Six years ago I had the opportunity to visit Brasil, a country whose people welcomed me with arms wide open and whose sounds, flavors and sights left me in amazement, hoping to return. That trip was spurred on by a challenge to become IronMan and a 3 month sebatical to travel between graduating College and starting my carreer. So what spurred on this trip to realize my hope of returning to Brasil? It started with a run of course! Chris and I met for a run during which he told me about his plans to travel the world for 16 months. It would be a dream come true, but at the time I did not believe I had the time and money.

Then, in September I was involved in a car accident, leaving my Subi and the Honda in a total loss. Thank Jesus no one was injured and that my friends were there to immediatley provide assistance after the Tornado’s Cross Country Relay. Wilmer and Whitney waited with me to file my report with the police and drive me back home. I was at fault and very pleased with how Allstate Insurance worked everything out. It was a freightening experience, leaving me a bit lost and confused. I decided against purchasing a car and relied on commuting by bicycle. I had always wanted to live in a city where I didn’t need a car, so this was my chance and I could save some money.

As the saying goes, I arrived at a fork in the road of my life. I am 28 years old. I assessd the many great experiences of my past, my present situation and my future. I could continue down this promising civil engineering carreer path and buy a house, move elsewhere to settle down, or seek higher education. Then I remember the conversation with Chris. I could save money for a trip of a lifetime! Holding a Professional Engineering license with a year’s experience, I felt comfortable putting my carreer on hold. This was a long thought process, which I shared with my sisters and friends. I had their support and felt confident in the idea to break the news to my parents and work.

I consider the Texas Ironman in May to be the prelude of my 1 maybe 2 year sebatical. I was glad my parents were on hand again but this time I was on home turf and had the added benefit of friends competing with me and friends lining the course. Finishing with a Personal Best seemed like a fitting way to take on the world and return to Brasil, which was waiting with arms wide open.