Not a Hero Story Be common, but be the change.
“We sat down to share a warm meal. Looking up to the beautiful african ceiling we realized how little we are and how much we can affect everything around us�.
If you think you’re too little
TO MAKE A CHANGE Try sleeping in a room with a mosquito
Prologue Is the world comming to an end?
It takes balls to look at the world’s reality nowadays. I wake up every morning and -like a religious act- I take my phone to check on the news. Day after day I read articles about the newest terror attack, the countless bodies of people washing on the shores of Europe or how a new species of animal went extinct due to human greed. Half an hour later, I open my emails and my day goes on, putting to the back of my head all those feelings related to how fucked up the world is... after all, I have my own problems to solve.
concept, but first, let us separate the wheat from the chaff. If I could just throw just a figure on top the table and, think of the picture on the next page, I would say; half of the people will listen to this story and the other half will just look away (that’s being very optimistic). This is something we do almost on a daily basis. We see “the ones in need” every day and we automatically choose to look the other way. Why? Well, it’s the simplest way. It is the easiest solution to pretend the problems are just not there.
This narrative is -most probably- not really foreign to you, and much as me, you might consider yourself as “just a common human being” trying to live a normal life and juggling with the things that, us normal humans, have to deal with every day. That is exactly what is wrong with the world but, hey, who am I to judge or to be judged. I’m just a common person and I can’t change the world, right?
So what is this story about? Well, in essence it is extremely simple. The story is just an effort to communicate possible -yet approachable- solutions to this regular problem. It is the tale of how a group of friends decided to go to vacations; at the same time they bring a small brick into building a better place and how we did so without affecting our normal lives. This story is here to prove to you that helping fellow humans can be rewarding, positive, but also extremely fun. Also to prove to you that the kind of help I’m talking about does not mean you have lo leave everything behind and join an organization and go to live in Africa, although some people do -and I seriously admire them.
From zero to hero is a story of common people, trying to challenge the status quo by living an ordinary life, hoping to create extraordinary consequences. Let me further explain this
4
This tale is for the rest of us, unable or unwilling to drastically change our way of living. Although there are other options such as: donating to an established ONG -and it is as comfortable as clicking on a few web pages- taking a small bite at your account, that option always felt void and I never really fell for it. This possibility always left me with the sensation that is just washing your conscience the “fast food” way. It was in this line of thought that one night, sitting down with my friend Philipp Tenius and planning our vacations, the apple fell on our heads and we first thought we could just use our vacation time and resources to create something bigger than just having fun or just trying to clean our hearts from the pain of reading the news every day. The story, however, is a little bit more complex than just the altruism behind the “let’s save the world” statement of a night with -maybe- too much beer but, it is hopefully this complexity what brings the “beef” to keep you interested and flipping through the pages of this book, at the same time that you know that: by having this book on your hands you are already contributing to make this idea a great success. In simple words and as you might already know: we went on a crazy good vacation trip on which we decided to help a group of kids in Africa.
A small note I have to write before finishing. While developing this project we came across the word “Volun-Tourism” explaining when people go to spend time in their vacations where people are in serious need but they lack the skills to help and end up doing nothing other than taking selfies with poor kids or people as if they were exotic animals. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS! We carefully chose the way we wanted to help and we visited the place long enough not to disturb or be an obstacle. We are helping from our skills and capacities and if you’re not qualified to bring direct help within the environment where people are, then choose a different way to help (like when you bought this book). Above all, do not do this thinking of -only- personal satisfaction but put first the well being of the ones you’re trying to help. Other than that, the book you’re holding is nothing but an instrument. It is my way of rewarding you for believing in this idea and for you to have a physical retribution of your contribution to it. I sincerely hope you will enjoy the images of our adventure and also, that you will find within these pages the key inspiration to create your own meaningful vacation as a formula to give back to the world without having to incur in large amounts of suffering while you do it.
Andrés Beregovich.
5
A pair of Gemsbok (Onyx gazella) One of them looking away and the other one looking directly at us.
6
Chapter 1 Wo did we end up in Africa?
“We danced as if we were kids, smiled until it hurts and sang words we didn’t even get”.
9
If you do the talk, you must walk the walk. Most things in Germany start with a few beers... but before we get into that, I would like to introduce you to the two other members of this idea. Philipp and Florian Tenius are brothers and as me they share the passion for mountain biking. Not so long ago and under the influence of Phil, we all ended up buying the same bikes. Like kids forming a club, we felt more like a team by having such an equal ride and mostly the same skill level on top of it. Motivated by it (as only men can do) we planned all kinds of tours together. We were in fact a team. To go a little bit more on the background information, Philipp and I work for the Outdoor industry in the marketing area. This fact means we are always around amazing stories of people traveling the world and doing the craziest of things. While Phil is more related to the managerial and operational side of marketing I’m related to the production of content and stories to promote products. Florian on the other hand has nothing to do with neither the outdoor industry nor anything to do with marketing. However, considering that Phil and I do, is the main reason we ended up doing this trip.
