So, who am I and why should I have my own blog? Great freaking question, and actually a question that most people have trouble answering. (I’ll be honest — I am having trouble composing it right now)
Where do I begin … I was born in Miami, FL, and then did a short stint in Boca Raton where I showcased my coloring and block-building skills. Upon having my talents brought back to Miami, my parents put my brother and I on the preppy private school route where teachers taught us a bit about calculus and prepped us as much as possible for college.
Having gone to high school in Miami, I was ready to get a taste of something different upon my graduation, but my parents were not on the same page. So, I continued my education at the University of Miami where I pursued my interests in business and finance, and I will be forever thankful to my parents for this ‘forceful’ guidance. Attending the University of Miami was one of the best experiences in my life. Everything from the student personalities and organizations to faculty and university features were unforgettable. The beauty of the campus, as well as the accompanying student body, coupled with the raw intellectual power exuded by each and every classroom is something very hard to come by anywhere else in the world.
Speaking of the beautiful student body the University of Miami also gave me an opportunity I didn’t see coming. I was able to meet my Brazilian Princess, aka Gesy, at the last football game at the Orange Bowl prior to its demise. I was floored when I met her. I considered her to have a case of the B’s — she was Bubbly, Brilliant, and Beyond Beautiful. As you stroll around the website you can see Gesy featured in many different places around the world as she is my #1 model. Gesy has been a fantastic influence in my life, has taught me a great amount since we have met, and I can certainly say that my life would not be anywhere near the same without her. **Brownie points :)**
Upon graduating from the U, I was confident I could tackle anything and everything that crossed my path. So, fast forward a few years — I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to work for one of the greatest financial minds in the world, and I was accomplishing things I never would have imagined before. I learned more in a day than I ever thought possible, started doing more work during a single phone call than a semester of class, and was exposed to more data and information on my computers than all of my lectures and textbooks combined. I had the world at my fingertips, and the opportunity I had in my hands was not to be taken lightly. I worked for this company for a total of 5 years, but during those years something happened that completely diverted what I thought was going to be my life’s plan.
In January of 2011, I was involved in a horrible car accident in Colorado where my best friend and roommate passed away, I was ejected from the vehicle, was in the hospital for over a month, had about 6 months of therapy thereafter, and still feel effects of the crash each and everyday.
The entire experience forced everything into perspective and brought all previous life decisions into question. The one thing I knew for sure — I wanted to get up, and get out. Do something different. Do something I had never done before. Do something bigger and more creative. Do something that made a difference in something or someone. Do something that would really put my skills to the test like never before.
But, where the hell do you start? I finally understood the meaning of the often used phrase, “life’s too short”, but was I supposed to get another job, start my own company, go to grad school, what did I want to do? How could I learn something that neither school nor an intense job could teach me?
Everything pointed in the same direction — travel the world.
So, without further ado, let the adventure begin.
