I am so thankful for all of you, again! For my lack of ability to respond to everyone as quickly as I would like, I will write here about some cool experiences and how they have been changing my perspectives!
I would like to talk about why meeting strangers in their apartment for a nice meal (in a group) is a great idea, in a completely new continent. To provide some context, my roommate and I were invited to a stranger’s flat for creamy mushroom risotto and Prosecco. These strangers were from Germany and Austria, with an eight year age difference and a whole lot of culture shifting experiences. (P.S.– I promise we were safe and cautious, don’t worry). This Tuesday night experience was full of high-quality debates and existential questioning regarding the correlation of passion and career choice. I would not change this for anything, as I truly value connection in circumstances pointing against connection. For example, we had every reason to not share this meal, our hearts, perspectives and fears, but the choice to connect was so powerful that it had no effect on our human desires. I fully recommend going to a stranger’s apartment, because the divide of differences is so small, in such an intimate and beautifully safe place. I learned that the choice to cherish different life experiences with an open mind is far more valuable than complacency in the comfort zone. Pressing into this discomfort was exponentially worthwhile, and I can honestly say the choice to live boldly is achievable on a daily basis, even with deadlines and to-do lists.
I want to share what I am learning about the empowerment of walking around a completely new city alone, for hours every single day. I feel empowered through understanding a completely new transportation system, language, and way of life. I feel empowered through acknowledging on a daily basis that I am stepping into this challenge in small ways. These include reading a half of a page of a spanish book at once, asking locals to get lunch and allowing myself to get lost for hours in the city. I feel like the epitome of “little girl, big world”. It is so intricately amazing that there is so much to explore all of the time, even if you have lived in the same place forever. This intricate pursuit of exploration solely comes with perspective. The stranger (well, not anymore) from Austria, thought San Francisco was amazing while my dream city was his hometown. Whether it is questioning complacency, what you take for advantage, turning anything around or even nothing at all, do whatever it takes to feel empowered. Truly, ask yourself what this is. I believe in all of you.
Love ya’ll lots!- Holly
Girl takes world. 