Like I said, most things in Germany begin with a few beers (we all live in Munich) and so Phil and I were sitting at his place when we started talking about our vacation plans. We wanted to do something unique -obviously- involving our bikes and under the influence of those beers (doesn’t mean we were or are drunks, it is just part of the culture), we started throwing ideas on the table. Everything from let’s do an endurance race to let’s go to Nepal came to mind. Ultimately we are enduro riders and we wanted some mix terrain but something that involves a good piece of downhill. At the beginning we thought of going to Patagonia, since I have a lot of knowledge from the area and we got really excited about that plan since I have a few friends over there which are pretty good riders and could also come with us to guide us a bit. Unfortunately not long after we were in love with this idea, the friend that was going down with us to ride suffered an accident and we had to abort the whole dream. Another night of beers and planning was schedule. After a little bit of blabbering and -honestly- I don’t remember who said it first, the concept of riding down Mt. Kilimanjaro came to our plates. Whoa! What a wonderful project. Going all the way down to Africa and climb the tallest mountain in the continent
10
to ride it down full speed. The consideration that we are pretty fit but not anywhere close to high-performance athletes came later on but, at that moment, the idea sounded just fantastic an absolutely doable. That’s exactly the moment where our marketing demons came to the dance and took over and it was more or less like this: Me: Phil, this is such a great idea and it could be such a great piece of content! We should definitely film or document the trip for some brands. I could bring all the cameras and stuff and we will create an awesome story out of it. Phil: Man, that’s exactly what I was thinking. We should definitely build a story and put products into it. I also believe we have to tell Flo (Florian) about this. He’ll definitely want in and then we can bring the three bikes to it! The rest of that night is a bunch of “yeah”, “sweet” and “rad”. After Flo’s almost immediate acceptance of the idea, we began arranging everything needed to carry out our magnificent plan. The first thing to do was to find a qualified guide or knowledgeable person in the area because we had absolutely no idea about it. We made a few calls and ended up having interviews (Skype and live) with a bunch of people. Some based on the U.S, others in Europe and others directly in Africa. Since we have connections and insight of the outdoor industry and we wanted to involve the brands, we started by asking at our own home, Goal Zero. The brand produces energy and the founder of the company first came to the idea of the products while being in Africa. Also, Goal Zero has a very big social program to work with communities in Africa. This was a perfect opportunity to leverage that information and get things properly managed. With the though of Goal Zero being involved as a
11
brand came also the added value of their humanitarian work and we began thinking “why don’t we add that humanitarian component to the story”? After all, we are going to create a story about our vacations in Africa so, we might as well do something next-level with that and help people on the way. Again a lot of “yeah”, “sweet” and “rad” exploded within the conversation and with no further going around, we were on our track to do something awesome for ourselves but also for others. This idea couldn’t be better! And until this point everything was happiness but we had no clue on how exactly were we going to help, so we contacted a few organizations to try tracking down a place where our presence could actually do some good and not to fall in to the Voluntourism category which is more damage than good. a few more calls here and there and we allocated a community that would be suitable for us to visit. Meanwhile, we came to realize that if this was going to be a marketable story, we were not “extreme enough” to sell the action kind of tale and if we would pursuit such an endeavor we were most probably come short and look dull. This called for a shift in focus and it was here where it hit us! We are common people, just like millions of other common guys on this planet with good will and intentions. Then why, instead of making a RedBull style of story, don’t we take it down a notch and be realistic. Let’s be proudly common and let’s show other people like us that we can make a difference without being rock stars or super cutting-edge athletes. Let us show that the change is within the grasp of everyone willing to devote some time and effort to mix their vacation plan with a little bit of heart. All hands up and willing to give our very best: we set our aims to create this story, a story of Common Heroes. Changing the world one vacation at a time.
“As unsual as a South African giraffe. With no tall trees to reach with its long neck, it has been forced to adapt. Even when the solution might seem unorthodox�.
Like most things in life, one thing is making plans and talking about it and another very different is to see it through. The idea was in place and the right feelings as well but now it was time to start thinking seriously and tackling all necessary assets to bring this into the light. For that we had to compromise and commit (as always) so, one of the first rules we [as a group] established was that we had to do this using our own wallets (was a painful decision, trust me). Why? Because if we were going to tell people they can use during their vacation time, then we had to stay faithful to the story line and this had to be a real vacation! However, even when the ground rule was set, we did know brands were going to be a fundamental component in creating a network to distribute the message and thus we had to bring them on board in such a way that they will not influence how we execute the project, but still cooperate with us to expose our story. Here is where the first part of using our own skills to help comes into play. I went out to as many brands as I could to tell the story by saying “hi, here’s an interesting marketing opportunity for your brand and I will give it to you for free”. Sounds like no brand would turn out such an offer right? Well, reality has a way of slapping us right across the face and most of the brands
13
refused to do humanitarian work related to their product. It was simply “not extreme enough”. Nevertheless several other brands were keen and excited to help us and what is best, all of the people participating in this project agreed to do so just because they felt it was the right thing to do and not because they were going to get free publicity. For that, I want to use just a couple of lines to personally thank these brands as their commitment was tremendously important to confirm we were doing the right thing by pulling this project off. All of them were also kind enough to send us product packages to improve our journey with the sole purpose that we could maximize the experience and be comfortable doing so. On the other side, Canyon as a brand, decided not to help us, even when we already had the bikes and that was a big disappointment. It is also worth mention that: as the creator of this book, I have personally decided to put the brands on this page and not at the very last (as it is usually made) because they deserve to be highlighted for trusting an idea that was absolutely outside their comfort zone and, for that, they have my deepest and purest respect.
And so it began... a few hundred calls and emails later (and annoying more than just a few) we were on our way to South Africa. Why South Africa? You might wonder. Well, at the very beginning of the story, that moment when all was cheerful plans, we had many other possible destinations and I mean many. From cycling through Congo and help the gorillas to ultimately a go to Zimbabwe to help a project called EDUCAR which we ended up aborting about 24 hours before departure. I believe this is the first lesson one should always have in mind when planning something that involves adventure. The first condition for something to be an adventure is that everything can “go south” very quickly and you need to be able to adapt and to find the resources to keep on going. Allow me to elaborate a bit on that.
The Zimbabwe crash When you amass the idea of a cool adventure with friends, which has the intention to improve, help or benefit the life of others and all you have in your head are good intentions, one believes the only thing you can attract are exactly that -good intentions. Nonetheless, we were proven wrong on this point and with that, I don’t mean to say the world is full of bad people but, be sure there’s always a couple of bad souls lurking around even close to the best intentioned projects. This is the lesson we all learned, as the person who helped organize the whole Zimbabwe expedition, turned out to be a fraud and because
of that; hearts were damaged, promises were broken and we all had a sour taste even before we could start our adventure. However, if you persist, the reward will come and being a group of stubborn people as we are, we decided this wasn’t going to ruin our entire plan and we immediately looked out for new destinations and components to put the story back together. This is how 20 hours after realizing; we were scammed by this person (which we will not name) we had tickets to Cape Town and we were on route to fulfill our dream and have the trip of our freaking lives.
Ready, set, go! The morning of the 22.02.16 and after more than 20 ours traveling from Munich, we reached Cape Town, had something to eat and drink, picked up, loaded and setup the van. The next morning we were off to the first stop of the plan: see the great white sharks. As one of the main reasons for people to visit African countries is to experience the wildlife, we thought it would be a good idea to divide the help we can get together into two main branches: the first being able to help a group of kids in need and the second being able to help a group or organization that works protecting wildlife. Because of this, we split our project in three stages or “subjects” which are: people, animals and vacations-sport.
14
“In any vacation you would smile. When you think you’re helping, that smile becomes something -even- better”.
Chapter 2 The impressive African wildlife
“Speechless we stood and stared upon the beasts. No cages, no barriers. Their beauty was free�.
17
“Beautiful as they can be, every sight of wildlife was a bit stained by the sad thought of one fact: some of these animals are on the verge of extinction�.
