Tomorrow I turn 26 years old. I sit here wondering where time has gone and what I have done with the last 26 years. I finished school, got two university qualifications, went on one overseas holiday, made new friends, lost some friends and family, got a ‘real’ job, and have done a lot of growing up. But when I think about it, I haven’t really lived. Well, I have lived, I have lived for my family but not necessarily for me. So the time has come to be selfish. My blog so far has been The Armchair Traveller, a series postings about places I would love to visit, now I am about to embark on my OE (Overseas Experience), I will be basing myself in London and then travelling around Europe when I can. I have relatives to meet in Croatia and Poland, a friend to stay with in Italy and a whole lot of other places which I would love to explore.
This is a huge step for me. I have lived my life so far in a nice little bubble – if I don’t break the bubble, nothing will happen to me and I can control the environment in my bubble! I am now attempting to burst the bubble and step out of my comfort zone, challenge myself and have some fun. Be brave! If I don’t try then I will never know if it was possible, later I might regret not taking a chance. I just have to remember that there are so many opportunities out there just waiting to be taken on and I am more than capable of success!
I have shed a lot of tears in the last month, every time I realise the enormity of what I am planning to do, every time I realise that I wont be seeing my family on a daily basis! I am spoilt with the family I have around me, my cousins live half an hour away, my grandparents are in the next street, my dad is in the same suburb and my brother and mum are in the same house! My sister lives in Auckland and she cried when she heard my plans. I asked her why she was crying, she said that she would miss me, and I thought that was crazy because she already lived in a different city! But she pointed out that London is so much further away and I guess she is right, no 1 hour flight to see one another! Distance makes the connection harder but then we are all just a phone call or an email away so really distance just makes the connection different.
I am grateful to my friend who is heading over at the same time as me, she has been a great support so far, I am not sure that I would have motivated myself enough to have gone on my own if I didn’t have someone to go with or someone I knew was waiting for me at the other end. I must also admit my jealousy of my friend, I an jealous of her confidence and apparent braveness about making this move to another country so far from home.
I am really excited at the prospect of trying something new, of stepping out of my comfort bubble and working out who I am without the comforts of home, of doing something for me. So I guess this is all about changes, changes in my life and changes in my blog. The Armchair Traveller is taking off and will be writing about her own experiences in the future instead of the experiences of others!
Here is the funny part – since making the decision to leave, and as I get closer to departure, I seem to be getting braver in my day to day life here in Wellington. I have been more confident in my job, I have been able to tell people things I would normally not say as I am way to shy who knew, the comfort bubble may be starting to burst already!!
For my regular readers (my family and friends 
) I hope you check in every now and then to see what I am up to and please register and leave your comments, I would love to hear from you! And don’t forget, once I am set up in London there will be a couch to crash on if you decide to come for a visit. You would be more than welcome!
Zofia