This is about my first backpacking trip outside the US. I was 22 and broke.

I've always loved travelling and for many years, I've tried not to let my finances or personal economics get in the way of this dream--within reason of course. At the age of 22 I was accepted into a study abroad program in Mexico City, and I decided that after I was done with school I'd travel around Mexico somehow for about three weeks.

I'm originally from El Salvador and that year I decided to visit my family for Christmas, so I had to get from Mexico City to San Salvador, El Salvador on a budget of US $600.

I had no idea how to plan a trip. I had heard rumors that the Mexican state of Chiapas wasudget friendly, and I knew it was on the way to El Salvador. Having lived in Mexico City for six months (a great place, by the way!) I wanted to be surrounded by nature. When I googled Chiapas, I saw pictures of the Lacandon Jungle, beautiful waterfalls, and Mayan ruins.

I packed all my things: a laptop, a backpack full of only the clothes I could carry, and my guitar. I went to Mexico City's Tapo station and bought a one way ticket to San Cristobal de las Casas.

San Cristobal de las Casas, as it turned out, was just the place I was looking for. It was a small town with beautiful colorful architecture, and many tourism companies sold tour packages to many of the things I wanted to see at prices I could afford. I chose to visit Misol-Ha, Cascadas de Agua Azul, the Lacandon Jungle and three ruins: Palenque, Yaxchilán and Bonampak. The package I purchased included a boat ride to Guatemala, and bus ride to Flores, Peten Guatemala.

I just let things flow and over the next seven days, I confirmed that going to Chiapas was the right choice. I not only saw the Mayan ruins I'd always wanted to see, but had to confront several fears. In order to get to El Salvador, I had to stay in Guatemala for two days, where I was almost stranded because some of Mexican pesos got stuck together after they had gotten wet in the Lacandon jungle, and I had to do my best to salvage them and buy my bus ticket to El Salvador (only about US $18 at the time). To make things worse, my debit card wasn't really working in the Guatemalan machines. I learned some valuable lessons about planning in that moment.

That was my first backpacking trip alone. Ever since then, I've tried to go wherever I can afford and I've currently been living in Buenos Aires, Argentina since 1 August 2013. I haven't stopped travelling, but I've begun writing about it, and hope to continue the dream.