99 days of freedom.

Anyone who writes, whether it’s for pleasure or for sport, knows that when an electric strike of genius hits you and ignites the creative spark in your brain, the continuous flow of words is just unstoppable.

My brain has just been hit by this electric strike.

For days now I have been pacing back and forth in my head on the idea of writing about something that I feel strongly about. I had become so frustrated with the fact that my 30-day writing challenge was turning into more of like a 38-day challenge that I gave up on the idea altogether. I knew that I had plenty of ideas and concepts that I felt strongly about, but each time I would try to put that thought into words I just wasn’t happy with the outcome. It felt like I was forcing myself into inspiration and each idea sounded to me like it was too preachy. After writing and deleting a post so many times in a row, you just accept the fact that it’s time to temporarily throw in the towel.

Then today happened. Wednesday, July 9, 2014. A majestic day that seemed relatively ordinary when I woke up this morning, little did I know that so much creativity would blossom from a simple decision that I was destined to make later in the day!

Like any other person who participates in the innovations of the modern world, I kept the first half of my day constantly occupied with Facebook. When I was eating lunch with my family, Facebooking. Sitting at a red light? Not the safest, but yes, Facebooking. Killing some down time at work? Facebooking. As unhealthy as that sounds, if I would have chosen not to login to my account today I would have never discovered the article that gave me the inspiration to let my chubby little fingers go crazy on the keyboard.

I stumbled upon an article that was shared on Facebook by a local newspaper. The picture tagged with the article was what caught my attention. In big letters it read, “99 days of freedom.” Being the curious camper that I am I clicked the article and started to read into it. The first line said, “Do you ever wonder what life is like without Facebook?”

That line right there, only ten words, got me hook, line and sinker. What would life be like without Facebook? Growing up my generation has seen much of the technological advances of our time. When I was 13 years old, it felt like my whole life had changed when I got a Nokia cell phone from my parents for Christmas. No touch screen; no color screen for that matter, no apps, no music…no entertainment what so ever. I did have Snake, the game where a line basically moves around the screen until one end touches the other. It might sound silly now but that game could have kept me occupied for hours, almost like what Facebook is to people in the present day.

When I was sixteen social networking became “the thing.” MySpace, which is like the bastard child of social networking sites today, was all the rage. You just had to have one. From that point social networking took off, bringing us to where we are today. Mr.Zuckerberg had the right idea of keeping it simple yet sophisticated enough to attract people to his site and away from the competitors.

This year Facebook has had a couple of controversial stories in the press causing the public to feel like they couldn’t trust Facebook as much as they thought. With all the built up frustration the people took matters into their own hands, which is when “99 Days Of Freedom” was created. Their site reads:

In response to Facebook’s controversial mood experiment involving some 700,000 unwitting users, we present you 99 Days of Freedom; an online study on how life without Facebook impacts user happiness. Joining is very simple: follow our three-step instruction to join the experiment for as long as you like…

Step 1. Change your profile picture.

Step 2. Share your last link (at least for now).

Step 3. Don’t use Facebook for 99 days.

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So, I just did it. I accepted the challenge.

I followed steps one, two and three and said sayonara to Facebook for the next 99 days. Why?

Because in that moment, I found something that I truly felt strongly about.

After all, that was what the whole point of posting about something like this was all about. Everyone around me, my family, my friends, my co-workers all use Facebook. The site has brought wonderful communication opportunities to our world, but is it doing more harm than good these days?

I’ve been taking a social problems college class over the Summer, which is most likely why this sparked so much interest in me. In the class we are taught that there are 4 stages to a social problem being created.

One, is the beginning. The origin of a problem immersing itself from social networking. We’ve seen these problems in the form of cyberbullying, internet addiction, depression, etc. Stage two is the official response. 99 Days Of Freedom is a perfect example of this, they’re reacting to growing pressure over the uncovering of Facebook’s controversial mood experiment. Stage three is reacting to the response or taking sides. That’s where I come in! I’ve chosen to side with 99DOF by removing myself from participating in any activity on Facebook for the next 99 days. And stage four, alternative strategies. This stage hasn’t blatantly shown itself yet, but it will happen in the future. The controversy will continue and new strategies will develop to overcome the opposition of social networking.