Finding the uncomfortable truth African wildlife is astonishing but I would like to clear out some common myths. Even though I was a prisoner of my own expectations, the rule dictates that our heads are highly influenced by National Geographic documentaries and the work of extremely talented photographers and videographers who spend months in a certain area to capture the most impressive images one could ever dream on. Whilst some of us consciously know the reality is different, it is quite difficult not to imagine a certain scenario when you think of a trip to Africa. I can’t talk about the rest of this enormous continent from which we got to know so little but I have to admit I had a completely wrong idea from what nature had here to offer.
As we arrived to our first point at False Bay to see the sharks, it was already evident that South Africa is a box of wonders. Unfortunately there isn’t much high-quality graphic material we can show here as we only had our action-cams, which do great for video but they are not meant to perform as a DSLR (although the picture quality did surprise me for such hard conditions). Within the following lines I want to be very emphatic. Our ignorance and will to see these majestic creatures led us into the wrong hands. Cage shark diving is an absolute no-go. This experience is something causing more damage than good and I decided to include this pages to see if by exposing this truth, we might redeem the fact that we should have previously done a bit more of research on the matter.
20
“The apex of the sea was for a few seconds in front of us. Words can’t really describe its beauty and power as every movement just rendered us speechless”.
It was after the trip that we found out what a terrible mistake we did. Luring sharks with chum does nothing but a huge damage to the animal as it forces its behavior into something completely unnatural. Yet something good has to come out of this. As I was reading an article from National Geographic on the matter, I hanged on a few lines written by Andrew Evans: “From what I’ve seen, tourists return home, not with a change of hearts towards great white sharks and a commitment towards saving them, but rather with their proud underwater photo or video next to the ocean’s apex predator—a phony symbol of bravado and fearlessness, not unlike the hunting trophies of the Victorian era’s great white hunters”. This is not our case! Our hearts did change for the better and as stated at the beginning, we would like to derive half of the efforts of this project to do something for the sharks. We want to build a message of meaningful, yet responsible vacations, not only to people but also to the environment. If you want to see these wonderful creatures, get your self propper instruction and go with a qualified guide that will give you the best experience but also the most sustainable one because, in the end, it is not worth the effort to see these beautiful creatures if your heart will make you regret the way you did it. I hope this was only true for the sharks, but it is happening almost everywhere and with all kind of animals. Here in Africa, the situation is unvelievable. Habitats are being destroyed for
the sake of entertaining people that believe animals should be available to “perform” whenever they see fit. This is a truly terrible topic that you should consider before planning any kind of vacation which has as an objective to have wildlife encounters. It was a serious call for attention and after it, we began to pay real attention to the matter, considering we had the whole trip ahead of us. To a ceratin degree, we all know the wildlife situation around the world is precarious to say the least. I also understand that most of us want to experience nature contact and it is hard not to overlook the rules when you feel the chance to have a better encounter is at hand but, if you do really want something otherworldly, I’m only telling you to do it in a responsible way. There are more than enough people propperly trained to provide you with such result and the only thing you -most of the timesneed to do is to reach a little deeper inside your pockets.
Making the best out of a mistake With our lesson learned we set sails towards our next stop. Our idea was to enjoy as many “wildlife spots” as we could on our route crossing the cape to reach the kids we are here to help (about 1200 km crossing the Cape and then back). To this purpose, we twisted the plan in order to have a better approach to animals by going to specific reserves where the animals were well protected and taken care of and also where we could dig a little bit more about the true situation -whent
24
Long necks are not always useful The South African jiraffe is as odd as it can be Jiraffes are already particular when it comes to the looks of it. However, the stretched necks have their use and therefore no one will question the why of its appeareance. In south Africa, rarely find this animal the tall trees for which the neck was designed and it is forced to open the legs in some sort of split figure to reach the grass on the ground
27
“It is like feeling the work of evolution. The complex geometries and shapes, designed with such specific purposes leave nothing to chance. Nothing at all�.
it comes to conservationism- in South Africa. You’ll find plenty of them (small reserves) along the way and, when it comes to nature, the best experience you will get from the smaller reserves. Big parks are good as well but needless to say: you need to drive hours and hours around and you need quite a trained eye to spot the good stuff. However if you still trust your sight I would recommend you to stop at Addo Elephant National Park, other than that, stick to the smaller reserves as they have less crowds and they know exactly where the animals are.
Smaller reserves are insightful While visiting a small reserve we had the opportunity to witness amazing moments, such as the one in the picture: A wild, black rhino standing next to her calf. As most of you might now, rhinos are on the verge of extinction and -not only- is difficult to see them in the wild but to see a baby is even stranger. This is only possible in game parks where they keep a strict control and 24 hours security around the animals. This situation is not exactly what one is expecting when thinking of “wild animals” but the situation is so critical that such measures are in place to protect the very last animals. We had a pretty good insight to the Africa-condition when we met
31
“Lucy”, a guide from the private game park that told us what the “conservation” in the country really is. It is hard not to think that some opinions can be biased or affected from different factors but the truth is that we couldn’t believe when she was telling us how most of the organizations here are completely pro-profit and that -in her opinion- the vast majority is not even there to help. So they do little or even nothing. Some of them are even there to provide animals for hunters, as they breed lions in captivity just for the purpose of serving as trophies for hunters. I can’t point any fingers here because it is not the purpose of this project at all, yet, beware when you contribute to any of these institutions and, as told with the sharks, try being extremely picky when it comes to where to deposit your efforts (of any kind). To further give some useful information, we found to be the most effective to just find local places to help where you can -most of the times- deliver the help by your self and avoid large organizations where the bureaucracy can eat the largest portion of the help, leaving little to none for the actual situation you’re trying to contribute to. Other than that, smaller reserves also offer a more personalized experience, usually more time to look at the animals and also the guides will provide you with more information to make your experience richer. For more information about the places, you can visit www.sanparks.org where you will find a very complete site about South Africa National Parks.
A motther and its calf A rare find. Witnessing new born rhinos gives a bit of hope about the state of wildlife in Africa Another good advice is to call the parks before visiting and ask them about the activities you want to do in the area. It is a bit of a painful process as they throw you from one operator to the other but, once you find the one you need, you can ask about accommodation and animal behavior and when is better to visit the different areas of the park. This can save you some good hours of just looking at bushes which, can be very, very frustrating. Remember animals are not there to perform and this is not a zoo!
32
Antelopes of the grassland A small herd at a private game reserve roams around without any worries It is interesting to understand how the small reserves manage to recreate the conditions for pray and predator as the posses little amounts of animals. Behind are the days where the inmense volume of a herd could make the earth tremble and that is a spectacle one could only find in few places within the continent.
35
A Cape Mountain Zebra Another species who might have been extinct and now it´s in the recovering process Cape Mountain Zebras are a subspecies of mountain zebras which inhabit certain areas of the karoo mountains and some regions of the Western and Eastern Cape.
