Monday, July 14th, 2025
Writing to you from Uruguay
As you’ve likely seen, I haven’t been posting much after losing sight of the bigger picture and spending a few weeks in Paraguay.
After a few weeks of kickboxing in Paraguay, then coming back here to try to figure things out, I feel as though I am back on track and ready to go full speed ahead once again.
They say hindsight is 20/20 and I couldn’t agree more.
I realized that my return to the states to start flight school was different from times in the past when I had left home to get something done…I left the bigger picture behind.
I went there thinking, “Okay, all I’ve got to do is get my private pilot’s license done.” I wasn’t thinking about why I was there.
For months, the thought of the big picture or “why” was absent from my thinking.
Obviously, that led to a deteriorating state of being. One in which my actions weren’t guided by a greater meaning, but by a desire to just get it done. No good. But, I’m glad that I reached “failure” - a point where I lost the path and needed to pick myself back up again.
It sucks. Absolutely.
But, a very wise woman told me that this (essentially) was good. That this needed to happen at some point.
I think she is right and I cannot thank her enough for her words.
Life isn’t all smooth sailing. But, each difficulty allows for a potential triumph. I believe it was Epictetus who said, “The greater the difficulty; the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.” I am eager to prove that true for myself.
Moving Forward
From this point on the updates will release as scheduled each week unless I am restricted from releasing them due to lack of time or location.
I am going to try to see if I can work with some Uruguayan flight instructors to get my flight hours in from here. We shall see if that’ll work out. I sure hope so, since I’d like to continue making progress in that area.
I will continue academic studies, working on The Preparation book, training either kickboxing or BJJ (if I find a good gym), writing articles, helping around the ranch…
Also, I found a sailing race not too long ago on Instagram.
Their advertisement said they would train people (no experience required) and they could compete in the race if selected by the team.
It’s a circumnavigation race around the world.
This morning I had an interview with a nice woman who had completed 3 legs of the race last year. We talked for 45 minutes until the interview finished. Soon, I’ll find out if I’ll be accepted as a crew member or not.
If I’m approved, I will have to travel to the UK in September to complete 4 weeks of training before the race.
Back in February when I first sailed on the Amundsen with the Pelagic Expeditions crew I read a book called, “A Voyage for Madmen” by Peter Nichols. The book was about the first Golden Globe circumnavigation race in the 1960s that was won by Sir Robin Knox Johnson.
That man went on to found Clipper Race, which runs and hosts the race around the world that I may be able to participate in.
So, that may take the year in a completely different direction…
Looking forward to things
Things will improve drastically from here, I think.
Stick around for it all. I promise that these next two years will blow the first two out of the water. It’ll be difficult, but more than possible.
-Maxim
