Take a Left

I traveled to Chile in South America in 2017. The trip was attached to a class I took in college where my communication class and another business class got the chance to study abroad for 3 weeks. My roommate and I got so accustomed to our walking route to the bus station from our homestay in Viña del Mar, Chile. It was not until the very last day where we had some free time to explore that instead of walking straight to the bus stop to take into the center of town, where our other classmates lived, that we decided to take a left. We stumbled upon the cutest coffee shop – I wish I remembered the name. It was the type of coffee shop where you felt like you were at home. They brought our cappuccinos out to us with the yummiest assortment of treats on the house. You can view the photo of it below. We had walked that road the entire trip always in search of some good coffee, and we never thought to wander off our path. It was such a bummer that it was our final day because we would have gone there every morning if we could.

Most often, we are so fixated and set on our routines, that if you took a wrong turn, you might stumble upon some hidden gems. I strive to implement spontaneity in my life as often as I can. I am a very go-with-the-flow person and am always eager to venture to a new spot or try something new because if I stuck to the same routine, then life would be pretty mundane.

I have the biggest travel bug energy and thrive off planning last minute trips with family and friends. Just before the pandemic hit, my friends and I booked a trip to Croatia in Europe and we had a full day in London as well. It was the most unforgettable trip I have taken and I encourage you to switch up where you travel to. You can get so comfortable with traveling to the same spot year over year, but how about throwing a dart on a map and travelling to a new state or country? The best memories are made when you go somewhere on a whim.

Years ago before my parents had kids, they booked a flight from New Hampshire to Chicago, Illinois on Christmas Eve to go see a New England Patriots game against the Chicago Bears. They left that morning, went to see the game, and took a flight back home that same night, just in time to wake up on Christmas morning. That is the kind of spontaneity we should all exude.

I encourage you to turn down the wrong road on the way home, book a last minute vacation to somewhere you have never been before, or make a random and spontaneous decision. You’ll never know what is around the corner, if you do not take a left.

Remember to stay humble and kind, always!

Follow me on my personal social media platforms to stay up-to-date with my every day life:

Instagram: jess_puch

TikTok: jesspuch

xo –Jess