My Experience In Spanish Immersion

One of my main focuses while traveling in Latin America is to become more or less conversationally fluent in Spanish before leaving.

As part of my plans, I have been enrolling myself in Spanish immersion programs in the countries I am visiting which have included Peru and Chile and will include Argentina, Uruguay, Columbia, Panama, Guatemala and finally Mexico before making my way back into the States. But here is what my experience has been so far

My first experience of Spanish Immersion happened in town called Arequipa Peru at the Llama Spanish School owned and operated by Maria Del Carmen.

I rented a room in Maria’s house for approximately two weeks and during this time I took 4 hours a day of private one on one lessons. In the mornings we focused primarily on grammar structure and in the afternoon, we would engage in one on one conversation using the rules we just learned.

In the evenings, I always tried to get an additional few hours in by listening to Spanish Lessons by Michel Thomas on my Ipod. I have found that this combination, although very intense mentally, helped me learn a tremendous amount in a very short period of time. Especially when you can only speak Spanish outside of class.

I particularly like the Michel Thomas series because he focuses on no stress learning and has almost nothing to do with memorizing grammar rules, which if you think about it, is how we actually come to learn any language.

For example, when we are kids, we learn from the interactions with our parents and the world around us. We don’t engage in learning how to be perfectly articulate at four years old. I have found that learning all the rules of the language before really getting the basics down can actually hurt your learning curve because it interferes with your thought process when you try to speak naturally.

I often find I learn more by overhearing conversation and trying to engage in it while my friends kindly correct me if I say something wrong.

However, in the end, it’s all necessary and like with anything, the more exposure you have to something regardless of the format, becomes beneficial.

But without question, immersing yourself in a culture of the language your trying to learn is hands down the fastest ways to learn that language. And by combining it with daily classes is like adding rocket fuel to your learning curve.

For example, if you figure the amount of cumulative time I put in over just two weeks, it’s equivalent to taking more than an entire semester of Spanish lessons at a typical college or high school in the States. Not to mention all of my lessons are done private one on one. And the best part is it can cost less than minimum wage in most U.S. cities depending on where you are in Latin America.

With that said, I think it’s important to mention certain countries in South America speak different dialects of Spanish, most notably Chile and Argentina.

In Chile for example, they speak with a slight lisp and tend to drop the endings of many words, especially when ending in the letter “S” They also speak extremely fast which can make it very difficult to understand if your just starting out.

Alternatively, the countries most known in Latin America for speaking the cleanest Spanish include Peru, Columbia, Venezuela and Mexico. It’s no secret and even Chileans admit they speak terrible Spanish.

Despite this however, I have tried to make my learning experience in Chile into a positive by really trying to hone in what people are saying, even though most of the time I have no clue. In the long run I think this will help tremendously when traveling in countries where they speak slower and with more grammatically correct Spanish. At least that’s what I am hoping.

My theory is, that it’s probably similar to how professional baseball players practice swinging at balls moving much faster than what the average pitcher throws. But when game time comes, it’s as though the ball is moving in slow motion compared to practice time, thus increasing their chances of success.

Some Additional Thoughts on Learning a New Language

Without a doubt, learning a Spanish has been one of the most challenging things I have ever done, but also one of the most rewarding.

I am starting to feel as though I am crossing a threshold into being able to communicate at least in basic conversation and find myself even thinking in Spanish a lot of times. This is what happens through immersion. It’s a natural transformation and words literally start to come out without even thinking about them. In fact, in some cases I even prefer the simpler ideas expressed through the many verbs in the Spanish language.

In addition to learning Spanish, I have also gained a lot of insight into many root words of my own language, which has opened my eyes to new ways of thinking that I never could have understood before.

By learning a new language, one really comes to understand how different cultures think about the world and life in general. Said another way, learning a new language does more than give you the sexy appeal of speaking multiple languages, it literally starts to change who you are at the core.

Learning new languages is fast becoming a new hobby of mine, especially considering I have come to understand that with focus and immersion, I can easily learn a new language quite fluently within 6-12 months. It’s also a fascinating way to meet new people from all over the world and a beautiful way to pass time while your bored.

If you could learn any language what would it be? Where would you go to learn it? I would love to hear your comments.

My Experience

It was approximately 3:30 in the morning on Saturday and I was with some friends at a popular night club in Santiago.

I was enjoying my time like most nights, but looking back there was definitely a strange energy that felt very different than most other nights.

For one, I was having a strange disagreement with a female friend I had been recently been spending time with and the energy between us seemed stressed.

I was more or less ready to leave when the earth quake struck. I was standing directly outside of the nightclub with a friend contemplating a taxi when I felt the ground start to vibrate.

There seemed to be a sense of confusion in the collective consciousness of the people and my first thought was that a very large truck was coming down the road.

(By the way, the footage was actually from about 20 minutes before but what you see in the video, is more or less what the club looked and sounded like at around the time of the earth quake.)

However, after the first few seconds the ground began to slide from side to side and it became apparent that we were indeed experiencing an earth quake. A massive earth quake.

The trees were shaking, the sign posts and stop lights were shaking and cars came to a stop in the middle of road. Car alarms and sounds of people panicking began filling the early morning air.

