AUDIO project- Audrey Cooper

The speaker recounts their favorite story and amazing experience while traveling alone in Cape Town, South Africa. Despite breaking their foot, they embraced new adventures, met new people, and had exciting experiences such as riding ATVs, going on a safari, cage diving with sharks, and bungee jumping from a 216-meter-high bridge. The bungee jump challenged them the most, but they overcame their fear and felt empowered. This experience taught them that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to, even if it seems scary at first. Hello my name is Audrey Cooper and I'm going to be recounting one of my favorite stories and most amazing experiences I have while traveling abroad in Cape Town, South Africa this past summer. This three week summer trip immediately sparked my interest as it brought me completely out of my comfort zone. This would be the first time that I'd go out of the country completely on my own as I did not know a single person traveling on this trip before leaving. My set goal prior to leaving was to say yes to any adventure thrown my way, even though I had broken my foot one week prior to leaving. As far as getting out of my comfort zone, this trip offered plenty of opportunities. I had to meet all new people all on my own, all of which I'm still friends with today. The trip also offered various different excursions, such as riding ATVs over the sandy dunes, going on a safari, being able to feed, meet, and walk with elephants, deep sea cage diving with great white sharks, and meeting penguins on the sandy beach. All of these excursions allowed me to check off so many things on my bucket list, although there is one that I think challenged me the most. On the last week in Africa, we traveled to the southernmost tip, where one of the world's highest commercial bungee jump locations is located. The jump is called the Blue Cranes Bridge Bungee, and it is 216 meters high. As we arrived at the location, I immediately signed my life away. I was prepared to take on anything. But as we made our way to the bridge, I started to second guess myself. And as I ziplined across the bridge to the other side, my stomach was doing flips. The landing on the other side of the bridge was a small area that overlooked a large valley, and at the bottom was a flowing river. It was where the staff organized the bungee, and loud music was bumping. As I peered over the landing, my decisions started to look like a really bad idea. And just as I was about to turn around, they announced that I would be the first person to jump in my group. Due to my foot being broken, a special bungee was required for me, and they wanted to get that out of the way first. I can still remember the feeling of having my feet tied together for the bungee, and feeling like I had no control. I had one staff on either side of me, and a 217 high meter jump in front of me. I knew that in that moment, I could either act on my fear and turn around, or act on my adrenaline and jump off. So I let go of the staff and jumped. As soon as I jumped off that bridge, all my worries floated away. I was soaring through the air, and all I could feel was excitement and bliss, and powerful that I had made such a crazy, insane decision. But one that I will remember forever. It was at that moment that I knew that I could truly accomplish anything I put my mind to. No matter how crazy or outlandish it seemed, I could truly do anything I wanted to do. This moment still plays on a loop inside my head whenever I have to make a big decision, or I'm frightened to do something new or out of my comfort zone. It reminds me that while the jump may at first appear scary, once you finally decide to go all in, there's nothing you can't do.