29 Nov What one week in Medellín has taught me

November 22nd 2021, the 3 months I am planning to be staying in the Colombian city of Medellín are about to get started. After a long day of traveling, I got to a small studio in the area of Laureles. This is a trendy area where many locals resides – exactly the cultural immersion I would be looking for. Before leaving the Netherlands, I hadn’t taught too much about the time I was going to spend in Colombia – besides the fact I would be working regular hours besides enjoying the local culture and everything this city has to offer.

I actually did have one plan, as well as one goal. On one hand, I felt I could well use a week of me-time only. Moreover, the thing I was looking forward the most was to be meeting new people that would inspire me. During my regular life in Amsterdam, as well as during the trips I make, I just don’t meet too many new and inspiring people – this might well have to do with my limited mental space, not allowing me to be open for such encounterments. Anyway, the first week has passed and that’s why I’m sharing this article with you. The inspirational people I hopefully will be meeting – which will take place in the upcoming weeks – might be discussed in a future article.

Building in a little ‘mental break’

These last couple of months have been pretty hectic as I’ve been traveling through Spain and Portugal for about 2 months, mainly visiting current and potential partners for my business SurfaWhile. I’ve been spending a week in Berlin where I attented the yearly ICEF conference. And the 2.5 weeks after Berlin and before Medellín I have been in Amsterdam and as you can imagine (after having been away for over 2 months), they’ve been full-on too. It felt like the right thing to do to spend my first week in Medellín just by myself. No social contacts, no events, no calls. Just me.

Well, I have been working my regular hours as there’s lots going on at the moment (in preparation for the 2022 season which is around the corner). However, I believe that’s fine. The experience I gained during these 7 days has been very valuable still. I can imagine, on the other hand, that taking a week off without having litteraly anything on your mind would even be more beneficial. But I’m happy about where I’ve gone through during last week and I’m satisfied with the results I got from it.

Mate, didn’t you get bored?

Often I thought back at the 2 weeks I’ve been spending in Córdoba, early October this year. This is the city, located in Andaluciá, where I have been studying for 6 months, back in 2015 so I won’t have to explain where my connection to this city comes from. It felt like such a great idea: spend some time in one of my favourite places on earth. I quickly realised that Córdoba just isn’t really the city that is used to accommodate this type of traveler I would be: by himself, working during the days but surely looking for some activities and excitement during the evenings. Summarised, during these 2 weeks in Córdoba I often felt very bored as there just wasn’t much to do.

During the first 7 days in Medellín, I also haven’t been doing pretty much anything. However, the difference is the mindset. In Córdoba I really wanted to do stuff and due to the absence of basically any opportunities, I felt bored. Here in Medellín, I’m perfectly at peace by the fact I have been doing f*ck all this first week. This alone already is a lessons I will keep with me during a future similar experience.

What does this mental break give you?

Quite quickly I realised that it doesn’t necessarily had to do with the past couple of months. My life in general is too busy and too often I’m overloaded with plans, gatherings, work and whatnot.

Allowing myself to open up to some mental space has given me a lot. Within a couple of days I felt I could take decisions much easier and my brain was just sharp as a knive. It was quite shocking to realise how much more focus I had – reading books has never been so easy.

I experienced how much time a day has (litteraly) when not constantly being rushed or worried about stuff that has to get done or people you’d have to go and see. It felt like I pushed some sort of a reset button as I re-realised what I actually could do within a day. It made me think about the things I actually would like to be doing during a day. Not that this would drastically change my life but I will surely make a couple of alterations. And I will certainly continue building in me-time, both during the remaining months I will still be in Colombia for, as well as the time that will come after Colombia.