1. Change is normal.
Moving from place to place comes with a lot of constant changes. I became used to uncertainty and starting over. Change doesn't scare me as much as it does other people. Change is a part of life, and learning to be okay with change helped me adapt quicker to different environments.
2. Family is important.
When you move around a lot, people come in and out of your life like passing clouds on a windy day. There are family members that are consistent in your life, even when you live a life full of instabilities. Most people didn't get to see me grow up and witness different things I had to go through, but my family did, especially my sister; we know each other better than we know ourselves. She’s my best friend.
3. The good friends stay.
I've had countless friends and have met many different people in the various places I've lived, but only a handful of them stay in your life. People change. Don't undervalue a lifelong friendship that for people like me has always been rare. Although, it is good to know who will be in your life no matter what. Those are the friends that I’ll always be there for, regardless of any distance.
4. There are different realities other than your own.
I have lived in highly developed suburbs, in small unknown towns, in the middle of a busy city, and in a third world country. I was exposed to a lot of people with different educational backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, cultures, etc. Witnessing firsthand different realities that people live with is eye-opening and gives you a better understanding of the world. I became more aware and open-minded.
5. Nothing lasts forever.
I discredit permanence. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, so I don’t trust that things can be permanent. It’s hard for me to accept the word “forever.” This has been a good thing, because I cope well with loss. I don’t get hurt when someone doesn't want to be my friend; I don’t fear searching for a new job; I don't mind packing my stuff up and leaving. I learned to make the most of what I have at the moment, because tomorrow it may be gone..
6. Home isn't just a place
“Where are you from?” is the hardest question to always answer. I always went with Costa Rica, just because that’s where my parents were born and raised and well, they raised me. Moving around a lot, my home was never a place, but the people. My family made it my home, not my house.
7. Wanderlust is real.
I have acquired an extreme form of wanderlust. There will always be a place I haven't seen and types of people I haven’t met, and I know that from a lifetime of travel. I want to see more and I want to do more. My thirst for something new isn’t easily quenched. I like to read a lot, and I love to learn. I enjoy talking to people and hearing their stories. My mind is always wandering because it’s a part of who I am8. Material things have no value.
I lost so many things while moving around. Sometimes I even left things because I couldn't take them all with me. I learned that material things really aren't that important. You come to appreciate the things you get real, genuine use out of and things that remind you of happy memories versus things that are just taking up space. For me, things that are priceless are generally intangible.
9. Don't settle.
If there is one thing we have control over, it’s our own lives; our own happiness. Don't settle for anything less than what you deserve. If you aren't happy with something, take action and move on. I learned to be driven and always pursue my aspirations, however difficult it is, or wherever it may lead me to. I will always be looking for what's next.
