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“Be safe, be strong, be fearless, be great, be confident” ... words I would whisper to myself before I stepped onto the soccer field, from the age of seven. As I've gotten older I've come to realize that this simple expression, these power words, have given me drive throughout my life for various occasions, not just when I was strapping on my goalie gloves. The rush of a high dive save, makes my heart beat as rapidly as taking to the skies and flying in a plane. The pre-flight anxious excited nerves I feel rushing through my veins and in the pit of my stomach are the same as those making a game winning save. For some the idea of getting on a plane is terrifying, the lack of control, the tight claustrophobic seats of economy class, and the turbulent bumps here and there throughout the flight are major turn-offs. I on the other hand embrace the discomfort, squirming in my seat attempting to find a descent position, I instead focus my gaze out the window, looking at the wing of the plane watching the flaps rise and fall. When my feet are planted firmly on the ground, I look to the sky, I desire the rush of leaping to make a game winning save, I desire to fly and take on my next adventure. The sound of a passing plane makes me stop and wonder; are they returning, starting their journey, leaving home, or starting a new chapter in their life? Thousands of people travel each day, they all have a story, this is my travel story, my leap into the unknown. I remember it as if it were yesterday; ideal game day weather, crisp air, and a cloudless blue sky. I was walking across my university campus freshman year, stacks of brochures tucked under my arm, and excitement ran through me as I called my mom. “Hey so I’m going to Australia!” “Your soccer game is being played where?!” “No, no, no, I’m going to Australia to take a three-week photography course!” That day I made more leaps and bounds than just on the soccer field. The decision to travel across the world for the first time by myself has by far been the hardest decision I ever made, but one that changed the course of my life. Even though I had my doubts and fears, to this day I can say that trip started the mold for the individual I am today. The journey to Australia was a long one. A missed flight and being awake for three days straight was definitely not a smooth start to my traveling experience. I wasn’t discouraged. In fact, my passion for seeing the world has only grown stronger since then. In September, I’ll be turning thirty, a milestone age. Age is just a number, but according to some, thirty is not too young, not too old, a perfect crossroad to embrace life. So why not make it a golden number? My goal since returning home from Australia has been to set foot on all the continents at the age of thirty. This goal has held strong for over ten years and is soon becoming a reality as my travel plans to ring in 2021 embarking on an expedition ship to Antarctica are coming together. I’ve traveled around the United States, taken in the stars camping out, hiked the trails of National Parks, and took in the hustle and bustle of major cities. I’ve hiked the Inca Trail and walked the Great Wall of China. I was chocked up at the sight of a majestic leopard leaping up from behind a dirt mound. I’ve uncovered a perfume bottle during an archeological dig in Italy. I’ve explored my parents’ homelands in Portugal. My travels have humbled me, inspired me, and shaped me into the adventurer I am today. The composition of my self-portrait was first composed taking that leap, photographing the edge of the Outback, and learning I want to fly.