This was my first time in an earth quake, so for me it was a very surreal experience. There was a lingering dizziness and sense of confusion that seemed to last for about 30 minutes. From what I understand, apparently it’s because an earthquake is actually vibrational frequency caused  by the movement of tectonic plates many miles underground as opposed to the ground simply vibrating. This wave of energy pulsating more or less scrambles ones senses for a short period.

In the case of the the Santiago earthquake the sliding of the plates occurred approximately 36 miles beneath the earths surface which is why, although a strong earthquake in regards to the Richter scale, it did not cause a lot of of damage considering the circumstances. (However, according to the Chileans, the reason there is very little damage is because the city is built so well

Additionally, since the earthquake, there has been many after shocks over the past the past few days, in fact, I awoke yesterday to a very strong one while laying in bed. Believe it or not, during the earthquake I was actually dreaming that I was at the top of a building that was swaying back and forth.

In fact, I kid you not, as I’m writing this very sentence I am feeling another tremor.

The Inevitable Continuation of Natural Disasters and The End Of The World As We Know It.

Unfortunately, I believe that we have not seen the last of natural disasters that are seemingly plaguing the world right now. In fact, I believe they are going to increase in frequency and size in the coming months and years.

In the last month alone there have been four natural disasters just to my knowledge. From the massive quake that hit Haiti several weeks ago, to a land slide and a few earth quakes in Peru, to another massive land slide in Italy just last week.

Many people are pointing to the inevitable coming of year 2012 and role that this mysterious date is playing in the unfolding of these disasters. In fact, many people believe that the end of the world is upon us.

However, there is a very good explanation as to all of these things are happening in a book called “Fractal Time” written by Best Selling author Greg Braden, that basically clarifies much of the confusion surrounding this date.

I had the opportunity to meet Greg in Phoenix a few months ago where he was doing a talk on this exact subject.

Below is an article that Greg wrote that gives a basic overview as to the basis of what is really going on and thus the topic of his new book…Furthermore, Greg can sometimes write in a rather “New Agey” style, so I have added some additional thoughts or clarifications (in red Italics) where I think it’s necessary, especially if your unfamiliar with these ideas.

Here is Gregs article:

We’re living the end of time. Not the end of the world…but the end of a world age – a 5,125-year cycle of time – and the way we’ve known the world throughout that time. The present world age began in 3114 b.c. and will end in a.d. 2012.

For the sake of clarity, I want to establish this base before proceeding because it’s important to understand Gregs fundamental theory based on many many years of research…Understand, that we are living at the end of a time and NOT the end of the world despite popular believes surrounding this concept.

Because the end of anything also marks the beginning of what comes next, we’re also living the start of what follows the end of time: the next world age, which ancient traditions called the great cycle.

From the epic poems of India’s Mahabharata to the oral traditions of indigenous Americans and the biblical story of Revelation, those who have come before us knew that the end of time was coming. They knew, because it always does. Every 5,125 years, the earth and our solar system reach a place in their journey through the galaxy that marks the end of precisely such a cycle. With that end, a new world age begins. Apparently it’s always been this way.

Briefly, what Greg is saying, is that almost all religions talk about an end of time that is coming…And they knew this based on what had happened before them and the information that was passed down through the Milena.

Furthermore, what Greg is referring to in regards to our earth and our solar system reaching the end of a cycle, is that we (our planet and our solar system) are currently orbiting at the edge of the furthest point in our home Galaxy “The Milky Way” I will clarify the effects of this in a few minutes.

But first, it’s important to grasp the following idea:

Similar to how the earth revolves around the sun every 365 days and the moon revolves around the earth approximately every 28 days… Our planet and our solar system revolve around the Galaxy (The Milky Way) every 5,125 years. This orbit marks the end of what the ancient traditions called “a cycle”.  And this current orbit cycle ends December 21st, 2012.

Throughout the ages, it’s the end of this cycle that marks the the beginning of a new world and a period of major shifts that occur in the evolution of the planet and it’s inhabitants, especially in terms of consciousness.

It’s not hard to see that there is happening right now. If your even a semi-conscious human being you don’t have to look far to see the collective transformation in the belief systems of our race in terms of religion and spirituality.

More and more as I travel, even in seemingly heavy catholic populations, I am finding a surprising amount of people who are excepting the idea that everything is energy and that the idea of God being a human figure who bases his decisions for your life on “primitive emotions” such as jealousy and greed. People are finding that these ideals are no longer serving them. Times are indeed changing.

For at least four such cycles (or five, according to the Mesoamerican traditions of the Aztec and the Maya peoples), our ancestors endured the changes in global magnetic fields, climate, diminishing resources, and rising sea levels that come with the end of time. They did so without satellites and the Internet or computer models to help them prepare for such a radical shift.

The fact that they lived to tell the story stands as a powerful testament to an undeniable truth: it tells us beyond any reasonable doubt that the inhabitants of our planet have survived the end of world ages in the past. Beyond simply surviving, our ancestors learned from the difficulties that can accompany the change. In the words of their day, they did their best to tell us what it means to live such a rare moment in history. It’s a good thing they did, because such events are few and far between. Only five generations in the last 26,000 years have experienced the shift of world ages. We will be the sixth.

The present world age isn’t something that will simply fade away into the sunset of a time that seems to perpetually linger somewhere “out there” in our future. Just the opposite: our world age has an expiration date. It ends at a specific time, with a specific event, on a day that was marked on a calendar more than 2,000 years ago. There is no secret about that date. The Maya who calculated it also inscribed it as a permanent record for future generations. The date is etched into stone monuments that were built to last until the end of time.

