Day 117

Today I met myself. My journey has come to end and I'm afraid this blog has as well, at least until the next adventure. It hasn't been long as you can see but the effects of my time abroad have been catastrophic, tearing everything I knew down and forcing me to rebuild what it means to be me. I've learned more about not only myself but the world and the people who inhabit each and every nook and cranny. It's more than anyone could ever have learned in a classroom no matter how many degrees they had to their name in the end. And while it seems to be a small world after all, some people still seem to be worlds apart. But again, most importantly I have found myself. I feel fortunate given that some forty-year-olds still don't know what who they are or what they want. Most surprisingly, I have a new appreciation for the family and friends I have at home. Of course, Christmas truly hit this home as I found myself walking down brightly coloured streets decked in red and green while families and friends passed by with bags full of food and gifts for the holiday. I haven't stopped saying "If I could just bring them here to me, I would be the happiest girl alive." I've met the most incredible people who have made me think about my life in a thousand different ways. I admire the young people leaving home behind with nothing more than a pack on their back to discover all the world has to offer. A part of me wishes I could do that, but I couldn't help but realise how alone they are. Sure, they meet amazing people just like I did but they never seem to be around enough to create meaningful relationships. At the same time, some are begging to spend time with someone else which I can't help but question. What is traveling the world and experiencing new adventures if you have no one to share it with? Luckily, I had the opportunity to share the experience with my dad but I find a hard time remotely explaining what it is like to be here. Through this, I've decided that life is not where you are or what you are doing, but the people you are experiencing it with. For that reason, I can't thank each and every one of the people I've met enough, regardless of their impression on me. As for myself, I can say a few things that I now know for sure. I have control freak tendencies to plan everything in my life. I have this need to know exactly where I am going and do my best to make it happen. But now I realise I just cannot do that. My life now is so different than I ever imagined it would be and I am slowly but surely learning to let my life take the unknown path or the "road less taken" for cliche Frost fans. I've gone from a quiet wallflower to a social daisy. I have laughed, I've cried, I've screamed. I've felt surrounded, I've felt lonely. I've fallen in love, I've had my heart broken, I've found new hope. And I wouldn't change a thing. Suddenly someone has turned my world upside down and as the pieces fall to floor, I'm picking them up and wondering where I'll go next. I've never been more out of the loop in my own life but it's honestly liberating. Thank you for following first big adventure and being a part of this new crazy life of mine. Let's see where this goes.