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Anthony Bourdain once said "Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life and travel leaves marks on you." When you dare to change your own world, you may find a new version of your own self. That is exactly what happens whenever you travel to a new place, whether it is a small or long trip. It does not matter if your way of getting there is on a plane, car or train. The only important thing is that you’re brave enough to go. This first happened to me, three years ago, when I went on an exchange to Canada. I was only 16 years old back then and had never experienced a solo trip and had never spent so much time abroad. Anxiety attacks related to the trip were starting to seem normal as the day of my flight approached. I have been told, for many travel lovers that going on an adventure could be thrilling and scary at the same time, and to me, that was the way I should feel about my entire life. The time spent on four planes helped me realize that the fact that I was not born or raised in Victoria, did not matter. This city located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island allowed me to be free and to recreate who I was in the eyes of others. The perks of going away to a place where there is not anyone you are familiar with are undeniable. As a first big trip, the unique feeling of being introduced to a new culture hit me hard. I found myself questioning if I would be able to adapt to some random place that was not very similar to my hometown, or any other place in the whole world. But perhaps, this question in my head would not be answered for a while. But as time went on, days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. It turns out that I was tough enough to camp, play rugby, and do things I never got the chance to experience in Brazil. Also, I had the chance to get to know a stranger that suddenly became one of my best friends, which would ultimately change my perspective of my exchange. I was invited to a party, and to jump into a freezing lake on a hot day. Also, to go tubing and skinnydipping. I got to see snow for the first time and to travel to Montreal, Vancouver, Quebéc, Ottawa and many other cities across Canada by train. I learned a lot. Bears and tall trees seemed familiar and now I had friends from across the world. When I fell in love with the excitement that it came with all these moments, I found myself forgetting how life used to be before this trip. I was so sure the world was only the neighborhood I grew up in. The idea of the life I had imagined to myself had been outgrown. I find out that when you truly let yourself wander around the world, you can end up in many places you never thought you would. You can grow much more than you ever thought you could. And finally, it was time to go back again to the same airport where I landed with so many expectations, months before. I have not been to many places in my life, but after Canada, I could not stop there. After all, I could have never seen all of that coming. The people I met, the sights I saw and the singular moments I had, will stay with me for the rest of my life.