That time of the year has arrived.
Despite the terrible events that have happened in 2016, I must say that for me it was a good year.
At the beginning of the year I stayed home. I finally had holidays! Well deserved holidays. Which felt good for about 2 months. After that I became a bit bored. So I started running. I figured that my mind was a better place after a run. It's unbelievable! Who would have ever thought? Another thing that I figured was also that even when tired, a run fills you up with so much energy. You'd think it's counter-productive but it really isn't. Ah, the beauty of life.
I had so much free time, I started applying for jobs. To US. I got rejected by Harvard. Which I guess is something. Let's say that it was a bit depressing. Sending out applications is always depressing to me. You put all this energy in and then gah, people don't even deign you with a reply. In May I became seriously bored and made the decision to go back to UK. It's been my dream to move to Newcastle one day, and there was no better time than present.
Another thing I decided at the beginning of 2016 is that now is the time to do all the things I've always wanted to do but didn't due to Uni/work/money/life. 2016 was gonna be the year I will put my 3 year plan into motion. Now I am single, young, and free. I only need to take care of myself, and therefore I am able to make this sort of decisions. They only affect me.
What is my 3 year plan?
3 years. 6 cities. 6 months each.
Rome. Berlin. Nice. Newcastle. New York. Paris.
And not just travelling. But living. Living it. Breathing the city. Take it all in with all the good and all the bad and to do with it the best that I can. And work. Work in the psychology field. Companies don't give out lifetime contracts anymore anyway, so 6 month plan is perfect.
And then decide where to settle down.
It's a good plan I shall say.
So in May I decided to put my 3 year plan into motion. I booked the ticket to Edinburgh. I packed my stuff and left for an adventure. I visited my friends in Edinburgh ofcourse. I missed them. I still do.
I did not think it was going to be easy.. But I didn't imagine it being so hard either to get a nice entry level job. I kept getting offers for sales ... which wasn't really for me. In the end I ended up as a supervisor at Barburitto. And it was nice. I really liked my manager. He was the best boss ever. Work was kinda fun. Plus I could boss people around and not feel bad about it cause it was my job.
I didn't make many friends in Newcastle. Very few. People were always coming and going. And people living there were very.. English. Yeah, I didn't make many friends.
I got my heart broken, too. That was a quite painful experience after so many years. But then again, it's always painful when your heart gets broken no matter how much time has passed.
In the healing process I started going around. And by around I mean everywhere nice. I visited all the beaches in the Newcastle larger area. Whitley bay, South Shields, North Shields, Tynemouth. Every lovely day that I had time off I went to the beach. I had a summer after all. Oh, I made the attempt to go to as many happy hours in Jesmond as I could. Jesmond is still a magical place to me, but you really need friends to go there. Going alone is not as fun, sadly.
In the end of September I packed my stuff and sat on the bus to Brussels. On the long journey I thought about a lot of things that happened this summer, and I made the decision that I was done with UK. I spent almost 4 years there. If I'm not feeling it by now, then chances are I never will. It's sad, but in the end it is what it is. And, UK, we aren't.
After 3 months here I can honestly say that this has been the absolute best time of my life. I am the happiest I've ever been.
Work is great. The European Commission is awesome. Is this huge machine and every person is a little piece of the puzzle that gets the whole machine turning. It's overwhelming sometimes. I attended lots of trainings about cool stuff such Mind mapping!
I am also the Coordinator of the Parties and Euroball Subcommittee. Which means I get to organise really cool parties for the EU trainees. And I love it! I made a November Rain party in November and it was a huge success. And I did a Red Love Christmas party in December and it was a success too. People were happy. And I was super happy. Doing good for people is the ultimate goal for a higher life satisfaction. I love my life here.
I've met so many great people from all over Europe. Young adults full of hopes and dreams for a better future. All sociable. All very nice. Ok, some are not, but that's a given - it's statistics.
I visited Paris again in October! And I had the best time ever. The weather was so nice, and I was wearing dresses everyday and I met my friends, and I love Paris. I have to make it to Paris. Have to. Everytime I visit I get this overwhelming feeling of happiness and life seems so good, and I owe it to myself to live there at least once.
I went home for Christmas, and I had a great time there too. My cat was super happy to see me. I saw my friends and family and it was lovely. Going home is always relaxing .. as long as there is an expiring date :P
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But my absolute favourite was A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas! This book is brilliant!
As for new year plans and wishes..
I want to stay in Brussels for another 6 months. I love it here. And I'd like to stay at the house that I am now with my current flatmates. They are the best people ever, and our home is actually a home. Which is everything.
I want to find a job in the psychology field.
After 6 months I should implement another city in my plan. Paris hopefully.
I am going to India with Justina for a month to meditate and party.
I am going to learn French and speak it fluently by the end of 2017.
That is all, I think.
Create possibilities for yourself, and always remember: Be brave.
With love,
