I rediscovered a blog entry that I wrote in December 2014 and never published. Better late than never right?
After an unexpectedly thought provoking conversation with a friend recently I've decided to make this blog post about the best parts and biggest lessons of living abroad thus far. Care to join me down the rabbit's hole?...
Number 1:
(Frankly it's the only one you really need)...Living abroad is one massive, kick you when you're down, throw you up on cloud 9, rock n' roll adventure. Nuff said right? As if living on your own, out from the shelter of your parent's wings isn't difficult enough, some of us crazy souls decide to do it abroad. In which case the chaos becomes la demence and our demented ideas have to be translated into a different language. Our normal diet gets pushed aside in a frantic endeavor to fit in or to be brave and try that terrifying dish, and your skepticism on public transport gets shunted aside because Mr. Budget is an obnoxious, rude bastard who takes precedence in everything. Yet, despite all that, you can't help but grin because here you stand on your own two feet, poorer than ever, but not giving two shits because you can't help but feel like a shining beacon of independence. Even if you're the only one to notice.
Number 2:
You find yourself, often in the most bizarre, unexpected places and times. And yes I mean that in the cheesy way of "finding who your true self is...". Hush, I'm going somewhere with this. Nothing is newer to me and more foreign in this country than myself. Every single day I learn something new about myself, and it's kind of exciting. Most of the times it's incredibly ill-timed and awkward,(stumbling out of the tube and landing gracefully on your knees and realizing that you officially are as clumsy as you've been told) to getting lost and ending up in Southeast rather than West London and consequently realizing that you actually can find your way home without your parents. Other times it's a little more unpleasant (Me? Staring at you? Oh no no Ridiculously Attractive Person With An Accent to Die For, I was just really intrigued by the utterly blank wall behind you. No really) those are the moments when you realize that your social skills absolutely need more work. Then there are the moments when you sit alone in your flat and read out loud to yourself in a British accent and thus start laughing hysterically, at yourself and you realize that there's something kind of wonderful about finding your sense of humor. So what if it's a bit immature, dry and twisted? It's yours and you are not obligated to appease to everyone's personal taste in humor. If you can laugh at yourself, you're doing alright. There are the moments when you realize that not everything you do reflects who you are but sometimes how you react, shows who you aren't. There are a thousand and half moments more but we can pick those apart later.
Number 3:
Life is a continuum of moments. Awkward moments, sad moments, funny moments, inappropriate moments, drunk moments, and heartbreaking moments. I believe life is meant to be lived in these moments, as they come and as they go.
Number 4:
This isn't just for living abroad but it needs to be said. Pants, just aren't always necessary.
Number 5:
I think this the most important thing I've ever learned, so if you get anything at all from this sporadic writing, let it be this: the world is actually ten thousand times more vast than you think. It's also ten thousand times bigger than that. It's just freaking huge. Your safety net might actually be a cage that's holding you back, and your sense of responsibility might just be a crutch to keep you safe and secure. Living here in London has Rocked. My. World. It's grabbed me by my ankles and Hulk smashed me around like Loki in The Avengers and I am ever so glad it has and I can't wait for the next time around. It's as though all of a sudden I get that, comparatively, America is tiny. My world was tiny, and still is pretty small, but each time I test that safety net and break through my comfort zone, my worldview get's a little bigger. So screw the net, take a leap and do something daring, or outrageous, or unexpected. I guarantee you won't regret it for a moment.
xxx
