** This is me publishing an old draft (2018) that never saw the light of day, and that I think we all need right now in these crazy times! Stay strong everybody **
It’s easy to feel down, constricted in your own surroundings, unable to escape. Sometimes, as much as you would like to be positive and keep on smiling, reality hits you so hard and so often that you start to forget what it feels to be as positive and serene as you used to be or as you aim to be. I have talked about travelling being an escape and, despite conceding the fact that running away is not always the healthiest way of dealing with problems, I do grant that sometimes it really does help. Getting a breath of fresh air, getting out of your comfort zone for a little bit really can be beneficial in some cases. With exam season slowly killing me inside in April, I really needed a break and the thought quickly turned into a short but much needed break in Germany – my true European love. Visiting both Berlin and Leipzig last month, I allowed myself a few days away from cloudy Scotland back to mainland Europe, amongst warmer weather, more colorful streets and the beauty of partying and drinking outside without the police ruining the fun.
Well my friends, my escape worked like a charm. Although I did not do much – definitely not as much as I attempt to do during my travels – I had an absolute blast in Germany, met a bunch of new people and honestly had the time of my life just relaxing in the sun, running on the streets, almost missing buses, planes, trains, getting lost in Berlin, walking 10 km outside of Leipzig by mistake, going to concerts, drinking a shit load of Club Mate, smoking way more than I should have and just fucking living it.
Ever since I got back, somehow life is looking back at me with a brighter smile. I feel SO HAPPY. Because travelling might be good to see places, but it really is the people who make it worthwhile. And travelling never fails to bring inspiration in my life, by discovering new perspectives, uncovering new cultures, getting to know new people and their ways of approaching life and coming back way richer than I was before. Immersing ourselves in new surroundings can have shocking effects on our physical, psychological and spiritual state, forcing us to let go of our daily preoccupations to face our new reality, as we are able to see places and share ideas with new people, gaining fresh insights to re-evaluate our lives.
To say goodbye, I will leave you with a beautiful and haunting song that really made me think and reflect these days!
Villagers – Twenty Seven Strangers – CARDINAL SESSIONS – YouTube
Wishing you all the best day,
Elena
THEUNSTABLELEMENT 