36
The flightless bird Being able to speed up to 70 km/h this odd looking animal has impressive size and presence The red meat, the feathers and the skin for leather producs have driven this animal from something one would see in the wild to be a common asset to farms. Grown locally, the ostriches are no longer a beautiful animal but rather a consumer product more related to a chicken than to something exotic
39
Yes, that’s Pumba The famous fat character from The Lion King can also be seen here Although not as smiley and well intentioned as the one in the movie, wild hogs or Bushpigs are very common. Not to be fear but also not to be taken lightly, these animals can be up to 150kg and 1 meter tall (to the shoulder lenght), they can become very aggressive when cubs are around or when molested.
40
Antelopes are not always small The common Eland or southern Eland is the largest antelope to be found in South Africa An adult Eland male can be up to 1.6 metres tall at the shoulder and it can weight up to 950 kg with an average of 600 kg. This makes it -unfortunately- a favourite for hunters and trophy collectors
43
The largest of all Part of the big five, elephants have to live in constant fear of poachers It is difficult to understand how such a creature has to die for the sake of someone having a piece of their tusks carved into some decorative element. So is the reality for them and nowadays they are the icon of how man is devastating this world.
46
“As I’m clicking to make this image it’s like I could hear them cry, feel their sadness. Or maybe it is jus me who feels incredibly sad when facing the fact that we all are responsible for what is happening to them”.
“The red soil from Africa. Maybe a reflection of all the blood that has been spilled over its treasures and resources�.
The red gentlemen A Red hartebeest looks into the sun, holding an elegant stance for the picture The only one with this tonality, its black marks on the face and a complex curving horns joined at the base, this animal has displays the classical zig-zag pattern when running away from predators
53
The feared giant Also part of the big five, Cape Buffalos are one of the most deadly species. Who could have imagined. Cape buffalos have something in particular. Other than an almost inpenetrable skull, which makes them difficult to hunt, the bufallo is one of the only animals that, instead of running from danger, will trace the source of the threat in order to attack it. Extremely unpredictable, they kill more than 200 people a year only in South Africa.
54
It’s all about poop For these little fellows, a ball of excrement determines the chances of survival Known as the Dung beetle, it can bury balls of animal feces up to 250 times heavier than itself in one night. Many of these insects known as rollers, roll dung into balls in order to make the transport task easier. They will use this as food during the winter season.
57
The king Needless to say this is one of the main reasons to visit a reserve and although elusive in sout Africa, it’s worth the wait Cape buffalos have something in particular. Other than an almost inpenetrable skull, which makes them difficult to hunt, the bufallo is one of the only animals that, instead of running from danger, will trace the source of the threat in order to attack it. Extremely unpredictable, they kill more than 200 people a year only in South Africa.
58
Yes, probably as much as you, I (we) would have loved to have images of lions and other big cats close enough to make a selfie. While I already commented on this with the sharks and whilst we could have had such an encounter, we would have made the same mistake as we did with the sharks. Nature is elusive most of the times and it is supposed to behave like that. Big cats are not only dangerous to approach but also, they are more active at night. Durning the day -with 38 degrees celcius- they will do the same as you would. They will look for shadowy places and stay away from getting a sun-stroke. The real experience is not -unless you make a living from it- to make that NatGeo cover shot. The real experience is to enjoy these creatures where they belong, without bars or cages and that, should be the ultimate goal. The other alternative is to bring a 600mm lens and a large format camera and, for sure, you will come out with some amazing photos. Whatever you decide when it comes to documenting your adventure, do it responsibly. Do not pay guy that will promise to take you close to the animals. Do not look for that alternative that seems completely unnatural and that will most probably leave a damage in such a delicate balance which we already have problems to keep. The images you see above are what is most likely for you to witness in this part of Africa. Again, I cannot speak for other places within the continent but, I would say that South Africa is not really close to that image we all have of big savanas
crowded with thousands of animals which, in retrospective is a good thing because it leaves you with the feeling of coming back and explore other corners of the continent. If this is not enough for someone like you, then I recommend you to go to a Zoo where you will be at the desired distance. Another thing that is important to remember is: because is difficult to spot these kind of animals (referring to big cats or rhinos, for example) it is most likely that you will also find a long qeue of people with the same wish. This ofently ruins a bit the experience, as you are trying to have a moment and it is ofently interrupted by a car passing in front of you or kids on their first trip to a different country. However, the experience is wonderful and if you can set your mind to accept these facts, then you’ll come out of every park with a big smile on your face. That should be enough right? Just for the sake of the example, I used a 300mm zoom lens to shoot this images, with a nikon D810 packing a 36 Megapixel sensor which gives you quite a good crop factor. There are many alternatives around this but, if you’re not a photographer enthusiast or profi, then bring a pair of good binoculars and you’ll make the most of this journey. As a way of illustrating this fact, take a look at the picture on this page and you’ll get what I’m talking about.
60
The Wildlife!!
61
Chapter 3 The people
“Each one of them smiled when we ask them for a photo. each one of them danced when we smiled at them�.
63
Stay real to achieve the required connection I know I already wrote this at the beginning of the book but, this is one of the most important aspects of this project. Let alone, this is the only factor to consider when it comes to real help for people in need. Last year alone more than 1.6 million people travelled and and paid thousands to go on travels where their objective was to volunteer -to some extent- in some program or to go “help” at a certain part of Africa. While these fellows mean good (I’m sure) they do not realize that their visit or their help might not be as positive as they thought. Voluntourism -almost- always involves a group of idealistic and privileged travelers who have vastly different socio-economic statuses vis–à–vis those they serve. They often enter these communities with little or no understanding of the locals’ history, culture, and ways of life. All that is understood is the poverty and the presumed neediness of the community, and for the purposes of volunteering, that seems to be enough. In our own experience – also highlighted by this trip – this has led to condescending and superficial relationships that transform the (usually western) volunteer into a benevolent giver and the community members into the ever grateful receivers of charity. It makes for an extremely uncomfortable dynamic in which one begins to wonder if these trips are designed more for
the spiritual fulfillment of the volunteer rather than the alleviation of poverty. However, that shouldn’t really keep us from the fact that we want to help people and, as a goal, this should be elevated to a point where you can deliver the help without doing the damage and still receive the fulfillment of having done a good deed. How did we then solve this complicated equation? We took the facts and rescued the idea of helping to transform it into what you’re reading right now. This way, our journey was designed to meet the people we intend to help, but not to stay longer to create damage or to make them feel like we are somewhat western idols bringing charity to them. No. Our help has to be truthful and has to be also respectful. To this purpose we decided our visit had to be short enough to make the kids feel good and enjoy a moment with them so we would have the chance to connect with them. Also, our visit would consider talking to the people directly involved with the kids. We heard so much about shit (excuse my french) going on with organizations and the gobvernment collecting “taxes” over donations, that we wanted to go stright to the source, unbiased and unmanipulated by anyone else. Truth to be told, we expected this matter to be very complicated. To our surprise, when you want to help, people with real needs come to you, they show you the way to be useful and -most important- they tell you exactly what they need.
