Category: Writings

We Are Superheros

On By ambertravelingIn Asia, Backpacking, Pretty Places, Spirituality, WritingsLeave a comment

I’m facilitating a writing group called “Manifesting your Dreams.” I create the prompts as well as respond to them. Here is my response to the second prompt.

Writing Prompt: If you could have any superpower, what would it be? How can you take reality and twist it to make your superpower real? 

Once I had a dream where I was flying. I had a broomstick, I was Harry Potter, and I was exploring the airspace of Hogwarts. A few months ago, I had a vision that I levitated out of my body, and rose above myself, and looked down at everything. To me flying represents freedom, infinite power, endless opportunity, travel. But I feel that I already have access to these things, depending on my state of mind, so I am not choosing this superpower.

Instead, I imagine an alternative to soothe my adventurous spirit: I want to know every language in the world, instantly, without thinking.

This would make travel much more interesting. Imagine being able to communicate effortlessly and fluently with any person on the planet.

I’d ask the Mongolian sheep herders if they believed in God.

I’d learn the intricacies of the traditional Tibetan burial.

I’d go to Indian weddings, dressed in saris of dark marroon, and dance until the sun rose red in the sky.

I dreamed about this superpower a few months ago. But now I realize I already have it!

While the subtleties of relaying information may be lost, I can still get across the basic messages of life to anyone, regardless of language barriers. With a high five, a gift, a song, a magic trick, a dance, a wave, a smile.

Infinity lives within me, when I notice it. Or even when I don’t, its always there.

Motorbiking Vietnam: Losing Myself

On By ambertravelingIn Asia, Backpacking, Pretty Places, Spirituality, WritingsLeave a comment
 I’m searching for those moments when I lose myself. When I stop thinking. When my brain shuts off. When I just notice what is around me.I’m zooming around on my rented motorbike, observing the mountains outside of Bac Ha, a tiny town in northern Vietnam. The rice paddies stretch around me like layers of a cake. The contrast between the bright blue clear sky and the endless expanse of green makes me take a deep breath of gratitude.

Behind me, another motorbike zips round the curves of the mountainside. My friend Niko is driving, with Tessa on the back. Tessa is a dear friend from childhood who is doing a Southeast Asia loop with me. We just met Niko The Crazy German at a hostel in Hoi An and have been traveling with him for a few weeks. In the mornings, Niko and I head to the roof of our cheap hotel for exercise: he is teaching me boxing, and I am showing him yoga. All three of us are artists and musicians, and we often sing and draw together.

Over the din of my motorbike I can just barely hear Niko from his scooter belting out our favorite song, a catchy hip-hop song perfect for easy harmonies. Despite the breeze, it’s excruciatingly hot, and my sweaty shirt sticks to me.

Thanks to WeSaidGoTravel for publishing my work. To read the full story, visit wesaidgotravel.com/motorbiking-vietnam-losing

Manifesting Your Dreams

On By ambertravelingIn Pretty Places, Spirituality, Writings1 Comment

I’m facilitating a writing group called “Manifesting your Dreams.” I create the prompts as well as respond to them. Here is my response to the second prompt.

Writing Prompt: What goals do you have for the next hour? Today? Next week? Next year? Next 10 years? Your life? How will you feel if you accomplish all of your goals? How will you feel if everything changes and you accomplish none of them?

In the next hour I plan to flow, flow, flow. In a few hours I’ll drive my grandma’s clunky old car to my friend’s house, but until then I will do what I feel like. I have some vague goals, such as cooking a yummy lunch and cleaning my room, but in no way am I rushing around to do anything. After traveling for 28 months, I’m so happy to be grounded.

I just went on a run at the beach, did yoga on the sand, doing headstands while admiring the sun glistening off the water and watching the surfers.

I’m home again, and loving life in California. Everything is synchronicity. Living in California where the weather is near perfect every day definitely contributes to my happiness! It would be interesting to see how I feel in a colder climate.

Today, I will collect some lemons and limes from various trees of friends so I can incorporate them into my cleanse. This month I am doing a cleanse with no gluten, no animal products, no alcohol, no added sugar, and no caffeine. I feel great! Next week I plan to do a 24 hour water fast, with no computer or talking. Maybe my voice will come back!

This week I plan to relax as much as possible, and mentally prepare myself to start writing my book. I’m working on some articles for WeSaidGoTravel. I want to make a big calendar with goals on it. I have a creative a space in my living room set up already.

Usually I go to some kind of evening activity, such as meditation, yoga, ultimate frisbee, or swing dancing.

In the next year, I want to write my book, earn a little money, and see my sister in Washington DC. In September my plan is to go back to the Philippines to volunteer for a few months, and then head to Japan to start a 1-year teaching English contract with the JET program. If I’m not accepted into the JET program, I might stick around for Christmas in California again, not sure – but I will head to Japan at some point and to find a job as a teacher. I also go into detail about this on my Bucket List.

All these plans are not set in stone, I’m open to flexibility and new things, nothing is booked. I’m footloose and fancy free, as they say!

I envision my 20’s being all about me, learning and developing my skills, helping others but mostly on improving myself. This means teaching, working for nonprofits, spending time with family and friends, doing what I want, but primarily focusing on Self Love!! No reservations or judgments, I love myself completely.

My 30’s I can see myself starting a non-profit, or going to work for another one. I have a vision of starting a project involving kids, music, and art, like a free community center. It will also offer classes in finance and English, and other practical skills. I might start in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, since I know the place already. My friend suggested I have a base in Australia. Or its possible I will do something with the homeless people in the USA, which is a huge problem in my hometown.

After that, from age 40 to 99, or 115, I want to have a family and continue to help with my nonprofits, but mostly focus on my kids and my family. I think I want to be based in California, close to my parents, but have some other places where I can stay in Asia, like in the Philippines and Indonesia.

It’s a lot of pressure that I put on myself to do these things, and I have to keep reminding myself that if it doesn’t happen that I will still love myself unconditionally. It’s a struggle to balance my drive and my determination with complete acceptance of myself and all my faults and mistakes!

Regardless of my 23 year old mind fighting with my infinite soul, I have a vision of myself on my deathbed. I’m about to die, and I look back at my life with satisfaction and gratitude, knowing that I did my best and made a difference to the world. Most importantly I will look back and smile, knowing that I learned how to love myself fully.