When the date is translated to our familiar system of time, the message becomes clear. It tells us that our present world cycle will conclude with the winter solstice that takes place on December 21 in the year 2012. It’s on this date that the mysterious Maya identified the astonishing astronomical events that will mark the end of our age . . . and they did so more than two millennia ago.

The reason: (As I explained briefly earlier)
Physically, our solar system is moving through shortest part of an orbit that looks like a flattened circle, an ellipsis whose far end carries us to the most distant point from the core of our home galaxy, the Milky Way.

The physical effect:
Both ancient traditions and modern science tell us that our location in this cyclic orbit determines how we experience the powerful sources of energy, such as the “massive magnetic fields,” which radiate from our galaxy’s core. Recent studies suggest that it is precisely such cycles that may explain the mysterious patterns of biodiversity – the rise and fall of life on Earth, such as the mass extinctions that happened 250 and 450 million years ago.

Additionally, modern discoveries confirm that Earth’s position throughout the journey (orbit, tilt, and wobble) create the ever-changing cycles that influence everything from temperature and climate to polar ice and the magnetic fields of the earth.

To recap briefly, modern science has confirmed that the reasons for major climate changes, and thus the natural disasters we experience on earth, is directly influenced by the earths position as we orbit through the galaxy, In extreme cases throughout the earths history, they have been thought to cause the mass extinctions such as the dinosaurs.

The emotional/spiritual effect:
As we travel farther from our galaxy’s core, our distance from the energy located there was described by ancient traditions as the loss of a connection that we sense both spiritually and emotionally. Scientific links between the quality of Earth’s magnetic fields, how they’re affected by cosmic conditions, and our feeling of well-being seem to precisely support such ancient beliefs.

In the same way that Earth’s rotation makes the darkest part of the night appear just before the dawn, our position in the heavens is such that the darkest part of our world age appears right before our heavenly orbit begins the return that brings us closer to our galaxy’s core. With that return, we experience relief from the cataclysmic forces of the cycle’s darkness. And just as the night must pass in order to get to the new day, the only way to arrive at the light of the next cycle is to finish the darkness of this one.

I think in addition to a new world consciousness, it’s also safe to say that there is a large amount of people who are very confused in this world right now. With the recent collapse of the economy and the advent of new technologies, people are in a state of adjusting to a new way of life. A way of life that is completely foreign to them.

With that said, I believe the coming years will offer much in the way of opportunity for those who can truly embrace change, let go of old ideas that no longer work and recreate themselves to survive in this new exciting world that is fast coming upon us.

I would love to hear your comments, disagreements, rants, raves. I know this may be a lot for some people to swallow, but I believe it to be the truth.

Another very, very good resource that I have found tremendously eye opening is the Interview series between Eckart Tolle and Oprah regarding the coming of the new consciousness. Oprah loved it so much she did a nine part series which can be found on her Podcast…Just search Itunes for Oprah’s Spirit Channel.

I hope you enjoy!

This is a guest post by Lisa Barone. If you haven’t noticed Personal branding is a huge passion of mine. It’s a must know subject for anyone looking to grow a business on the Internet and when I came across this article I knew it needed to have place on my blog. It is by far one of the best explanations I have read on the subject of finding ones voice, which is a process every writer goes through.

I have always loved writing and I think initially this was why I was so attracted to blogging. Although, I don’t feel I have arrived to that state of total connection with what I am supposed to be writing about, I feel I am indeed honing in on what is calling me.

This article is a brilliant explanation of the journey of finding ones voice..I hope you enjoy!

by Lisa Barone

“I’m learning to belly dance.

Okay, that’s totally overstating it. I’m wiggling to music in what is labeled a belly dancing class.

I’ve found that I enjoy the constant movement, manipulating my limbs and taking any excuse I can to be silly. But more fun than the belly dancing is the instructor.

She loves this stuff. Her eyes light up when she enters the room, her voice changes pitch, and she hops around throwing out euphemisms that make even the bravest people blush. She’s a complete fruit loop. And she’s loved for it. It’s her schtick.

Or, in marketing terms, it’s her personal brand.

Oh no, not another post about personal branding

We’ve been hearing about personal brands ad nauseum for the past year. Even if you’re not sure why you need one, you’re certain that you do. It’s like a 401k. Or a spouse.

The trouble is, most personal brands make everybody else want to jab forks straight into their eyes. They’re based on egos, false promises, and personalities so obnoxious that you’d never be friends with this person in real life.

But as my belly dancing instructor has taught me, you don’t have to build a personal brand on being an egomaniac. You can build your brand on simply being human. Or better yet, you can build your brand on being your favorite version of yourself.

How do you create a personal brand that will garner attention instead of hate? Here are some tips I’ve picked up from my experience on the Web.

And belly dancing.

Claim your niche

My belly dancing instructor doesn’t teach the hip hop class that takes place after her session. Nor does she teach the weekend kickboxing class. She’s limited herself to belly dancing because she knows that’s where she can offer the greatest value.

Trying to teach everything would undermine what she’s about and the tribe she’s looking to attract. She sticks to what she does better than anyone else.