64
“Charitable souls and people willing to help show up at the most unexpected places. All you need to do is trust they will be there in times of need�.
Following this philosophy and having to constantly adapt our plan due to the improvised nature of our current situation we ended up in an hotel at a small city called Riversdale where we stayed at a beautiful boutique hotel trying to figure out our next move. At this point we had no idea where our help was going to end at but, our spirits were still high and we knew that fixing the situation -after we got scammed with the Zimbabwe projectwas a matter of keep pushing. At a given point I just stood up and went directly to ask the manager for help. This how we met chef-manager Chris Pappas. A greek cook settled in South Africa with and invading laughter, terrible jokes and majestic cooking skills. At this point it is -perhaps- useful to remember that this is not only a personal effort but, also, a marketing one. In exchange for network support, we made promises to brands that we would deliver this story and having our initial plan completely trunked, we felt in a very awkward situation where we have to deliver or else lose the support of the people believing this can be a helpful story (not to mention that we would look like phonies). To stress this point a bit more, at this particular stage we had nothing but the vague concept we dragged from the original project, hoping to pull a few rabbits out of the hat as we go through. so, here we are in the middle of some South African town, sitting at a table with out computers and researching to the pace of a cool gin tonic while we pull our hairs as we don’t see any possible solution. I was desperate (but just a bit).
67
When I couldn’t hold it anymore I just went to the reception and using the cutest expresion I could come up with (I don’t was ver cute but did the trick) I asked the lady sitting behind the desk if she had a minute to listen to a story. She looked at me weird. Long story short, I explained our desperate situation hoping that she would give me a hint or something. What I got in return was way better. She called Chris into the office and layout the situation very fast. Chris cracked a couple of jokes and called the whole staff from the hotel into the office! Without too much time to think and humbled by the disposition of the people, suddenly, we were a whole team thinking how to solve our situation. It just felt incredible. Ideas where flying and a strange mix of Afrikaans, English and German was filling up the office making things difficult to understand or explain. However, one of the ladies from the dinning service suddenly says (more or less): I know a place that needs help! We all turned and looked. Before going into the details and, considering this story is not presented in a linear structure, I feel the need to put give you a bit of a timeline now. The conversation I’m describing happened after driving more than 1.500 kms across South Africa and searching for this “perfect” place and people to fit the story so, it’s a bit of a backward direction in order to save -from the story- a bunch of stress and unneeded “going around” until we reached this point. Many other things happened in the middle.
“Yes, I know a place and it is not really far from here”. We all opened our eyes with an expression of surprise and satisfaction at the very same time. It was such a relief to hear those words. Jessica, was the one. She knew exactly where to find what we need and we couldn’t be more excited. After a shy explanation she began telling us the story about what they call a Cresch. A Cresch is nothing but a daykeep, or what we could interpret as one and, most of them, are actually self-organized by some community members in order to protect kids from the consequences of being neglected by the parents due to alcohol or drug abuse. Following our line of thinking for this project, we wanted to help in a direct way, without making ourselves feel like “european saviors” or just tourists looking for some mental redemption. We arranged to talk to the directors from two different cresch. We defined we wanted to have contact with the kids for a day and bring them some toys and food (as suggested by Jessica). This way, we would get to know them and make a couple of promises which were the ones that brought us to Africa in the first place and avoid falling into voluntourism. Now, these promises are the very key to the “why” of all this trip... Coming to Africa to find these people -and going through the pleasure and hussle of putting together a marketing journey with your friends-, is mostly like “buying local”. We are just trying to help local. Using our vacations as a tool to devote time and attention to find this people. Why all the hussle? Because it adds a precious element of human bonding to any adventure. What are those promises? Two kitchens. Yes, that simple. All the work we are putting behind this, is for you to help us build those two kitchens.
To break it all into a very simple thing: We are using this book as a mean to tell you that; the adventure of helping is absolutely worth it, if you find a way to collaborate local, wherever you go. Remember that we are not using any money from brands, that means that we have to pay from our pockets our gather with our friends, but those promises to the people in Africa are very real and we will deliver! Next morning, we jumped into our rented van and picked up Jessica and Nadia. and drove to the toy store and then to the supermarket. We loaded up to the limit of our pockets and drove towards a “township” (or villages/camps near to the city edge). About an hour later, we arrived to a small construction. Although variability is wide among the conditions of the different Cresch, they surely all lack basic elements, hence, the kitchen. Both places we visited didn’t have one so, it was the fastest and most direct way we could help these places. We arrived early in the morning and were received by the woman running the show, Mrs. Zodna Combi. A woman exhuding love for the Children and taking care of these small sanctuary where the kids still have a chance to grow up in a better environment. We played and we talked, we didn’t cry but we did bond and felt responsible, determined. Mrs. Combi told us a valuable lesson by saying: “ you only think you help is little because you need so much”. These words have resonated in my head since we left the place and are surely one of the simple things driving me to sit down and find the time to finish this project, even though my life allows very little time for it.
68
“We tried our best to find things they would appreciate, to give them a moment loaded with happiness and useful things, even though they might seem minimal�.
The Cresch A place to protect the kids from the -almost alwaysawful reality they have to face Fenced as if it was a cage, the cresch provides the necessary security from the outside world. As a sort of sanctuary, kids can forget here what awaits them at the other side of the fence, where drunk-beating fathers have done nothing but abandoned them at this place.
71
Big mama Like taken from a Tom & Jerry cartoon, she is the impersonification of love and endless positivism Like a walking light, Mrs. Zodna reminds us all of the concept of the hugging mama that sings and exudes love with every step. She’s the pillar that keeps this palce together and the on and only hope for these kids to have a better life.
72
“The kids’ first encounter with technology. as Philipp films them he also tries to explain them their own image on the device. With no mirrors around, water provides the only reflection they have ever seen from themselves”.