It could just be me, but doesn’t it seem like Facebook is slowly becoming a social problem?

I am incredibly excited to see what a difference it makes in my life, if any at all, being without Facebook. While completing my challenge I will happily be sharing my activity on Instagram and Twitter to spread the word of 99DOF and how it is effecting me on a daily basis.

Just on a side bar, I know it might seem hypocritical to quit using one site and continue posting on others, but in my personal opinion I do not use any other social media outlet more than I do Facebook.

Human beings survived perfectly fine before having the luxury of knowing what every person you know is up to every single day. So why can’t we live without it now?

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If you want to take the challenge or even just read more about the cause I’ve posted links to their website and a couple of online articles below:

Website: http://99daysoffreedom.com/

Articles:

Time Magazine: http://time.com/2969873/99-days-of-freedom-facebook-experiment/

USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/07/08/facebook-99-days-quit/12359699/

Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/99-days-of-freedom-2014-7?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+businessinsider+(Business+Insider)

 

I left my heart in the waves.

There is a certain type of happiness that comes with cruising into the open ocean. You are given the opportunity to see and experience things that those who are settled on land would never have the chance to come by. Thankfully cruise lines have made the impossible possible by allowing us to board these massive ships that can cut through rough waves like a butter knife. All the while we are blissfully unaware of the depths that lie below us as we take in the endless stretch of sea and the incredible scenery. It really is quite amazing.

Eight days of warm breeze and salty air. I parted ways with the mainland from Miami, waving goodbye to the cluster of commercial buildings and sports arenas and set my sights on the adventure that waited ahead. We had two full days at sea before we arrived into port at St. Maarten in the Virgin Islands; I was completely fine with that.

Luckily we had been given the privilege of having a balcony view room aboard the ship. As we cruised over hundreds of miles of ocean I was able to drink it all in from the comfort of my own room. Surpassing miles of deep blue sea, we were lucky enough to see a pack of wild dolphins swim from underneath the ship, jumping up for air as the swam further and further away into the distance. The following day in the middle of the deep, blue ocean a sea turtle was swimming all by itself. It was large enough to see from the top of the ship.

These incredible experiences were just as we were out in the open, I couldn’t have imagined what we had in store for the rest of the trip. We arrived in St. Maarten early in the day and immediately started our venture about the island. We decided to jump in with a local tour guide to show us the hot spots of the island. Everyone was smiling and so friendly, I was unable to understand how I had never heard of such a place before. Interestingly enough St. Maarten was divided into two different sides of ownership, French and Dutch. He brought us to one place in particular, a tourist attraction for the most part but still quite unique. Sunset Beach it was called, stretching over a short piece of land. From one end to the other you could see hundreds of people, some from the cruise ships and others who were from the island locally. All crowded at the back of the beach where the international airports landing strip stood across the street. I was standing on the beach when my Mom pointed out something in the sky, a 747 jetliner headed what seemed to be straight for us. As it flew over my head I felt like I could have touched the underbelly of the plane with my bare fingertips. It was starting to come to me, the reason why this beach was so crowded for being so little. Tourists and natives alike would all come to Sunset Beach during specific times of the day when the planes would be scheduled to take off from the island. Because the jet power was spewing out towards the beach, people would grab onto the fence and hold on for dear life as the jet engines blasted them with hundred mile an hour winds from the take-off. I watched people hanging by only their fingertips. Hats flew into the sand, papers glided to the shore and one man had even unfortunately been blasted right into the street and left with mild cuts and bruises.

Aside from the mans minor injury, it was a great experience. I had never seen such an attraction or that many locals who participated in it for that matter. St. Maarten was absolutely beautiful and I only wish that we could have had just a little more time to explore the island.