Think niche. You can’t be known for everything. Pick what’s most important to what you do, break it down to its simplest core, and be it.

While Copyblogger has established itself as one of the Web’s top resources on content, Brian Clark has branded himself the master of headlines. It’s a tiny microcosm of the whole content creation space that he owns. It’s where he’s untouchable.

Create your character

Like I said, my instructor is a fruit loop. The moment you think you’ve seen everything, she ups the ridiculousness.

She tears her sweats so you can watch her legs curl, and refers to body parts in ways you wish you could erase from your mind. She knows who she needs to be to attract the right audience, and she plays up her quirks to do so. She builds a tribe that falls in love not only with her class, but with her. It becomes so that the class and brand are so intertwined that you can’t tell them apart.

Lots of people will tell you to “be yourself” in social media. I’d advise creating a persona that mixes who you are and who you want to be. This heightened version of yourself allows you to lose the performance anxiety and magnify the personality traits needed to attract the right people.

We fall in love with those who are brave enough to do what we think we can’t. As long as you’re basing your character off who you really are, you’ll be able to keep it authentic and still look great naked.

Treat people like humans

My instructor has been dancing for longer than I’ve been an adult. She’s trained in moves and styles that my stiff body can’t even comprehend.

But you wouldn’t know that by talking to her. She’s unassuming and talks to you like you’re old friends meeting up for coffee. And she keeps that tone even when instruction has begun. There’s no jargon to confuse us, no making things complicated so we feel dumb and she wouldn’t dare call herself an “expert” or a “guru.” She’s just someone who loves belly dancing and is excited about the opportunity to share it with us.

Finding your voice and using it to be relatable is what will make or break your personal brand. It’s what separates the brands we love from the brands we wish would die.

It’s all about your ability to talk to people in a genuine way and show them that you’re one of them. This is where most people get tripped up. We elevate ourselves thinking that it makes us more impressive and authoritative and that our audience will trust us more. Truthfully, all this does is alienate you from the people you’re trying to connect with.

Figure out what the real you sounds like, and then use that voice to be real with others. You can’t fake this.

Make your brand accessible

My instructor shows up to class early. She stays late. She takes questions in the middle of instruction and will show and re-show certain movements until you’ve nailed them. Her email address is publicly available so that students can email her with questions. She has an email newsletter to help us stay in contact with not only her, but one another.

She’s not teaching a class, she’s creating a community.

When you make your brand accessible, you help it grow beyond your niche. Become part of your community. Answer questions. Lift up those who are doing well. Share trusted information. Look for ways to extend your brand through blogging, guest postings [cough], email newsletters, and direct mail.

Everything that you put out should incorporate and promote your personal brand. The more people see you and your tribe, the more they’ll gravitate toward it. It’s social proof.

Your personal brand is you. It’s who you are, what you believe, and what you want to put out there to others.

Use the social tools available to be you as loudly as you can, while always offering a benefit to those around you. Your personal brand may be all about you, but it’s also about how you make others feel.

It’s emotional DNA, and what separates the personal brands we love from those we love to tear apart.”

About the Author: Lisa Barone has the totally pompous title of Chief Branding Officer at SEO consulting firm Outspoken Media. She tries to make up for the title by blogging Important Stuff on the Outspoken Media blog and being amusing on Twitter at @lisabarone.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ~Leonardo DaVinci

I arrived by plane into Santiago, Chile late one evening after a very long night in Arica Chile taking in the potent eye candy of Carnival festival.

With nothing but two small bags and my back pack containing my laptop and cameras, (my virtual office) I stroll easily through the baggage claim and out the front doors of the airport, taking in the first breath of yet another new world full of experiences preparing to unfold…already in the process of unfolding.

More and more when I travel I try to avoid planning anything in advance, usually booking most of my plans the day of my departure. The urge for such change usually comes the day before or even in the morning of “that its time to go”. I try to trust this urge and move with the invisible current of life that ever so gently, pulls me along…Is pulling us all along.

In an ongoing effort to submit to the flow, I have developed a new habit of entrusting the first taxi driver that approaches me at the bus stations or airports to take me to a place he recommends. I tell him what I am looking to spend, what type of things I want to be near and I leave the rest to my new friend.

Not all places have been to my immediate liking, but they have all served me well in my own evolution in the end.

To me this is the essence of entrusting in the moment. And I have found, beyond a shadow of a doubt, by operating this way I allow the spontaneous unfolding of necessary experiences to manifest in my life naturally.

To be honest, since my arrival in South America by continually practicing non resistance to the moment regardless of what is happening, my life has become nothing short of magical and has more or less taken on the irony of a very good movie.

Looking back, all of my experiences have been progressive in nature, each leading to the next in perfect harmony and presenting important lessons and fascinating experiences that always seem to help me in future situations very soon after.

In the case of arriving in Chile, I was referred to a newly renovated hostel in the East part of Santiago.

I am told I will love it and what happens next doesn’t surprise me…

When we arrive at the hostel there is exactly one room left and the price is exactly what I told the taxi driver I was looking for. It’s close to the Metro and great restaurants.

I am greeted by a man about my age who happens to be the nephew of the owner, who happens to be a famous artist in Chile, who happened to renovate the building a year prior and decorate the entire place with his works of art…The renovation itself was a work of art.

He shows me to my room, beautiful and cozy, and the nephew already eager to show me around the city the next day.

