Travel. Living in another country. Both very powerful life tools.
On my journey through various countries around the world of traveling to 20 + and living in three, I have experienced, lived, adapted, and changed. Although I still very much feel like the same person I was when I boarded the plane to Ljubljana not having a clue what the future would hold 7 years ago, I know I'm not.
I ran head first into the differences, the culture shock, the unknown; and I evolved. Of all the adventures, fun, life lessons, encounters, and cultures, these are my top 5 favorite ways living abroad has made me appreciate life:
5. Food
I never knew, until I lived in Europe, fruit and vegetables aren't all available at any time of year without scientific help. What if I want strawberries in December? Or brussels sprouts in August? Difficult to find. Who would've thought?
Europeans usually stick to the rule of thumb; if it's not being grown in the near vicinity, eat what is. They aren't going to inject fruits and vegetables with a bunch of preservatives and ship it half way across the world to satisfy a craving. Because guess what, those preservatives do not do one good thing for you. Not only did I learn to eat more fruits and vegetables because they were more flavorful than in America since they were actually more real, but I also eat more of them because they are offered more.
The freezer and packaged section is considerably smaller than in America. They simply eat real food. And cooking a homemade meal for your family just about everyday is the norm. There aren't fast food stops on every corner at all hours and there aren't many microwaves. Was the inconvenience an adjustment? Definitely. But over time, the appreciation for putting real fuel from real food in my body, won.
I also didn't have much of a knack for cooking when I went to live abroad. Like most young adults, going from home and then to college, I had basically lived off of dorm food, training table and ate out in between. Coming to live in Europe gave me a new found hobby for researching recipes and trying them out in the kitchen. Even going as far to make an entire Thanksgiving dinner for 10 plus people multiple years. And pulling this off with Euro-size utilities, is an accomplishment all on it's own.
4. Slow Down
I love the pace of the lifestyle in Europe. Enjoying daily life, taking it in, and not rushing.
My favorite Euro lifestyle points:
-Public transportation
Seriously, what is not to love about mass-transit? I wish the entire world would jump on board for this one, it just takes the stress out of life when you can pop on a bus or a train to get where you need to go.
-Biking
I. Love. Biking. I love biking to see a new city, I love biking to get around my city, I love hanging out on bikes. The end.
-Sitting down for coffee and meals
"Want to go for a coffee?" "Want to go for a drink?" Are questions used daily among friends. When I moved abroad I learned the art of sitting around the table for hours at a time with friends. Not putting coffee in a to-go cup and walking, but sitting down and having real conversations. Drive through's are hard to come by on this side of the world, for good reason. You connect more with people and you exercise simply by getting out of your car.
-On Sunday's everything is closed completely, or early
Sunday's are reserved for big family lunches and hanging out around the house. If you haven't done your food shopping before Sunday, you are going to be very sorry because not a lot of places are open. I love how this really simplifies life, makes you want to spend quality time with people, relax at home or go for a walk.
3. Independence and Self Confidence
When you have to move thousands of miles from your comfort zone, where you don't know a soul, and begin a new life, every fiber of your being wants to freak out. That first time you go to the grocery store and don't understand why the lady is yelling at you for buying an apple without weighing it first; she just keeps pointing and speaking words you don't understand, is one of many experiences that make you want to book the next flight back to safety and comfort.
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Living abroad throws out any concept of a comfort zone, and forces you to dig deep. It's sink or swim. Do you retreat back home or do you take a deep breath and push yourself to be more? I've pushed myself to be more for many years, and it has helped me find my independence as a human, as a woman. My own father doesn't recognize the once shy girl who cowered behind his legs the majority of her childhood. That little girl is still inside of me and I still feel her come out when I come across new situations around the world that I haven't yet encountered, but the confidence to approach those situations has grown immensely.
Who's my best friend? I can assuredly answer, myself. If you can't spend time with yourself and like it, you're going to be searching the world a long time for someone or something to complete you. I've hung out with myself a lot over the years; gone on coffee dates, lunch dates, dinner dates, bike rides, walks, and vacations. And at the end of all of it, I like what I see in the mirror. I like to credit that with spending time with little ol' me and really discovering what I like, want, yearn for, and need in life.
2. Friends and Family around the world
5,500 miles from home. That's a loooong way. But if there is one thing I cherish about living abroad, it's the people I've collected in my clan as I've gone. The adopted mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandmas and grandpas. Life is about connecting with people, and having this part click for me on this side of the Atlantic has kept me going and going over the years.
1. More Open Minded
There are 7.4 billion people on this planet. A planet that has existed for approximately 4.55 billion years with billions of others coming before us. Seeing a variety of cultures first hand has really put in perspective for me just how small and insignificant we each are in this lifetime and just how important pure kindness to one another is.
I am very much a no wall, no border believer. What is there to learn in life if we wall ourselves up and live in fear? Are we different? Hell yes. Should we be afraid of that? God, no. Compiling our differences only makes us stronger together.
Traversing various country borders over the years has taught me to look at people as individuals; not by color, race, gender, background, or religion. We're all humans. Someday we'll learn hate and fear are only going to drive us to extinction, and I hope I'm around to see that day, for it will be a brighter more prosperous world.
Live on, travel on. I hope you embrace each other's differences to make each other better. It's a great world out there.
xoxo
Going Places With Guru