I laid my head down for much needed rest after spending a day of exploring the unknown in 85% humidity and 90 degree heat. The ship swayed a bit as a drifted into dream land from the choppiness of the ocean, it actually helped me fall asleep. Before I knew it we woke up the next morning to our next destination, St. Kitts. This place, this journey had the greatest impact on me by far. From the moment we set foot off of the boat, people were singing and dancing and the harmonious music of the islands was playing. We decided to take the same route as the day before, seeking a personal tour guide, now knowing what we could expect. A kind gentleman, Patrick was his name, blew our last tour guide out of the water. Considering the fact I can remember him by name and none of the others from the rest of the trip should be proof in it of itself that he was indeed “that good.”

We stepped into a nice, air conditioned van that was in much better condition than the last. Right off of the bat every place that meant something in some way, to Patrick or to the island in general, he would tell us in depth facts and history about. It was just phenomenal.

I’m a factoid, any kind of quirky information about a destination that I have never visited before I’m all ears to. Even on the way to our various tour stops Patrick picked up his wife to join us. For whatever reason this made me feel like I was at home here, being able to just relax and make conversation with himself and his wife made the tour that much more enticing. Patrick and his wife first brought us to a beautiful rainforest. The area was compiled of lush, green plants and had a small creek that ran all the way to the bottom. A little bit of a strenuous hike, but well worth the effort, Patrick took us past the boundary point that yielded an enormous “DO NOT ENTER” sign. I knew there was not any serious danger ahead and I admired the fact that he was pushing the limits to really give us a one of a kind experience during our short visit. We ended up at start of the creek which had a magical, almost fairy-tale like waterfall cascading over a cluster of stones. There was no sound coming from cars hustling through traffic, no sound from cell-phones, TV’s or computer, no outside world there to disturb the peace. Everything was just calm and perfect, oh so perfect.

I felt as though I had to drag myself away, snapping last second photos before I climbed back into the van. I smiled as I looked out the window at what I had just experienced. The adrenaline from the excitement of venturing into the unknown was coursing through my veins like electricity. I wanted more, I needed more. Boy did Patrick deliver.

We drove up to a small round about that had a small building standing in front of it. When I stepped out of the car I could barely see any further than the entrance because it was so consumed in the palm trees planted around the premises. It was a small structure used for a waiting area and a beach bar. We had then arrived to a beach with the most unbelievable view, South Friars Bay. Mountains were scattered all across the landscape and the water was such a clear, crystal blue you could see fifty feet below.

Now I have been to some beaches in my time on this earth so far and few will ever compare to how breathtaking South Friars Bay was. The water was cool on my skin from lying down in the summer heat but settled into the ideal warm temperature as I swayed back and fourth in the surf. My sisters and I decided to explore what was down at the end of the beach. It looked like some type of shack in the distance, far enough where you felt you had to squint your eyes. Only a short walk down the edge of the shore later we arrived at our destination. This was not just any little shack, this was The Shipwreck Beach Bar. Filled with mostly locals, everyone was smiling and laughing as they socialized along the bar. Families that were from around the area and staying on the island were seated at the picnic tables that had the perfect place to take in the view. We ordered various items on the menu to taste and share each others selections and the BBQ Chicken Platter was delectable. Our waitress handed me a generous portion of poultry glazed over with a tangy island style BBQ sauce which was complimented by the most authentic rice and beans I have ever tasted and a delicious spread of sweet plantains.

 

Patrick had arrived at the entrance of the beach to take us back to the mother-ship. It felt as though my Mom had to yank me out of my seat I was so comfortable.  The island music, the food and the hospitality made me never want to leave. Even though I could have spent the rest of the day talking with the regulars and natives and just enjoying the place I was in, I knew it was time to go.

St. Kitts is just another example of a place in the world that will have a place in my heart forever. A place I know my heart will visit again once more. That is the romance in travel.

