Forever changed

It’s been a while since I’ve contributed to my blog - not exactly because of a lack of excitement in my life, but mostly because I have been caught up in a very long phase of reflection since February, when I decided to sign on for a 5^th school year in Dubai.

The decision to stay for yet another year in the UAE was a difficult one; I already had some stuff packed, I had been getting excited about the idea of moving closer to my family and I truly thought my time living overseas was due to come to an end. Somehow, I was persuaded to continue my journey, however, weeks later I was still questioning whether it was the right thing to do.

Shortly after deciding to extend my stay in the Middle East, I began to look forward to my summer vacation; I really wanted to get back to North America and spend time with my family. If I wasn’t going to move anywhere close anytime soon, I wanted to hang out with everyone as much as possible. I really love my family and in living away, I often feel like I am missing out on so much. 

With that said, I've found this summer to be quite tough. Within the first week of being home, I felt an odd sense of boredom and loneliness, even though I was surrounded by the people I love the most. Everyone around me had their own schedules, their own commitments and I found myself wondering: How do I fit in? What am I to do all day? Didn’t anyone miss me? Doesn’t anyone love me? Doesn’t anyone want to spend time with me?

Despite trying to keep busy with soccer, running and crossfit, I didn't know what else to do with my days. I knew the moment I started working on school stuff, barely 2 weeks into my vacation, something was wrong. That's when I spontaneously decided to join a couple friends on a trip. This was one of the most spontaneous things I have ever done. Two friends were getting ready to meet up in Iceland and they suggested I come along. So, around 3pm, I booked my flight, quickly packed a small duffle bag and around 9pm that same day, there I was, sitting on a plane, about to fly to Iceland, a country I knew very little about and hadn’t planned on visiting anytime soon.

Iceland, Summer 2016

Iceland was great; I got to spend time with 2 good friends, I got to see some natural wonders and I got to take part in some fun outdoor activities. Best of all though, I was finally given some insight as to why I had been feeling bored and lonely upon my return 'home'. I began to realize that just as my life had moved on overseas, the lives of my loved ones had also moved on in Canada. Furthermore, I started noticing that I was... I am... no longer that same person that once lived here.

Since moving abroad 4 years ago, I’ve evolved as a person. Some of my opinions, my thoughts and my values have changed. I’ve travelled around to many places, I’ve met lots of people from different countries and I’ve learned so much about different cultures. While attempting various activities, I have become more familiar with my strengths and I've learned how to better deal with my weaknesses. Living abroad has helped shape me into a more independent, more responsible, more confident, more knowledgeable and more empathetic human being. I've discovered that the World is an amazing place with so much to offer and I have become addicted to living new experiences and to learning new things.

FREE! 
FREE to be ME!

 I don't know what's in store for me in the future; maybe I'll remain in Dubai for a while longer, maybe I'll move to a new country sometime soon or maybe I'll move back to North America one day. 

What I do know is that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!