Taking a journey to a new and far away place is not easy for anyone. But some people never give themselves the freedom to spread their wings and fly.

The first time I opened my wings to a foreign land, it was 2014 and I went to Mexico. I had been working for an Insurance Broker in San Francisco, California, but was beginning to feel stagnant. I had a conversation with my boss at the time, and she told me that when she was my age she was in the middle of a divorce and that her parents had encouraged her to travel Europe for six months.

She never went.

She was now in her 50’s and it was still a life regret of hers.

She looked me in the eyes and told me that if I really want to quit my job and travel, that now is the best time to do it. I went back to my desk, typed up my resignation letter, researched for an apartment in Isla Mujeres on Craig’s List and bought a one way ticket to Cancun, Mexico.

Over the next few days I was in correspondance with a woman in Mexico regarding the furnished apartment I wanted to rent from her for what I thought would be three months. After consistently insisting that I wire her a large sum of money for the apartment before I get there, I began to have a few reservations in my mind on the legitimacy of the whole transaction. I asked around to friends for advise who also felt that it was likely a scam and that I shouldn’t send any money.

I kept with my mantra that most people are good, and I wired her the money she asked for.

A few weeks later I was saying goodbye to my friends and jumping on a plane to Cancun with my final destination being a small island off the coast of Cancun called Isla Mujeres.

When I arrived on the island of Isla Mueres, there was a man waiting for me with a cart. The woman I was renting the apartment from had sent him to meet me so he could show me to the apartment and hand me the keys. He put my luggage in his cart, and we began to walk. As we walked to the apartment he pointed out several places to eat and drink, and told me which beaches were the best beaches on the whole island.

He showed me to the apartment and when he opened the door, it was exactly as it had appeared in the photos. I was extreamly relieved. The guy handed me the keys, and told me about a blues bar down the street that I was supposed to go to if I wanted to get a job. He said the woman who owned my apartment also owned two bars on the island and would put me to work if I thought I might want to extend my stay past 3 months.

I dropped my bags and headed over to the blues bar. I met a man who seemed to be managing it and told him my name was Sarah and that I had been told to come see him. He introduced himself as Mario, and then he gave me 40 pesos and asked me to run to the tienda to get some limes. I had just started my first job in Mexico.

Over the next several months I built many valuable relationships with both locals and tourists on that paradise island, and eventually left the island to explore other parts of Mexico. I traveled by bus from Cancun, Quintana Roo to Merida, Yucatan and back. Then I flew to Villahermosa, Tabasco and took a bus to Tuxtia Gutererrez, Chiapas. I spent several days visiting different Mayan ruins, learning about the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, and hearing and seeing howling monkey’s. After about a week and a half there I took a bus to Oaxaca, Oaxaca and met an amazing couple who eventually took me into their home so that I could stay as long as I wanted without having to pay for a hostel. I fell in love with Oaxaca (and mezcal) and stayed for about two weeks. As my funds began to dwindle, I bought a ticket from Mexico City to San Francisco and promised myself I’d somehow make it to Mexico City before heading home, and I did. It was a very long bus ride, but after arriving in Mexico City I had about six days to explore Mexico City before my flight home.

All along the way I made friends and met people who were more than willing to give me advise on places to see, eat, drink, and dance the night away. I met people who provided me valuable knowledge to keep my journey going by providing me information on how to travel though Mexico most cost effectively. I even met people who took me into their homes and graciously fed me some of their favorite traditional (and non traditional) meals; and for all of that, I am forever thankful.

Despite what the media tells us, and what some people in our government try to feed us; Mexico is an amazing country with a beautiful culture and filled with absolutely kind and generous people.

By the time I returned back to San Francisco, I had been gone for 13 months and taken two trips out of Mexico to get my passport stamped. Through all of that time I felt welcome and comfortable around the native people.

I returned back to San Francisco with next to nothing, and so I began another journey, this time in my home city, of putting my life back together.