So, just like that
my Gap year is over!
I couldn't have
imagined a more perfect year than what I had. It was so much better
than I could ever have hoped for, I saw so many places and met so
many incredible people that I will keep in contact with forever (I
hope!)
It was a year that I
was so uncertain about. On my first night at the school I had a bit
of a moment and suddenly realised what I had done, that I had
actually moved to the other side of the world all by myself, to a
country that I knew almost nothing about, and a job that I had no
idea what I would be doing, or who I would be working with.. But I
decided to not let any of that worry me, because I had been looking
forward to my gap year for the last three years, and I was determined
to have a good one.
Little did I know
that I didn't need to worry about it, because everyone I worked with
was amazing and made me feel at home within a week of being there, my
job was so much fun and it never felt like I was actually working, I
would travel to 21 countries throughout the year and love every
single one of them. I made so many new friends that I never felt
alone, no matter what time it was or where I was, I always had
someone to chat to. I had the most amazing extended family who took
me in and made me feel like a real part of the family time and time
again, who showed me places I never would have discovered for myself
and who let me stay in their spare rooms, eat their food and use
their washing machine without a second thought. To the Slades and the
Scotts, I will forever be grateful for what you did for me, and I
will be sure to return the favour if you should find yourselves in my
corner of the world!
It was a year where
I didn't go to the cinema, and instead I went to the theatre, yes all
by myself but I had the best time ever. I went on spontaneous trips,
spent all my money on whatever I wanted because I didn't have to
worry about a student loan, so I went everywhere I could, I brought
too many clothes and ate too much food (and accidentally gained a bit
too much weight from the food..) but I don't regret a thing. I always
told myself it didn't matter if I came home with a dollar to my name,
I never went there to make money, I went there to experience life in
a different country, to grow up from a kid fresh out of high school
who was so paranoid about missing trains and hated talking to anyone
I didn't know, to someone who would catch a bus to another country
without thinking twice and who would chat to someone I had never met
without worrying about it, and I didn't even notice it happening.
I know this will
sound vain and a bit cheesy but I am so proud of myself for doing
this. For proving to myself that I can do anything I want to, that I
moved as far away from home as you can get and I came back a
completely different person, without having gotten homesick or being
to worried to do something I might not enjoy. I showed myself that I
wouldn't get laughed at if I went to a restaurant by myself, or if I
accidentally got on the wrong train and had to get off a stop after I
got on. I taught myself that it didn't matter if I got lost because
someone would always help me figure out where I was, and half the
time I was lost I found something worth taking a photo of that I
wouldn't have found otherwise.
So that's it. Thats
the last post for my gap year. I hope you've enjoyed this little blog
and the stories I've told throughout the year.. I know I've enjoyed
making all these memories sharing them with you..