Throughout the course of the week, after sharing many meals and conversations with family, I also become like family.

In the mornings, the grandmother kisses me on the cheek like her own son and serves me breakfast, making certain I’ve had enough. A nice feeling that immediately brings back memories of my own grandma. So far so good…

The nephew of the owner indeed takes me around Santiago and shows me places I would have never dreamed of finding on my own…Falling in love with Chile begins which leads to my eventual renting of a condo here.

During my stay I catch a glimpse of the joy of eventually owning my own hotel or bed and breakfast will be like. Seeds are planted.

As I fall asleep at night I revel in the feeling that this is my new life and that although this experience is amazing, that many more await in the years to come. Things unfathomable to my current reality, but soon to become a part of me…soon to shape my character and teach me more about this amazing thing called life. I cherish it and the feeling in my body.

I close my eyes and feel the peace once again that comes from simplicity. “This is how life is supposed to be” I tell myself, and the thought of word destiny is all I can think of.

Recently, I spent a few weeks in a town called Arequipa located near the border of Chile and Peru. It’s a very mystical city and without question, captured my heart forever.

Regardless of the sporadic and slow Internet connections and impossible phone systems, it became hard to leave the remote city of nearly one million people, all of which seem to live in a time that more or less no longer exists.

Upon my arrival, I knew I was truly in another world when after asking several people if there was a Starbucks, not one of them had even heard of the concept. My world is indeed shifting.

I made this video using various clips from my time in Arequipa mixed in with some footage from other places I’ve traveled along the way.

When I create these videos, I truly have no clue what they are going to turn out like.

Similar to when I was building houses, I would spend hours looking at a vacant property or a house at the framing stage, imagining what I could create. As the ideas would flow I would relish in the feeling of ecstasy as they swirled through my mind. I saw opportunities where others couldn’t and I knew without a shadow of doubt I could make a lot of money.

I am now experiencing the same level of ecstasy as I grow this blog and create my posts.

This manifestation has come from a long anticipated wait for life to answer my demand: “Show me my purpose in perfect clarity”

I now am beginning to see where all of this is headed and why all of my past experiences were necessary for this to even be a reality. Life is indeed a journey and I have learned that it will never give you more than you can handle…Never.

Prior to this trip I was not ready mentally nor in my ability to leave without restrictions. But I felt the pull in 2009 and things naturally began to shift in my life in preparation for the journey.

Although many things had to happen, looking back, it seemed almost effortless. My business sold at the perfect time, a depleting relationship came to an abrupt end and ideas for the blog and my new business came out of the blue.

It was a surreal experience in which the happenings of  2009 became critical preparers for this new life.

Inspiration For This Video

So in regards to the video the inspiration came when I was at the doctors office and the song “Comfortably Numb” kept playing in my head. (Yes, I know it’s copyrighted, but I imagine David Gilmore has bigger fish to fry…plus I’m one of their biggest fans, hopefully if he ever sees this video he’ll forgive me)

Comfortably Numb has long been one of my favorite songs and I thought it would be cool to play off the words to try and show how I am feeling. There is a lot of symbolism in this video and it quite literally reflects how and what I am thinking right now.

From missing my son, to yearning for the affection of a women after being with one for the last several years to simply experiencing things I have never even imagined.

I believe I have indeed found the keys to happiness…And it is not money, but the freedom and ability to “just be” that money can afford.

Waking up knowing this is my new life makes me want to pinch myself. For as long as I can remember, traveling the world freely has been my desire and ambition. All I have ever wanted was to live life on my terms, and it has finally happened.  And I really do feel like I am living my dream.

If you could do whatever you wanted, what would it be? Please leave your comments.

Wow…I was FAT!! And the thing was I lived a healthy lifestyle by most peoples standards. At least that’s what I thought…

I was running 3 days a week and hiked nearly every weekend. I ate mostly fruits and vegetables and almost always some sort of sandwich for lunch. And since I owned a smoothie franchise at the time, I would have a fresh fruit smoothie nearly every morning and almost never ate fast food.

But despite all of this, I was still fat. “What was the problem?” I would ask myself, “Why can’t I lose weight?… Finally, enough was enough…

At the time I was tipping the scales at around 207 pounds and had maintained that weight for almost four years. It seemed that no matter what I tried wouldn’t work. So after several months of “trying”, I got fed up with the situation and took the initial steps to change my situation once and for all..

Ironically, the shift came towards the end of a two year relationship I was in. I was reaching a point where I was ready for a change on all levels. I am sure some people can relate. But basically, it was time for some major shifts to happen in my life.

I wanted to find a serious training program that would combine nutrition as well as exercise. I was ready to pay whatever price it took, both financially and physically, and I wanted someone to hold me accountable for my success.

Before long, I came across a website for a training center in Phoenix called Larry Reynolds Affordable Personal Training. And after a short introduction with the owner, I immediately took action and signed up for my first thirty sessions.

What Was My Motivation?

Losing this weight was something I truly wanted for many reasons. But the most important one was to prove to myself that I could do it. Losing weight is easily among the most difficult things for most people to achieve. In addition to the health aspects, it was literally a real life experiment in beating my mind and following through on a difficult long term goal that would prove to create massive change in my life.

Losing this weight would require me to remain constantly aware of my objective and switch thoughts of overeating and indulging in short term pleasures out of my mind… not for days, not for weeks but for months and months.

