Leaving Everything Behind: A Story of Survival and Strength

Shortly before this journey, my pet passed away. It was yet another loss added to everything I had already been carrying. Then my romantic relationship ended, and I felt like my life was falling apart like a domino effect. When something falls, it drags everything that was barely holding up. That’s how I felt: fragile, but still standing.

I decided to travel to northern Chile hoping to start over… although, honestly, I did it with more doubts than certainties. I carried my suitcase, yes, but I also brought fear, sadness, and many questions. The trip itself was a difficult experience: I went through places that didn’t make me feel safe. At one point, I thought the person guiding us was part of a gang. We crossed mined areas and climbed sand mountains that seemed endless. Giant, silent dunes that make you feel like you’re far from everything, even from yourself.

Each step was heavier than the last. My feet hurt, my back hurt, my soul hurt. I remember thinking my feet were so swollen they looked like Hulk’s. But finally, after all that exhaustion, I saw Alto Hospicio in the distance. And then I breathed.

It wasn’t a glamorous arrival, but it was a deep relief. Because I no longer had to ask myself, “When will this end?” or “When will I arrive?” I was there. Tired, battered inside, but there.

And then, the beautiful part: after five years without seeing them, I hugged my parents. That moment was worth every painful step. It was a small moment of peace amid so many days of uncertainty.

The hard part, however, didn’t end with my arrival. Finding work has been complicated. Trying to be legal, adapting to a new city, understanding how everything works from scratch… that’s tiring too, but in a different way. It’s no longer the body; it’s the mind that gets exhausted. But here I am.

Did I cry? Yes. Did I doubt? Many times. Was I scared? Every day.

But I also laughed. Because despite everything, I’m alive. And even though I don’t have everything figured out, I have something they can’t take away from me: the courage to start.

Sometimes, life isn’t about having everything clear. Sometimes, it’s about taking a step with your heart beating fast. Despite the fear. Despite the past.

And you, reading this…

Would you dare to leave it all behind and start from scratch?