Adventures Await!

My name is Tally. The story that truly resonates with me and inspires me each day is an adventure that my friend, Frank, experienced and shared a few years ago. Frank, who was around nineteen at the time, had taken a gap year after his freshman year at Yale. During that gap year, he travelled the world and experienced new cultures, environments, and people. He went to many different countries and continents, with his focus being located in Asia, specifically the China area. Now, this might seem like a typical gap year: a whole year spent simply on traveling the world, a vacation for a year year as some might view it. However, Frank is an adventurer. He likes taking risks, being different, and exploring. He brought these characteristics with him on his trip. Instead of going sightseeing whilst  in the laps of luxury, with comfortable beds and room service, he decided to take it a step further. He put a budget on his trip. He spent the year with only $5000 dollars to spend for his food, travel and shelter. There were instances where his tight budget left him in difficult situations that forced him to swallow his pride in order to survive, allowing him to realize that the ways others, who are less fortunate, have to live on a daily basis. He encountered other difficulties a well, such as muggings, physical confrontations, and aggressive cops. In fact, the whole trip was based on him stepping out of his comfort zone, such as interacting with strangers who don't speak English and experiencing genuine Asian delicacies.

While many would view his trip as foolish and dangerous, I see it as inspiring. He had the courage to take the adventure, even though it’s outcome was unknown, and in the end, he believed it was all worth it. When he told the story, his face lit up as he remembered all of the experiences and connections he had and made. His story reminds me to step out of my comfort zone, no matter how drastic the idea or even may be, and it will most likely pay off in the end.