I knew that by accomplishing this goal would not only have an effect on my physical appearance (and all the many positives that come with that) but it would provide the mental conditioning that would allow for other major shifts to occur my life.

For example, I knew that I could apply the same level of determination to my next business and achieve a level of success that was currently outside of my reality. I could also use the mindset to embark on my around the world trip and finally write the book that I have been talking about for so long.

You see, ones ability to persevere and achieve seemingly impossible goals is really like muscle. And the more you train your mind to follow through on the things you set out to accomplish, the easier and more confident you become in achieving new and more ambition goals. You gain more trust in yourself and your level of self respect and self esteem rises. And best of all, you feel good about your life on nearly all levels.

In fact, if you feel like your in a rut right now, setting a goal that is physical in nature i.e. losing weight, running a half marathon, completing a triathlon etc..  is hands down the absolute best way to create momentum in your life and get back on a positive track. I promise you, everything will seem easier just by taking the first steps.

So how did I finally lose the weight?…

For Approximately The Last 6 Months Here Is Exactly What I Did…

In the beginning, and by far the most important aspect of the entire campaign was making the shift in my eating habits. (Notice I said shift… this has nothing to do with short term dieting, also known as yo-yo dieting which NEVER works and only makes you fatter)

When I looked at how I was eating before,  I realized I was eating no different than what most Americans ate. Lots of bread, lots of cereals, juices, occasional sodas, and tons of rice, potatoes and/or pasta with almost every meal. What I didn’t realize at the time however, was just how many carbohydrates I was taking in every day. It was no wonder I couldn’t lose weight. I was indeed fighting an uphill battle.

I know its cliche to say, but carbs really are the problem.  Not only that, but most people, including myself, eat huge portions of food with every meal. Later, I was amazed to find that our stomachs, when in their natural state, are no bigger than the size of your fist. (I know your making a fist right now dork

So what were the shifts in my eating habits? Well, for starters, I began replacing my breakfast and lunch with a shake that I would make in my kitchen blender. The shake consisted of the following ingredients:

• One cold bottle of water
• Approximately five large frozen strawberries
• About an inch thick layer of frozen raspberries on top of the water (don’t worry, they’ll float)
• One large scoop of high quality vanilla protein powder
• One large scoop of high quality vanilla egg powder
• About one table spoon of Safflower oil
• Two tablespoons of very high quality liquid multi-vitamins
• One teaspoon of fresh organic cinnamon powder
• One tablespoon of fiber

This is a great meal replacement, especially if your doing physical exercise. Believe me you won’t go hungry as the shakes are giant. For snacks, in between I would eat a hard boiled egg, maybe a few slices of organic turkey and almost always a small hand full of raw organic almonds.

For dinner I would usually bake a piece of organic chicken or wild caught fish lightly coated in olive oil. As a side dish I would make a “cereal bowl” sized salad typically with the following ingredients:

• 1 large hand full of chopped dark green portion of romaine lettuce
• 1 small hand full of raw spinach
• 1 very small hand full of snap peas
• Several small cherry tomatoes
• 1 hard boiled egg sliced
• 1 small hand full of cooked salted almonds
• 1/2 of an avocado – sliced
• topped with about two table spoons of ranch dressing and crushed black pepper.

It was absolutely delicious and still one of my favorite salads.

There are many variations that you can make using the above basic ideas..Essentially what your after is a small portion of some type of white meat protein, prepared however you like and a portion of some mixture of vegetables. Get creative with it, it doesn’t have to be boring.

After a few months you can start to throw in a little brown rice or maybe a yam or sweet potato. But in my opinion its best to be strict with yourself in the beginning so you quickly develop your new eating habits. After awhile, carbs will take on the same ora as swear words in a church, and you’ll naturally begin moving away from them. (You sinner)

The Hardest Part

So here’s really what it comes down to… In order to lose weight effectively you need to make sure you are not taking in more than about net 40 carbs per day, at least in the beginning. If you do this, even after the first month, I guarantee you your clothes will not fit anymore. Thats how important it is to start cutting out carbs from your diet. Again, in time you can gradually increase your carb intake, but for the most part, this is a shift in your eating if you want the results to become permanent.

Unfortunately, when you start looking at the labels on most foods you’ll soon discover just how many carbs are in the foods we eat as Americans. For example just a half slice of bread can contain more than your entire carb intake for the day. And the sad part is, if you are exceeding this, it’s nearly impossible to lose weight effectively and permanently.

That means, cut out white rice, (brown rice is ok in moderation) cut back on the bread (especially white bread), cut back on potatoes (substitute yams or sweet potatoes if you can. They are more fibrous and contain less carbs) and cut waaay back on sugar…At least for 6 days per week. Why only six days? Because on the seventh day God rested!!

Even God Had A Cheat Day

Ahh the cheat day. I do remember them vividly…Every Sunday, I would embark on a cheat day. On this day I would allow myself to indulge in any of my favorite foods, which usually consisted of pizza or pasta. I would even eat ice cream (in moderation) and pretty much whatever I wanted. However, I think you’ll find, just as I found, that at this point your feeling so proud of yourself that you sincerely don’t crave these foods like you used to. Don’t get me wrong, I still ate them..But I naturally stopped eating as soon as I felt full.