Our experience at these places was better than we anticipated. The kids were blown away by the image of watching these three strange guy coming out of a van full of toys and food and, however you want to interpret this moment, it was a space full of happiness. For us, for the kids and for the people trying every day to hold these places together. Did we change anything at this point? Probably not in the way we were expecting but, surely some of them will remember and treasure the moment someone visited out of thin air to spend some time with them and just try making them smile. At the risk of being boring, I cannot keep my head from going back to the fact that the real help is not something we should translate into money and that, our positive impact will be more on the side of putting the word out there, rather than what we can buy for these kids. This is a reality that we -as the priviledge part of society- need to tackle and get hands-on to solve. You will get nothing from dropping a few coins on the cup of someone begging on the street. You need to connect, you need to make the effort and, every time I sit down on my computer to fill the pages of this book, I travel to the place were we left promises. I review the emotions and moments that fuel the need of seeing this project through and -at least to me- that has a unique value, wether this is the most helpful way or not, it is our way and it is valid as it is sincere.
75
At the very side of the emotional point of view, this was fun. Extremely fun. We didn’t went to see ill kids or to a place where our intention to help would do more damage than good. No, we went to a place where we could bring the positive energy just a notch up and we are addressing a problem according to our capacities and skills. Putting whatever effor we could summon to enjoy the process of helping. Therefore, we played and screamed like little kids. We got dirty and ran around until our old lungs could not keep up with the pace of the kids. We tried to communicate just by doing gestures and our fool faces in an attempt to understand how simple the world is when you’re that little. Once again, we had fun. We are simple people, we don’t fool ourselves and we don’t pretend any kind of fame with this. I honestly hope that if you read these words, you’ll remember the story and not the people in it. there is no value in you remembergin my name or the names of the other two guys in this group. We do know it made us feel like never before. We do know we did it out of the pure will to help and that, no one can take from us. The memories we build during this experience are the catalyst we will keep looking for in order to jump into other adventures as a group just following our curiosity and this is the small legacy we want to print to these pages. Follow your curiosity and it will take you to amazing places. The best thing about it; curiosity knows no limits, has no price tag and relates to no brand. As long as you make a space for it in you life, you will either get into beautiful trouble or find something you didn’t know about yourself.
Technology is a stranger Probably one of the clichĂŠs from Africa is to see what happens in these situations where they handle technology. Well, for the sake of fun, we had to try this one. We gave some of the kids a camera just to see how they react to it and what kind of footage comes out of it. Since the truxk in this kids hand made more sense, he just tried to fit the camera into the truck.
76
Not a single sad picture Common it is, that people want to take images of themselves with damaged and sad kids For us this trip was all about joy, about helping improve people’s life and about learning. We were given the immense knowledge that happiness is about the simple stuff, it’s about the bonds you create with people, independent of how you choose to create them.
79
Curiosity is powerful Follow it and it will take you to the most amazing places. Explore it and you will discover beauty in life Just as they felt looking directly into the oddness of what a camera can be for them, we found that being curious is what led us to be here. It is a weapon that if you put to good use can yield extraordinary results and is a resource that -if you want- can be endless.
80
We are not superstars We are nothing but regular folks with the need of giving back for the good we have received You won’t find elite athletes in this picture as much as you won’t find a recognizable face. We are a priviledge group because we have good lives but we don’t pretend to be something other than that. We are the common heroes, those whose names you won’t even remember. We are you.
83
“One would think a kid’s face should reflect nothing but happiness when picked up by their parents. Africa is not a place where such image is the regular thing to happen. Africa is different, it’s tough”.
Just a truck We widely overlook the power of building a moment. Sometimes that’s even more effective than help you won’t even remember Most -if not all- of the kids will never understand why a bunch of white dudes suddenly popped out of a van. They will, however, remember those three fellows that unloaded a great deal of toys and food and devoted time to play with them. This, in the life of a child, can be meaningful and everlasting.
86
“A small girl smiles at us before we leave, giving us the feeling we did something good. If you set yourself up to collect smiles, your time will be well rewarded�.
Moving on to a less emotional state of the conversation and more to the fact of trying to pull this thing together. We arranged with the -so-called- teachers to deliver (by de end of August. This means that however and whatever the reponse of the internet community is to this project, we will pull some more resources out of our own pockets to get them what they need. Then why bother doing all this? Well, the obvious reason already explained about the conceptual part of the project is pretty clear but, the practical reason is that: if you have this book in your hands, you have helped us to deliver a higher quality response to their needs and that... That matters. Also at the begining of the book I explained what the deal -with the brands coming along with us- was and as a personal goal, I want to prove this intitiative can be extremely succesful and therefore scalable and replicable in time and effort. This wouldn’t be possible if you weren’t flipping through the pages of this -so called- product, at this very moment. This is the moment where I think of writing these words as a way of saying thanks for collaborating to this endeavor, for choosing to contribute to this cause even though there are million of other options to do something similar (maybe even better) but, I kid you not, you will have lots of trouble finding any alternative as authentic as this one.
89
despite the admited arrogancy of my comment (I apologize for that) the whole project gave us [to the group] back something most adult people lost on the way to adulthood: the palyfulness of an unexpected retribution when planning an outstanding adventure. For a moment in time, the feeling of making a difference took over us and we rejoiced upon climbing on a wooden swing again, jumping like rabbits in between the tires embeded in the gorund and the superb emotion of removing kids from your shoulders as if they were a swarm of bees trying to inyect you with joy. I know. It does sounds like is all too good and it simply is. The sole empowering feeling of the moment you realize you can produce this revolution of smiles within the kids explains much of the reasons why these women put that much effort without monetary feedback to keep this place as a safe place. They are protecting this inocence because the retribution to the soul is just magnificent.
Chapter 3
Biking was our excuse. What will be yours?
“Throughout every kilometer we spent on our bikes, we enjoyed this whimsical experience. We connected with the country’s geography as much as we did with its people”.
93
So, what happens behind the curtain? We had a great excuse to put this whole thing together. That means you can also find one for yourself. Wether is a family trip or a group of friends having an adventure, there are a million ways of justifying this sort of trip. It is very important to me to repeat -at this point- that what we committed to offer a sor of “behind the scenes� perspective on what it means to create a marketing product which is intimately related to the goal of helping, using the power of storytelling as a vehicle to get the support from different actors of the market. It is also very important to understand that this can be applied to any kind of market, being that the outdoor industry or the technology sectore, etc. Ultimately it will depend merely on your areas of intereset.
only means you have to find the right components to put together a team that will cover all the required skills. In our case, each one of us took a different role into this project, from pitching the idea to brands to coordinating logistics. The idea is that; as in any project, you need to evaluate what each one -as individual- can bring to the table and put it to work to achieve the goal. That being said, I already explained where the idea came from, what followed was a trade show called the ISPO -which is a trade show for the outdoor industry- conducted here in Munich (where we are based).
