The Mostly Untold Solo Latin American Adventures of Axy Grace

By AXY Grace

What motivates one to embark on a solo journey all the way across the globe?

Why do we have to wait till retirement to have the time, but not the energy, to finally do what we've always wanted to do?

For A.X.Y. Grace, witnessing the rapid loss of health and lives of loved ones spurred a strong desire to fulfil a purpose beyond earning one's keep, before it's too late.

This was before the rest of the world caught up with the significance of 'Carpe Diem' in a post-Covid pandemic 21st century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AXY Grace
• Release date: Dec 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223199380

AXY Grace

*Field experience* In the past ten years’ career, AXY Grace’s first passion was working with youth. The work involved curating vocational training programs and providing career guidance to the adolescents, many of whom were dropping out of school. At one point, she also conducted leadership training to 700 youth volunteers from mainstream schools. Graduated with a BA in Social Sciences, majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology. Obtained a certificate in Career Development Facilitator by National Career Development Association (NCDA) in 2014 and 2021.

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1 out of disrepair

‘A lways eat or do what you wanted, while you still could.’

My late mom reiterated to me in 2018 after she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and lost her ability to consume solid food overnight, due to enlarged lymph nodes in her throat. She led a simple low-maintenance life; eating was one of the few activities she enjoyed. Anyone who’s had a medical condition that needed a change in their diet would probably be able to empathize with this, if food mattered to them.

That year, I lost three dear ones consecutively within three months.

In September, my aunt (mom’s older sister whom she was very close to) passed on after fighting cancer for a decade or so.

An ex-colleague turned friend who suffered a previous miscarriage was about to give birth in just a week, but suddenly fell into a coma and did not wake up again. Her birthday was in another two days, on the second last day of October.

A month before Christmas, I woke up to multiple missed calls to find out that my mom had left in the middle of the night hours before. The elevator at the palliative care building was usually extremely slow that everyone had to wait ages for. But when I rushed to the hospital that day, it stood wide open on the ground level, as if expecting me.

Although saddened by this series of loss, I did not realize the impact it had on me until one day I snapped at work. Stormed right out of the office disregarding a meeting with external vendors in the afternoon. It was a Friday.

Being a ‘typical’ Capricorn, it was out of character for me to be so irresponsible. Up till then, I’d hardly skipped a day from school or work even when unwell.

My department manager spoke to me after I calmed down over the weekend, ostensibly giving me a chance to withdraw my resignation (from a job and company I actually loved very much at that point). My ‘big boss’ also specially arranged a meeting, asking my plans on how I’m gonna spend my time, jobless from then on. 

I told him I was going to travel for a while. Where to, he asked. 

About five months prior, during the last week of 2018, I spent my time learning how to snowboard in Hokkaido, something I had always wanted to do since I was a teenager. On New Year’s Day in 2019, I drew a divination lot in one of the Shinto shrines.

It contained predictions for various aspects of life, such as health, love, education and so on. For travel, it said: ‘Southward travel is recommended.’

Drawing divination lots or writing down blessings in temples had been a staple ritual during my Japan travels since the first time I stepped into the country in 2010. Consequently, things always felt smooth-sailing for each of the year that I visited Japan. Self-fulfilling prophecy perhaps?

As a result, I had been wondering where this ‘South’ would be. Australia? Sri Lanka? Indonesia? South Africa? Either I’d already visited those countries before, or they’re somewhere in my bucket list. But none of these felt right then.

I’m going to South America, I told my boss.

2 half of my heart’s still in havana

The plan was to visit Cuba for a week in the primary leg of my solo Latin America Adventure. Technically, it’s geographically around Central America, but I’d soon make my way southwards.

Fascinated by the colourful classic cars that dotted the Cuban motorways, I eagerly embarked on the arduous flight out to Dubai as a transit stop. The airline was merciful in assigning me a seat on an empty row, so I was able to stretch out my legs fully for a night’s sleep. After Dubai, the plane took off for Florida, where I had to disembark to take another carrier into the capital of Cuba.

My aventura sudamericana officially began upon touchdown where barely a