Reaching the top, I knew something had changed, not in the environment but in me. It was my first big hike in the snow and mud, and I was scared in the beginning of not being able to make it, but in the end, I knew that the activity was where I found myself. I was always a big fan of sports and activities that give me a rush, but hiking was never one of them. Hiking requires breathing correctly and high levels of concentration and self-discipline, two things I never thought I had. However, in Argentina, I decided I wanted to push my physical limits, and hiking was the perfect way to do it.
In November of 2025, I traveled to Patagonia for the first time and packed all the necessary equipment—jackets, hiking pants, hiking shoes, and plenty of courage. I woke up, had my breakfast among my friends, and went on our big hike. It was 22km, so we also packed our lunch—some sandwiches, snacks, and chocolate bars. As we got closer to the mountain and I saw how massive it was, I felt an immense wave of adrenaline and excitement that I did not understand where it was coming from. I got my trekking pole and my backpack and went there. The beginning was easy, just a bit of mud and dirty clothes was our challenge; however, throughout the way up, I faced what I was not expecting: how hot it would be in the forest. Not necessarily because it was humid, but I thought it would be freezing, so I prepared myself with three coats, jackets, gloves, etc. There, I learned my first lesson: not every hike requires me to pack my entire closet. So, I tied all the clothes around my bag and waist and kept hiking.
On every step going up, I looked to my friends, who were also tired, and together we kept hiking up. Some of them fell into the mud lake, which made everything funnier. Also, we had a dog with us, whom we named Rocky, and honestly, he was better than everyone there! Controlling my breath and sharing positive thoughts, I hiked each step, facing another mental barrier every single step. When I saw snow for the first time, it was magical; it was on the floor, and Rocky was running around it, but when I touched it was a magical moment for me…and a cold, very cold moment as well.
After reaching the snow, the weather was super cold—that moment I was glad for packing my entire closet. We hiked for more than two hours until reaching the top. When our guide said that we finally reached the top of that mountain, I felt relief, gratitude, and empowerment. I had faced a mental barrier in my mind that always told me I couldn’t hike.
I was sitting on the rocks, eating my lunch, and thinking about how incredible that experience was. Of course, getting what I wanted—reaching the top—was great, but understanding the process of getting there and knowing that I did everything I could was twice as rewarding. In life, I think we always have beautiful landscapes around us, even in our hardest moments, but we’re so focused on our problems that we forget to appreciate the view. Patagonia taught me to appreciate the journey.
My mind, without any external sounds, no pressure, and observing the beauty behind the snow on the mountains, knew I was beginning to fall in love with that. And I was right, because a month later, I was already hiking in Spain, falling in love again.
When I traveled to Spain, the main goal was to cycle instead of hiking, but one of the days we had the chance to hike. Coincidentally, this day was on the same day I got accepted into college, so it was a great moment to reflect on my life and what I wanted next after my gap year. I started the hike, learning more about how the people in that small village in Spain used to live and their habits, and then we started to step into the rocks and go up. While I was hiking, I was controlling my breathing and thinking about how I was grateful for getting into college and having the opportunity to study in a place I love in my next year. On the way, we found a tangerine tree with delicious fruits that we got to eat—one of my highlights—and after two hours, we reached the top. This hike was very simple and easy, which helped me to focus only on my thoughts, without music, phone, or external thoughts, only me and my mind. Constantly, my mind is overwhelmed with ads, information, tasks, people, or even self-imposter syndrome, but hiking that day, it was not. It was full of nothing, and that feeling was wonderful.