My role at this point was to sell the concept to the brands, There is quite a bit of complexity when it comes to what it for which I walked about 40 km in total during 3 days of happens on the BTS. Most would say you need a special show talking like a parrot and drinking coffee like the world type of character to sell this kind of ideas. I agree. That was coming to and end.
94
“Ready to play, we couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect spot. The first sunset welcomed us and everything was in place for us to enjoy this incredible experience”.
The funny part is that: considering the nature of the project, where I was offering my work for free, quality marketing concepts and the possibility to help people in need, I though it was going to be extremely easy and that most brands will throw at me for a piece of the project. Well, in reality I have to admit I was a bit dissapointed at the answer of certain marketing managers but, as everything in life, I was also blown away about how open and fast some of the brands were when they got to hear the story. At the very end -considering that some brands would have conflicts with one another- we had only so many slots to be filled and we had to choose which ones were going to come with us. The selection was basically made considering the network reach of each brand and nothing else. Our priority was to have as many contact points within our network as we could possibly harness.
97
Is there a secret to success on this matter? I could say; persistance is key. Also, the fact that you’re trying to help people does open many doors. So, reach out for the ones you think can help and most probably they will. Now, to the practical aspect. We got a bunch of products from the supporting brands with emails full of good wishes and I want to use this lines to also apologize to all those guy who had to stand my endless list of emails bothering to make things happen. I also work on the other side of the table and it can get pretty disturbing to have someone blasting your inbox with messages. Then again, I’m sorry but is the only way so, thanks for the patience.
“We rode the wonderful coastline, in a place where you can see baboons jumping inbetween cows. Africa is anything but regular and every second is intense�.
After all the hassle and getting the partners, sorting a scam and redefining the project on the go, let me show you a bit how the mess of cruising 3500 km with the purpose of making a book, helping people and have a vacation -all at the same time- looks like. This is the part where we have to be brave enough to admit that vacations are part of the plan and that our intention was to enjoy as much as possible our passion for biking at this exotic location. Aside from the fact that we knew barely anything from the country and that we were juggling every day to find the next objective, we did have a blast riding our bikes while florian was endlessly driving, Phil was constantly supplying me with energy for all the gear and managing all sorts of technical problems with the bikes and I was somehow packed in the back with the rest of the equipment and trying to manage on a moving office for hours and hours.
As it is for most “well organized” trips, at the beginning everything is perfectly fitted, the packs couldn’t look better inside of the car and we all had the sensation we had such a great system in place to manage all the tasks to come. However, we were of course entirely wrong. Although we did enjoy a couple of clean environment days, we managed to created somewhat of a microclimate (also called a total chaos) inside of our moving home. It is funny how easy it is to forget how the first 25 km of trail with about 1000 elevation meters can definitely take away your will to keep thing in order and push away any kind of self-regulation. That being said, we managed -after like 3 days- to get into the car, full of dirt, completely sweaty and basically not packing but throwing everything in the best way we could (that means: as fast as possible).
100
We ride to be free A clichÊ phrase that becomes very true when you have something you’re passionate about The sole purpose of that statement is to define the line where we take our sport toa different level by just realising what an important part of our lives it is. Being on two wheels menas more than just adrenaline. It means friends, family and a bond you can only build when riding.
103
Get lost to find yourself It’s so easy to get into the conveyor and just wake up every day to do the same, over and over again. I can’t say this about everyone but, one thing we’ve learned is that improvising and getting a bit lost in the way of what we thought it was a clear idea was -in fact- liberating. They say an adventure starts when something goes wrong. Well, allow things to go wrong and you shall learn from it.
104
“We drove countless hours to build up this dream. We did our job on the road, while seeking for the next piece of adventure so we could bring back something we could all feel proud of�.
For the remaining time our mobile home was a total mess, full of joy, but a total mess. So, first advice: try to pack less things and try to keep it as organized as you can without fooling yourself into the idea that everything will remain properly arranged throughout the trip. The other thing to have in mind is that problems will occur and this trip was no exeption. We wanted to travel with our bikes becase, as avid bikers, our bikes have been carefully fitted to our needs and therefore we never thought of the possibility of renting a bike on destination. This is a complete subject on itself and thanks to the help from the people of Evoc, we managed to travel with our beasts with pretty much no inconvenient. Now, the world is not perfect and one of the bikes suffered a bit due to the long trip and we had to sort out some minor logistics to find the necessary parts for it.
107
Probably in a normal scenario this would have meant going online and ordering the parts or just going to the first store nearby and getting the necessary goods to fix it. However, in South Africa, things are not as easy as they are in Europe and this minor inconvenient ended up making us taking a few detours to find the spares we needed. The thing is that, Florian’s bike had a broken hose that is part of the hydraulic system of the Reverb droppable seat-post and to be fair, it is quite annoying to ride without a functioning automatic seat-post. Other than that one of the brake discs was completely bent and the rotor was also damaged.
“As simple as a good panoramic view. This is just another reward of this adventure.�
Dream big! Not too big that you’ll kill yourself in the process but big enough to scare you and discover something new about yourself. Trying to achieve things beyond your limit or comfort zone is something -most of times- very productive. However, being realistic about your goals will also ensure a higher rate of success. Know your limits, listen to your fears but don’t let them conquer your. For the record, none of us made that ramp down. It was just... Too fucking scary.
110
“Dusty trails and intense sun make a perfect scenario to enjoy the grip, to laugh about the falls and to celebrate the success. Life is just like a bike ride�.
I have to admit I didn’t quite see it at that moment but, the fact that we were looking for the parts and that Flo was being very annoying about it (in a good way) took us in the right direction and, some of the things that happened to us would have not if it wasn’t because of this.
it is, also, about having fun Following a trail of different stores and actually asking a lot of people where could we find such a specific part is how we managed to meet quite a few people. Now, the funny part is that, since we were here on this very special project, we couldn’t hold ourselves into telling the story of how we wanted to help people at the same time we wanted to go biking. Surprisingly, telling the tale changed the mood of everyone around us and, not only they were constantly congratulating us, but also they really wanted to see us making it happening. After bouncing from city to city (the part was really specific), we ended up in Knysna which is dubbed the mecca of south african mountain biking and it was here where got to a store called BeSpoked (you need
113
anything, this is THE place). At BeSpoked we had the luck of meeting Tyrone, the owner of the store and obviously a bike fanatic. Tyrone wasn’t just your average bike freak, he was also a candid guy and quite a powerful rider with a huge insight on the trails of the area. We had time to talk and laugh and we had time to explain him everything about the project. We also had the balls to ask him to come with us and show us some trails (on full work days) and after giving some “puppy look” to his wife (that administrates the store) he took us to some of the best corners within the area. Funny fact is that we told Tyrone: “We are trying to shot material for the different brands supporting us and we would need you to show up wearing just products from our pool of brands”, which I have to admit it was along shot and not very polite to ask, after the guy treated us so well. However, Tyrone not only agreed but managed to show up the next morning wearing -somehow- exactly the same pieces of equipment we were using (that was kinda freak!).