After leaving the Virgin Islands we then traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico where we swung from tree branch to tree branch zip-lining through the rainforest. Although a it was little more commercial and less authentic, it was still such a great time. San Juan had given us a friendly welcome and a humble goodbye as we started towards our last destination of the cruise Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.

There we took a family snorkeling trip that ended with a personal encounter with the native stingrays. Because I was one of the first in our group of almost thirty people, I took the time left in the voyage to explore the small island we had anchored at. I could see swirling up the hill was a faint hiking trail that disappeared over the top. Curious at what it’s end looked like I grabbed my sandals and headed onward. I reached the top and could begin to see what awaited over the hill, a breathtaking scenery of waves crashing into side of the island. I walked closer and found small holes in the rock filled with sea water and strange looking sea creatures. It was so untouched by man, aside from the litter that had washed up, which made it that much more euphoric to take in. I was walking on the side of the island that no one cared to see and strolling around there by my lonesome was one of the most peaceful points I have ever had in my life.

 

This trip was an eye-opener to say the least. I learned a little more about my family and bonded with them on different levels than I had before, more importantly I learned quite a bit about myself. Coming home to the real world I felt like I need to fulfill my life and my soul with more care and effort. I needed to stop worrying so much and care about taking care of myself more. This trip has saved my life in a small but such a significant way.

I encourage you to see these places now that you’ve read about them. Do not limit yourself to staying in one place and feeling safe. There is a different kind of beauty you gain when experiencing the unknown.

Pinterest epiphany.

“A ship is always safe at shore, but that is not what it’s built for.”

     ~ Albert Einstein

As I was wandering through the various categories of Pinterest I stumbled upon this collection of words. A beautiful quote that spoke to me in such a way that I had to share it. 

In the past two weeks I began to take another swing at schooling. I decided on one class that would not overwhelm me over the Summer and would allow me to do a little traveling without it affecting too much of my grade. Titled, “Intro to Hospitality,” I thought it was ideal considering the fact that it is indeed my choice of major and I will eventually need to take the course to earn my degree.

Day One I was hooked. Clinging onto every word that was being projected from my professor’s vocal chords. He went into detail about the amount of opportunity that lies ahead and drilled into the fact that we have so much room to experiment and grow within this career field and we should be taking advantage of any experience made available to us.

This is the first time in a long while that I have felt genuinely motivated to get moving and venture onto the path towards my dream career. That is what this class has done for me, it has encouraged me to take my ship away from the shore. 

Such a funny thing life can be. We can become so consumed in the madness that we forget to really live. Well, I want to live. I want to be able to lying there and just go through my mental photographs of all the breathtaking places I’ve been. Meeting people from all over the world and experiencing their cultures. Tasting food that I cannot pronounce the name of and jumping of rugged cliffs into crystal clear sea water. This is what I want for my life, this is what I will have. 

“A ship is always safe at shore, but that is not what it’s built for.” Let that sink into your soul. Where is it that you have wanted to go? Not even in the aspect of travel, but in life. Did you come to the fork in the road and choose the safer route? If being alive for twenty-two years has taught me anything of real value so far it is that it is never too late to start over and tomorrow is never a guarantee. 

There is just some sort of fulfillment missing within my own life that seems to only be restored through travel. An unfamiliar place that will allow me to not only explore the surrounding area but also allow me to explore within myself. 

Thankfully this coming Saturday I will be traveling off to yet another area of the world that I have never seen before. A cruise is seen by most as a great vacation opportunity, for me it is nothing but a blessing and a curse. A blessing in the sense that I will be able to yet again visit a place I have never been to before. The curse? The curse is that by going onto this trip and seeing what these lavish, tropical locations have to offer will only further my mind into a wanderlust induced coma where I lose all sense of everyday life all together. It is a love that will never cease to grow and it is the passion that will one day lead me into a career that most can only dream of. 

One day, I’ll get there.