Getting In Touch With Your Bodies True Need For Food

One of the biggest break through I had, was getting in touch with my bodies true need for food. Prior to this, I never knew that my stomach actually took up to 20 minutes to communicate to my brain that I was full. This is the reason when you go to a buffet, often times you can hardly move by the time your driving home in your car. It’s because your full beyond your stomachs capacity and your mind is just now receiving the message. its simply not necessary.

One of the best habits to get into is to start eat slowly, and try to be present and allow time for your mind to process that you are taking in food. Try drinking plain water with your meals as this will help you feel full quicker and quench any desire to drink soda. And for God sake, when you feel full push the plate away. You will feel a great sense of self control an awesome about yourself as a result.

And the best part is, even after 6 months, my eating habits, although not as strict as they were in the beginning, have changed dramatically. I am now much more aware of the foods I eat and the size of my portions. I admit, it has been a bit harder as I travel for the mere fact that some cultures eat huge amounts of carbs as a major a part of their diet and its almost impossible to eat according to the above plan. But I still try seeking out foods that are more consistent with this regimen.

My Exercise Program

In addition to the change in my eating habits, I would work out with a personal trainer three days a week. Usually Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The workouts were approximately 45 minutes each and extremely intensive. It’s a fast paced weight lifting program that is designed to keep my heart rate up while simultaneously building muscle. We focus on building muscle more than cardio for two reasons:

1. Having toned muscles makes us look better which is obviously one of our goals.
2. But more importantly, as we build muscle, our bodies metabolism increases. And metabolism is the process and speed in which our bodies burn fat.

So basically the more muscle you have, the faster your body will naturally burn fat even when your resting. And for the ladies who are worried about bulking up, not too worry. You’ll be glad to know that one of the best places to focus building muscle is in your legs. The reason is because your legs have the biggest muscles in your body, which gives you the biggest bang for your buck. And in case you didn’t know, guys love women with muscular legs.

And that’s pretty much it…My workout was literally a combined total of about one and half hours per week and I changed my eating habits from a high carb diet to a diet that consisted of mainly proteins and leafy green vegetables. The rest was just consistency and determination. It’s really as easy or as hard as you make it to be.

Anyhow, if you have been wanting to lose some weight for some time I hope you make the commitment. I highly recommend doing whatever it takes to get on a personal training program. I personally could not  have done it without the help of a trainer. (At least in the beginning) By having a personal trainer, it made me plan my life around my workouts instead of planning my workouts around my life, which almost always leads to failure. I know for a fact if I didn’t have a trainer waiting for me to arrive on certain days, I would have most definitely skipped my workout. Nor would I have pushed myself as hard as my trainers did. My motto is, “Do what you do best and outsource the rest” It works in all areas of your life.

What was a major commitment that you planned for and achieved? How did it make you feel? Please leave your comments..

Random Footage

Most of the posts I make on this site will tend to have a story line to them…for example a journey to some place or maybe documenting some sort of process or experience I’ve had.

But there is also many times that I capture footage that doesn’t seem to fit into any story line other than the fact that it’s just part of my every day experience. More or less random events that I think are cool enough to pull out my camera and start recording. (At least I think they’ll cool, but then again I’m very easily amused)

And to be honest, I feel like if I didn’t publish them for you to see I would be depriving you of some really good stuff.

Some Random Thoughts As I Made This Video

The more I travel the more I find that there is as many commonalities as there is differences in the way people and things operate around the world.  Without question, I think you’ll see, especially if you have never traveled outside of the States, that the way most people live in the world is indeed very different than the way we have come to experience life in the US.  A good lesson for the many people that tend to think they have it all figured out.

I often think of what it be like to pluck a typical red neck American, (you know, cowboy hats and Dodge pickups) out of the States and place him in the middle of a typical nieghborhood in a third world country.

Having this thought has made me finally understand why Americans have the reputation for being disliked in many places around the world.

In a conversation I had over dinner with a Brazilian doctor a few nights ago, she explained to me that some people, for example in Brazil, are displeased with the fact that Americans more or less control a world they know nothing about. The level of truth that statement carries is beyond me and frankly outside of my understanding. But I definitely got her point (as I sipped my beer in an awkward moment of silence) and it was a humbling realization to say the least.

Furthermore, as I travel I am finding that many people from other countries, most commonly Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia and many parts of South America tend to travel the world quite extensively. In addition, many of these people tend to speak multiple languages, especially from Europe.

On the flip side, I could probably count on two hands (literally) of all the Americans I have met on this trip so far.

I guess the best advice I can give in this regard is: number one, start traveling to places outside of the US if you want to gain a better understanding of yourself and the world around you. And number two, don’t frown upon new things because they seem different or weird. Because in actuality we (Americans) are the weird ones, and you’ll most likely realize that a majority of the people on this planet live in ways that are stranger and more different than anything you have ever imagined.

So anyhow, the above is a video of some various clips that I put together from some recent traveling through various parts of Peru. I hope you enjoy!

And as always, please share your comments.

This is the official Blog of Nate Bunger “Architect of Freedom” The ultimate resource for living the life of a true Digital Nomad. Subscribe for FREE now and receive Nates Travel Diaries via email.

