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As an Interior Decorator, I use my life-long experiences of world travel to inspire how I create, design & decorate interior spaces.

I remember the day my husband and I decided to do something against the norm, paradoxical to the rat race, and take a risk- all for the love of learning, adventure, nature, new culture & wild life. He decided to quit his full-time retail management job, the job that was everything but stimulating and I put any future clients on hold. Our plan? To backpack for one month in the remote parts of Costa Rica & Panama.

Irresponsible? Some may say- and they did say. Yet, it was one of the most incredible experiences we ever have had together- and it even led to many more, such as Belize (tell you all about it later :)). One must take risks to gain a fresh perspective on life and to learn about the lives of others outside our circle. To learn and grow, requires us to come out of our comfort zone- and that we did.

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There is a stark difference between traveling and a vacation. It can be very uncomfortable, tiring, complicated and even painful. Everything is new, change is constant, and you’re at the mercy of all extraneous elements. While camping in the jungles of Panama-we got exactly what we expected-and that wasn’t lounging by any pool with a cocktail waitress saying “It’s 5:00 somewhere!”. There was no air conditioning (the relative humidity was 80% in April), no hot water and sometimes no electricity. The creepy crawling things were everywhere and by the looks of them (I have not seen them in my science book) I often wondered if they were supernatural. Spiders the size of your hand, itchy bug bites and heavy rain storms with no warning were ever present on a daily basis. Even though world travel can be quite uncomfortable, the positives completely take precedence. Observing animals in their natural habitat, eating fresh and organic food at every meal, learning about flora and fauna, spending the day on a coffee farm, paying cash only in a town you’ve never heard of, diving into a beautiful waterfall, experiencing a strangers kindness- all of that makes for a remarkable and worth-while experience.

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I’ll never forget one particular day while on a long hike in the jungle. We became very caught of guard, to say the very least, as we noticed a Panamanian walking very slowly behind us about a few yards with a machete. As he was swinging his machete up and down along the side of him, he was creating the sound of a faint long whistle. You know the kind that you hear in scary movies? This happened for what seemed one mile and my imagination started to get the best of me. My husband and I became paralyzed to say a word to each other as more time went on. Our feet started to catch some speed as we both started to walk just a little bit faster but without making it too noticeable, in fear of being chased like creature on Animal Planet. Not another person in sight, with the ocean on the left and the jungle on the right…the sound of the waves on the left and the bugs buzzing on the right- we had no where to go except straight ahead. This Panamanian kept his steady pace behind us which felt like an eternity. Then- he soon spoke aloud and said, “Over on that bridge you can see the Caiman” (a small type of alligator). Those words- breaking the silence- and our fast moving feet was heavenly. One word at a time, we cautiously replied. The conversation became more and more comfortable until we realized that he was no danger at all. We appreciated a really nice conversation with him. He knew every in and out of the jungle- it was HIS territory. We were in HIS space, his home. He would have had every right to be afraid of us, not the reverse. Come to find out, it’s common to carry your machete daily to cut down the coconuts from the Palm Trees (Oh yes, I knew that ;)).

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American’s tend to get so wrapped in up our own culture, our own language, our day to day business and our way of doing things. Do we forget that we are such a small percentage of the world? That our ways are not the absolute best ways compared to the other cultures, tribes, villages and cities? Do we even care enough about others’ perspectives to go and see and hear for ourselves? It’s important to take the time to care and to see. I’m not saying that backpacking for one month is for everyone- certainly not. However, I do believe that there is something that every individual can do to understand a new culture without leaving the country if you can’t. How about taking a foreign language class, making a new recipe from a far away land, giving to an orphanage in Uganda or simply studying other ways of life? We are taught certain “must do’s” and to follow the “American Dream” or else you’re considered a failure. But then why do I see so many wealthy Americans dissatisfied with their life? Material items will never lead to a fulfilling life.

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Take a breath of fresh air, take a new risk- one that you personally feel passionate about. Creativity takes risk….To hike on a path not even on a map is so FREEING. To experience villages so poor, yet the people are so happy & kind is so HOPEFUL. To practice a new way of doing things, is so MATURING.

If you want to feel close to nature or your travel experience, you can bring those same colors and designs right into your home. You can ask me how at http://www.AccentStaging.com or Heidy@AccentStaging.com

Message me for tips for Bocas Del Toro. I love to give backpacking tips or world travel advise, share delicious food recipes we have learned about and of course, hear all about your travel experiences. So let the stories roll in!

Happy Travels!

Heidy Christina Rucker