Ready to blast the trails, we met at the entrance of the paradise area, where we took the 26km lap through the forest to find ourselves riding on a beautiful and scenic shore cliff. The variety of the trail is absolutely outstanding and it kept us pumping sweat the whole time while Tyrone wasn’t even warm.
the best trails in the area and we just squeezed the best out of every single inch of trail. After we were done with this area, we moved on to the next big hit within the Garden Route zone. Harkerville.
This place is actually a big farm where the owner happens to see biking as an alternative to suing the land I can’t say riding with all my camera equipment is the most for something else than just farming. Now the incredible comfortable thing to do but, I managed well to keep up with thing is that he personally took as a personal challenge the team and we all had a lot of fun taking some pictures to build a gorgeous set of trails with the help of Canadian to fill up the pages of this book and ocasionally change professionals and he charges a really cheap price for our Facebook profile pic. I would also like to recommend enjoying these beauties. I’m talking about professional anyone who’s not South African to bring A LOT of water, as quality, ultra fun and demanding bike park. I can’t find the heat is quite intense and the trails are a bit exhausting enough good words to describe something that -if you love to say the least, other than that it is mostly about having bikes as much as we do- you should come and see for all the fun you possibly can. Bringing our passion along yourself. with us, or better yet, having our passion mixed with the desire to do a good deed was a powerful combination We met Tyrone -yet again- at this area and abused his that allowed us to visit different parts of this wonderful good will a bit more. We also had the opportunity to check country qith the excuse to ride, to make beautiful images an insane park construction sponsored by Monster energy and to give all of this a better purpose. We went to the drink that surely will hit the internet before this book is southernmost part of the continent as much as we visited finished.
116
“We faced different challenges along the way but, we always managed to overcome difficulties as a team, using what we could to move to the next stage�.
As we pushed to create the best material possible to show this adventure in a compelling way, we drove and drove around and across Africa scounting and asking where we could put our wheels to the ground, leading us to some wonderful spots, not only in the sense of riding but also just beautiful to watch. We had cold beers next to an old lighthouse and we grilled (or brai, like the term aorund here) in a private farm where people opened their doors to us because they believed in what we were doing.
Pay attention to the details We learned another lesson the hard way. It was a beautiful morning and thanks to the people from the hotel at one of our stops, we arranged a nice trail day with a cicyling professional named Richard. We got to a gorgeous place in between small mountains and we began to climb a few hundred meters. Excited about what was coming
119
and already having spend some time on the trails, we all noticed a lot of cactae on the ground. We managed to pass by most of them before we got to an area where absolutely every tree and every plant had THORNS! As it is normal in Europe, our bikes were fitted with tubes inside the tires and we never had a problem with that back home, but things are different here in Africa and richard was already laughing before we even had the first spin of our wheels, kindly warning us about the situation. We just smiled and said we had enough tubes and patches for a few flat tires, however, by the end of the first going down we managed to have 7 flats in about 15 mins. Yes, 7 flats. as it was expected, we were back at the search for a bike store in order to get our tubeless setup and do the right thing, which we should have done from the very begining: so, if you’re coming here, be sure to have your bike fitted.
Learn to deal with frustration One simple thing is that we are used to have everything within reach. This cripples our ability too think outside the box. Having technical problems without a professional team to assist you if far from fun. When broken parts and pieces come along you have to keep pushing. So we did, with everything we had at our disposal.
120
Collaboration is paramount Invite people to your adventure and the story will only become richer Even though we had a pretty rough start by inviting strangers into the heart of our project, we learned later that one should not lose faith in the good that others can bring to the journey. Despite the fact that we would love to put everyone here, we can’t. We will still remember and treasure every single person who help for us to achieve our objective.
123
Go the extra mile Sweating it is probably one of the most rewarding attitudes you can pursue. Willing max your legs will yield the best results. Sometimes you have to put a little suffering at an early stage, so you can enjoy later on. Putting your bike onto your shoulders might be uncomfortable but the ride after is surely worth it.
124
Joy comes in many forms For a biker is usual in the form of adding a bit of stunt-play to the trails Just like bunnies, when joy attacks, we feel compelled to bring our A game to the table and just make the best out of every downhill. Florian was our personal stunt-dummie, ensuring we will get the necessary wheelies for the images we were making.
127
Sleep outside Forget about the comforts for a minute and discover what it feels to be out there. Truly out there. We did woke up covered in bat shit but, it was definitely worth the shot.
128
Live in the moment After all, when the experience is over they are everything you’ll take back home Perhaps is easy to get caught in that place where the stress of delivering what you have promised takes the best of you. In these moments is good to remember that your state of mind will be reflected in the result. Don’t let tension take the best part of the experience.
131
It’s time for the powerful conclusions I guess by now I’m just thinking about how to deliver some knowledge after all this pages. While I can’t be sure that what I’ve learned from this experience will be useful for anyone else, I can confidently say that I came back home feeling like a better person. In that sense, this adventure was truly complete and all objectives I had before departing were met. Now, when it comes to translating that into transferrable information, I can think of a couple of things right of the top of my mind.
you believe in the objective and not because you want to convince someone that you’re a good person.
Plan big, even if the result is a bit messy. Create adventures with your friends and be romantic about your endeavors.
Trying to change the world is not a stupid idea and, if it was one, then we need a lot more of that kind of stupid people.
Find a place where your help is needed not a place where your help will cause more harm than good. Admit your flaws and try to correct them. Failing is part of learning. Deal with that fact!
Some people will like it and some others will not. Learn to You probably won’t understand the results until months live with this feeling and understand that: what you do is ahve passed by and you can finally connect the dots not meant to please everyone in this planet. Do it because
132
Above all, don’t forget to keep things simple. To let go the heaviness of any kind of pressure you might feel, as you should keep in mind that you’re doing this for you as much as you’re doing it for others. At the very beginning it was important to state that there is a fine line between being egoistic and trying to come back home with some images of yourself helping people to publish on social media and doing real good, no matter how big or small it is, as long as it is good. If at the end of this silly story you understood that simple concept, then go out there and make the best out of life while you try to impregnate others with positive energy.
135
Not a He
Be common, bu
ero Story
ut be the change.