own flesh what we dreamed about and what we prepared for well in advance. Anyway, the answer is NO, we did not win the lottery and this post is to share a bit of how we got here and why we made this decision. Some may feel identified and partly inspired, perhaps others will not, either way, we are happy and happiness is also for sharing.

We are a couple both over 30 years of age (Santi 35 and Ingrid 33) and with many common interests. We are two immigrants that have lived in the United States and come from humble and working families and where we both went a long way to get our University degrees with a lot of effort. On the other hand, we have worked since we were 17 years old and it was there both at work where we met many years ago and where without realizing it, we have been preparing little by little with decisions that today bring us here. Finally, it is worth mentioning that we also have our families that have always supported us in each of our decisions that, however crazy they may seem, we agree that when happiness is sought, we must always move forward. Yes, we are two ordinary people and here we are.

What if I leave everything to travel for a while? There were many days that this question passed through our heads, that question that the majority ask yourselves at some point in your lives, a question full of hope, but at the same time full of fear. How can I afford it? How am I going to do it? So you tell yourself you can’t, fears and more fears. One of the key factors is being able to afford it. Of course, it is the financial aspect that prevents many from making a decision of this magnitude. We are not the exception, there were many discussions and we put on the table the pros and cons to achieve this trip and there were also many times that financial matters also filled us with fears, but this did not stop us and in the end we understood that the most important thing is to make the decision. – “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” – Paulo Coelho.

Society on the other hand seems to want to impose the steps of our lives and we must be very careful. You are 22 years old, where is your university degree? You are 30 years old, have you gotten married yet? You are 35 years old, where is your house and your children? etc. It is these questions that in one way or another also stop us or fill us with fears when trying to make a different decision from what society expects. This cannot be an obstacle because you have to understand that we all have different priorities and that in the end you are the only one responsible for choosing what makes you happy.

It is clear that we did not win the lottery and much less that we are millionaires to have been able to do something like this. But how could we afford to do it then? Without going into much detail because we want to write another post regarding this, the response from us is the following: Working hard and organizing day-to-day priorities. In the United States it is common, for example, that each person has their own car. Three years ago we asked ourselves if this was necessary and analyzing our situation, we realized that it was not. This decision helped us not only to save but it also became one less responsibility for us in the long run. Do I need the last cell phone that came out? Do I need that pair of shoes? Do I need that designer bag? Do I need to go to the most expensive places to have a good time? Do I need to travel with luxuries to enjoy the world? Do I need to do something every weekend? Our answer to these questions is NO. Maybe you’re reading this post and have different views and believe me, we respect that 100%, but for us this mentality is what has brought us here and that is also to be respected.

Did you leave your jobs? Yes, we did. Are you both crazy?? Are you not afraid? Yes, we are, but that won’t stop us. And why are we not afraid? Well, just think about what we already wrote above; we have been working since the age of 17 and we have come from struggling families who have come forward with a lot of effort so continuing to fight does not frighten us. Afraid to start over? No, we will still have to work the rest of our lives regardless, so why not take a break if we are not affecting anyone. In the end there are many who choose to buy a house or cars, have children, or live a life full of material things. It is worth clarifying once again that we respect this 100% since from our personal point of view these decisions also require a lot of courage and financial effort. These are the same decisions that we may not have taken yet, but we are aware that the time will come. In short, we are all people who fight every day, people with different life projects and people who make great decisions without sometimes measuring the magnitude of what we are capable of. Apparently, we all have more in common than we think, and in the end, it seems that we all won the lottery and we have not told anyone!

Remember to follow us in Instagram & Facebook for more on our travels around the world! @everywhereabroad