After an 8 hour bus ride on my way into Arequipa, I decided to stop in the town of Puno. Puno is basically on the border of Bolivia and Peru. In fact, the town of Puno is most often used as the entrance point for many people trekking into Bolivia. It also sits on Lake Titicaca (pronounced “tee tee ka ka”) which is the world’s highest navigable lake at 12,500 feet (3,810 m) above sea level and is the second largest lake of South America (after Maracaibo).

The town of Puno itself is not the prettiest place to be, but its worth stopping to take the one day trek to visit the Uros Tribe on their man made floating reed islands.

The islands are made of woven tortora reeds that grow everywhere on the Peruvian side of the lake. The Islanders also eat thee reeds and sell them in the markets of Puno. They cut 2 meter squared chunks of mud from the root systems of the reeds, which basically makes the islands float. The large square shaped chunks of soil are then anchored with rope and driven into the bottom of the lake using large sticks.

The reeds at the bottoms of the islands rot away fairly quickly, so new reeds are added to the top to compensate. The islands last about 30 years. The larger islands inhabit about 10 families, and the smaller ones, which are about 30 meters wide, inhabit only two or three. There are currently about 50 floating islands located on Lake Titicaca and around 3,000 descendants of the Uro’s are alive today, but only a few hundred still live on and maintain the islands.

The history of the Uro’s people is that they initially made the islands to escape the Inca’s who were dominating the mainland during the time. The Uro traded with the Aymara tribe on the mainland, and interbreed with them and eventually abandoned the Uro language for the the language of the Aymara.

It was pretty fascinating to see. Check out the You Tube video above of my experience and please leave comments.

This is the official Travel Blog of Nate Bunger “Architect of Freedom” The ultimate resource for Lifestyle Design and living the life of a true Digital Nomad. Subscribe for FREE now and receive Nates Travel Diaries via email.

When I first arrived in Peru I heard that Guinea Pig was a popular delicacy.. I was fascinated by this, because I had always seen Guinea pigs as pets and not something you eat for dinner. I knew right then that I had to try it and make a video out of the experience.

So I found a local restaurant near my hostel one night and asked the owners if I could record the entire process after I returned from my four day hike to Machu Picchu.

They were happy to let me and seemed oddly just as excited as me. The restaurant is called Nanas Grill and is a petite and beautiful little place to dine. Hand made pastas with a truly homemade touch. The entire restaurant is probably no bigger than a common Master bedroom int the states, but just by coming in the front doors makes you feel like family.

So anyways, when I returned four days later, I was surprised to find that I had an International audience waiting.. Evidentally the owner had informed some local tourists that I was coming that night to record the crucifixion of little “Eddy” the Guinea Pig. During the recording everyone kept joking that what we were doing was Satanic…So I sort of went with this idea as I made the video.

Check it out above…I have to say, its pretty damn funny. Please leave comments..

Hiking to Machu Picchu was an incredible adventure and by far one of the best experiences of my life. We started out on bicycles riding approximately 3 hours in heavy rain down a mountainside where we would arrive in a very small town called Santa Maria.

The next day we set out on foot for what would turn out to be a grueling 3 days of hiking through the mountainous jungles of the Andes on the Inca Trail, which would eventually lead us straight to Machu Picchu.

On the way we would pass through fields of Coca plants, remote villages populated by the indigenous people, breathtaking scenery from narrow pathways hanging thousands of feet above the Urubamba River and natural hot springs located high in the Andes reachable only by foot.

On the third day we arrived in Aguascalientes, the small town located at the base of Machu Picchu. The next morning we awoke at 3:30 am to make the final ascent to Machu Picchu. Even at this hour the town was alive with hikers ready to make the final ascent because they only allow the first 400 people of the day hike to Wayna Picchu, (an additional ruins located adjacent and above of Machu Picchu) and we had ensure we were first in line.

The reason is because by 6am there is easily 1000 people waiting to enter, many of which arrive by bus. In fact, its very difficult to even see Wayna Picchu if you don’t hike from Aguascalientes  because of the amount of tourists that come. But we made it before the buses arrived and the additional hike to Wayna Picchu was astounding. Check out the video above.

The Price

The trek was four days and three nights. I paid $160 US which included three meals a day, a guide (sort of), lodging in dorm style hostels, entrance to Machu Picchu and a train ride back to Cuzco. Although the accommodations were anything but first class, (often having to fetch your own water just to make the toilets flush) It was an amazing adventure  and highly recommended.

Brief History of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu (Quechua: Machu Pikchu, “Old Peak”, pronounced (machoo peechoo) is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres (8,000 ft) above sea level. It’s located on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 kilometres (about 50 mi) northwest of Cuzco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”, Machu Picchu is one of the most familiar symbols of the Inca Empire.

The Incas started building it around AD 1430 but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a hundred years later at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Although known locally, it was largely unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, an American historian. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction.

Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.[1] Since it was not plundered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas, it is especially important as a cultural site and is considered a sacred place.

Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu. In September 2007, Peru and Yale University reached an agreement regarding the return of artifacts which Hiram Bingham had removed from Machu Picchu in the early twentieth century.

I sourced this information from Wikipedia to make sure I got the facts straight. To learn more click here.

Check out the video and please leave comments.

This is the official Travel Blog of Nate Bunger “Architect of Freedom” The ultimate resource for Lifestyle Design and living the life of a true Digital Nomad. Subscribe for FREE now and receive Nates travel journals via email.