Status Update: Year 27

It’s a bitter-sweet day here in Medellin, Colombia. The biological clock adds 1 more notch, yet I have a real good feeling about this one.

It’s a cool 75 degrees outside and the sun’s shining bright over my apartment in Envigado. I’m watching street vendors stroll by with their big wooden carts piled high with avocados and mangos as I sit at my balcony office responding to emails from potential T2T advertisers. In the grand scheme of things… life doesn’t suck, not one bit.

However, I’d be lying if I said I was content with where I’m at on my 27th birthday. Happy… always, but content… never.

This year for my birthday I’ll be sitting in my gringo-filled apartment, icing a bum ankle and chatting with best friends and family who live thousands of miles away. Because of the 2-week trip to the coast and now thisstupid little basketball-related injury, I’ve been slow at breaking into the social circles here in Medellin. So I won’t be spending my favorite day of the year in some Colombian filled VIP room with table full of Paisas. It’s a little disappointing considering how much fun I had at my 26th birthday celebration in Buenos Aires last year.

Okay, enough with the pity-party. Overall, I’m super pumped about the big 2-7. There’s so much in store in regards to business and travel that I can’t help but get excited. Age 26 was a good year for traveling but I think 27 will bring even more road tripping and puddle jumping. The travel schedule focuses around a all-new T2T location and an abundance of nuptials (none of which are mine) across the States (North Carolina, Utah and New York).

The plan for this year is to really switch things up, kick down doors, wake up the neighbors and make a lot of magic. Here’s how…

These are my overall themes for Age 27:

1. Fun & Profit

2. “Never Confuse Movement with Action” – Benjamin Franklin (and/or Earnest Hemingway)

3. Set (high) tangible goals and aggressive deadlines and break through comfort zones to reach them.

*And as always friends and family.

The World of Tourist 2 Townie:

1. Brand New T2T: The all-new, WordPress-powered, money-minded, take-no-prisoners website is just weeks away. I can’t wait to teach myself the ins and outs of WordPress so I can develop the site and use my knowledge to leverage new projects.

2. Adjustment to the Direction & Focus: With the new site will come a slightly adjusted direction and focus. I have laid out my 3-year plan, piece-by-piece in order to accomplish more and encourage others to get involved along the way.

3. Monetize: This is what will keep the dream alive. The new site will be much more advertiser/sponsor/partnership friendly (without loosing the townie feel). Now that I think about it… here is a great directory of Online Casino Sites that is dedicated to online gaming resources and guides to casino games and strategy. ; )

4. Improve Site Content: Since embarking on the second adventure in Colombia I’ve tried to become a student of the writing game. My goal is to write better by saying more with less words. I’m also consciously developing my photography eye and kicking myself in the ass to produce, edit and upload quality videos. Constant improvement.

Other Money Source (aka Dream Funding):

Living with gringos here in Medellin does have it’s advantages. I just picked up another Marketing/Design project through my roommate’s friend, so I’ll be working on that over the next few weeks.

The goal is to provide low-fee, high-quality work that is valuable (profitable) for clients to build up my portfolio and then do something with GarethLeonard.com to promote my services. Thus, gain more clients.. charge more (as services/knowledge improves) and keep T2T rolling. As you can see, money will be a major focus this year in an effort to achieve location independence and financial freedom (this might take more than a year).

My Inspiration for doing great things at Age 27:

• Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. dropped out from his job at General Electric to become a full-time writer.
• Henry David Thoreau went off for two years to live alone in a cabin at Walden Pond.
• Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space.
• Memphis millionaire Frederic W. Smith, whose father built the Greyhound bus system, founded Federal Express.
• Scottish botanist David Douglas discovered the Douglas fir.
• Ernest Hemingway published his first novel, The Sun Also Rises.
• Boston dentist William Morton pioneered modern anesthesiology after learning that inhalation of ether will cause a loss of consciousness.
• Conceptual artist Piero Manzoni crapped in 90 small cans which were then factory sealed and offered for sale at the price of gold.

My Inspiration for NOT becoming a rock-star at Age 27:

• Jimi Hendrix choked to death on his own vomit after ingesting wine and sleeping pills.
• Janis Joplin died of an overdose of whiskey and heroin.
• Jim Morrison died of “heart failure”
• Kurt Cobain died by rule of suicide by shotgun
• Basically don’t join the 27 Club.

Thank you everybody for the birthday wishes!

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Gareth

My name is Gareth Leonard, a Marketing Director turned World Traveler with a passion for slow, meaningful travel. I have been traveling the world full-time for the past 9+ years and document it all on Instagram and YouTube. Come join me!