Fulfill Your Dreams

By Cristina Grau

Did you ever dream of doing something with your life?
This book shows you how to get rid of the self-imposed barriers in your life and fulfill your dreams. If you really want to do something, you can do it.
You can leave behind the baggage of regrets, the believed limitations of age and everything else you carry with you, in the past where it belongs. You can regain your spunk, forget your fears and learn to dream again. And most importantly, learn to recognize and accept your desires and lead a satisfying life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cristina Grau
• Release date: Oct 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310812644

Cristina Grau

I was born and raised in Uruguay, a beautiful little country in South America. Three sides of the country border the water, the west side borders the Rio Uruguay, the south west borders the Rio de la Plata, the south east and the east border the Atlantic Ocean.All along the littoral, we have beautiful u shape beaches, one behind the other, magnificent lagoons and coves. Throughout the country we have great eucalyptus forests, many hot springs and green rolling hills. The temperature is about the same than North Carolina.Since I was a little girl, I wanted to leave and travel from one country to another one, visiting different places, learning different cultures, enjoying local foods.I also have many interests besides traveling. I love to write, to read, to paint and to decorate. And of course I love to spend time with my children and specially my granddaughter.Now, once a back packer, always a back packer, so here I go!

Book preview

Chapter 1

How it all started

When I was a little girl, I used to watch this T.V. show called Adventures in Paradise where this gorgeous guy traveled all over the South Pacific in his tall ship. After all these years, I still remember his name: Captain Adam Troy.

I used to think to myself that when I grew up I wanted to do that.

A year later, another of my favorite shows, Route 66 debuted. It was about these two guys who drove up and down that famous route in their convertible.

When I grew up, I wanted to do that too.

Since I was young, I have always wanted to travel, to go places, to learn different languages, different cultures, and to see the world.

However, I wanted to travel as a way of life, not just a week here or two weeks there. I wanted to spend time in a place, to submerge myself in another culture and lifestyle, to really live in a place for a while and learn as much as possible about their traditions, customs and everyday life.

I have travelled a lot through the years, but not as much as I would like. This has been due to family responsibilities or lack of money, to work and to lack of time. It’s always something.

However, my desire to travel was always there. Deep inside I knew that one day I would be able to do it, it was just a matter of time.

I knew one day I would be a nomad, a vagabond, a drifter.

I always wanted the freedom from the restrictions that necessity enforces on life. I wanted to be able to fly free of worries, without the need to keep time. I wanted to enjoy nature at its best.

I wanted to:

Sit on a deserted beach looking at the sea until the sun descends into it.

Walk through the woods smelling the eucalyptus trees.

Watch swans swimming down rivers or canals.

Paddle a river, just drifting downstream.

Shop in the fashion capitals of the world (this one is imperative).

Hop on a train, to a new destination, see a new place, to live among the locals, learn a new culture and enjoy the local cuisine. (One of the best things about traveling is enjoying all the different cuisines.)

When my curiosity is satisfied and I cannot wander anymore through that area, I would hop on a train again

I would have no time restrictions, no destination, just gallivant, enjoying life, experiencing this vast and beautiful world of ours before it’s gone.

Let me tell you that when I was little and I used to talk like this, my father used to get so mad…

A little girl dreaming of being a vagabond, unheard of…

What was wrong with me?

I should have been playing with dolls instead of grabbing a square piece of material and putting a couple pieces of clothing in it, attaching it to a stick and playing vagabond, sitting on the steps making believe it was a train.

Disgusting!

As you will see, his opinion did not deter me from my dreams. Not one single bit.

Chapter 2

Choices

After leaving my job, (for reasons I will not go into), I looked for work for two years. Unable to find something suitable, that paid a decent salary, I started thinking of alternatives to working. I was fed up with looking for work and getting rejected. It is so frustrating, but out of frustrations come great ideas.

At that time, I started asking myself, how much longer I would wait, hoping for a job that was not happening.

Nobody wanted me. Maybe because of my age (I was not as young as I thought I was), or because of my vast education and experience, or, who knows why. The point is I could not find a job.

I worked at many part-time jobs and some full-time ones in places, that I did not want to work, for salaries that were not enough, but they kept me going. My hopes were that soon I would find something permanent. Actually, I did have some great part time jobs with very nice people, but I could not make a living out of it, at least not my kind of living.

I have spoken with many people in my situation and I heard their frustrations as well.

I am sure that a lot of you, like me, have a lot to offer. We have a good education, knowledge and experience and nobody wants it.

This situation can bring anybody down. Just remember: you have choices.

I had two:

Stay home moping and feeling sorry for myself because nobody wanted me;

Or

Try to do something with all the free time I had.

Guess which one I CHOSE?

Yes, I desired to travel the world.

Chapter 3

Age

Many people told me that I was mad.

How could I think of going around the world by myself?

As a woman?

Without much money?

At my age?

It was bad enough that some people