Tea is one of the most important things in life. It is suitable for every moment. But, most particularly, in times when we are in need of comfort.
A sweet cup of tea certainly has magical qualities to it. It helps to clear my head of unhelpful thoughts, making way for reason. It relaxes me, soothes my muddled head. Right now, one of my closest friends is going through a very difficult time. And I can't be there for her like I normally would because I'm halfway across the world. I'm feeling helpless and frustrated, while she is feeling much much worse. Our only answer? A fuzzy, broken Skype call at 4am her time and 2 mugs of milky tea with too much sugar. I don't think I'll ever go a day without at least one cup.
Oh, how time flies. This is me exactly a year ago, the night I graduated secondary school (high school). And right now, I'm sitting on my bed 3000 miles away in Toronto, Canada. If you told the girl in the picture that that's what she'd be doing in a year, she would have laughed in your face. Politely, of course.
+ One year ago, I was spending 85% of my time studying for final exams, and 15% worrying that I wasn't studying enough.
+ One year ago, I was feeling low and defeated. I wasn't a very happy person at all, and I didn't know how to fix that.
+ One year ago, I was miserable at the thought of leaving school, yet oh so desperate to get into University.
+ One year ago, I felt like a caged bird. I needed badly to spread my wings.
+ One year ago I felt lost. I had no idea what the future held for me.
+ One year ago, I thought I knew who I was. Oh, how wrong I was.
+ A year later I have finished a year of my nursing degree, and I have enjoyed every second of it.
+ A year later, I am surrounded by people who love me, and boy is the feeling mutual. :)
+ A year later, I am working as a nanny in Canada. CANADA!
+ A year later, I am feeling so much more comfortable in my own skin. I'm not perfect, but I am learning to embrace what I cannot change.
+ A year later, I have learned a whole lot, and I'm still learning. The most important lesson from this past year? I cannot control everything that happens to me, but I can control my reactions and emotions. And I feel empowered. :)
+ A year later, I am loving most parts of my life. And it feels incredible. :) Here's to another year of change. I can't wait to see what else is in store for me.
I have 'met' some wonderful people since starting Escape to Vanilla last November (if you are a follower of mine, you are most certainly included!). So I want to take a moment to highlight a few of you. Chosen at random, here are some pretty awesome girls, and I think you should check them out. :)
Gina's words are so carefully planned, so full of thought, that I always come away from her blog with something to think about. She writes in a style that is mellow and sweet, and every idea is accompanied by an equally thought out photo. Her blog is perfection. :)
Ronida is one of my fellow nurse-bloggers, we are a rare species! She is energetic, sweet and oh so bubbly. Her posts just ooze personality and fun, they are quite addictive. She writes about everything and anything, and it is always interesting and witty. :)
Suzanne is knowledgeable, sarcastic, funny and creative all at the same time! I enjoy her writing style immensely. She makes me giggle with every post, and she tends to stay away from the 'typical' blogging topics, which I love. One thing I don't like about her blog? She only has 6 followers- it is unacceptable. So go to her page, and follow! ;)
I think I'll leave it at 3 for this post, I might do this again. :)
Dear Sunshine, thank you for finally making an appearance. I feel better already. :)
Dear Pinterest, your pretty/ inspiring images make me smile daily.
Dear Kate, aka Hollywood actress/ up-and-coming novelist, you are the greatest! I can't wait for the world to see how talented you are.
Dear Tea, thank you for always being there for me. Everyone needs a friend like you.
Dear Readers, thank you for clicking into this page. Thank you for your lovely comments, for following, and for making me feel like what I have to say is semi-interesting, even though it's not! You are the best. :)
It always happens that everything will be super calm and slightly boring for weeks on end, and then all of a sudden everything happens at once. Am I the only one? Well, not to worry, because I have just had the most exciting 2 weeks!
On the 1st February, I met one of my biggest musical inspirations ever.
You don't know who she is? What? Oh my goodness. Here!
You can of course skip these videos, and pretend I never posted them. You would be very silly to do that, and you would be missing out on hearing a musical genius at work. Just saying. :)
So yes, that's what happened on 1st February 2012. Kate and I traveled all the way across the {tiny} country to watch Kina Grannis play live and to meet her afterwards. We were exhausted, and Kate ate a very questionable burger before the show which meant while I had butterflies listening to Kina sing, Kate had food poisoning. BUT- it was all worth it! Sorry Kate, I know I said I wouldn't mention that...
And what else happened in the last 2 weeks?
Well, I may have mentioned before that I have the best friends in the entire world. Better than the best! And I may have mentioned a couple times that I'm turning 18 this week? Well.... My fantastic, amazing, incredible, wonderful, perfect, super duper friends brought me to Paris for my birthday!!!
Yes, they really really did! I told you- Best. Friends. Ever. Wanna see pictures? No? Keep scrollin'...
My new boyfriend.
This is Laura's zebra. He will travel the world with us, and we will take pictures of him everywhere!
Kate is an absolute genius, I love her! She got us all the way around Paris and safely back to our hotel, and we didn't get lost once! Everyone, please clap for Kate.
We bought teddy bears at Disney Land! Thumper is mine, Nala is Kate's, and Eeyore was bought for Kate's beautiful niece and God-daughter Anna Jane, who is 3 months old on Thursday. :)
Sorry for the photo overload there- I had to narrow it down from 703 pictures, I thought I did well! So that was my amazing birthday present from the best friends in the world. :) And I will leave you with this video....
Dear Kina Grannis, I am incredibly excited about going to see in you less than a week! Your music is simply fantastic. You are an inspiration. We need to get our thinking caps on and come up with a way of getting you to notice us.. We will most likely be the annoying fans!
Dear Chocolate, I missed you dearly. I thought I could go without you for a whole month, but I guess I misunderstood the importance of having you in my life. I don't regret our premature reunion- I think it brought us closer together as a couple.
Dear Clodagh and Bria, I doubt you will read this, but maybe one day you will and it will make you smile. :) I am so glad we met you this year! Kate and I love college regardless, but you make it so much more fun. And I know we will be friends for a very long time. :)
Dear Enid Blyton, I am in awe. Kate found a DVD all about you! My childhood simply would not have been the same without your books. I learned to read with The Teddy Bear's Tail, and my sense of adventure was inspired by The Famous Five. The Faraway Tree showed me that books really can bring you to a different time and place if you let them, and The Secret Seven was the foundation for my very own club at the age of 6- The Pancake Team. I cannot wait to watch the DVD and find out more about the creator of my childhood.
Dear Minnie, I miss my little hot water bottle when I'm away at college during the week. I love how you don't get mad at me for leaving you, and you always end up back curled up at my feet when I come home. :)
During the week, I'm in college in the city, and every weekend I travel back home. It makes for a lot of train journeys. When Kate is with me, we have so much fun. Some days we're exhausted after a long week, so we listen to my iPod and chat away happily. Other days we are bursting with energy, and we do something like this:
And that's very bold, you shouldn't do that.
I love traveling with Kate. But I am also getting used to taking the train on my own. I love climbing onto the train with my suitcase and rucksack. I love sitting down in a seat with a table to myself. I take off my jacket, stick on my iPod, take out my journal, and I retreat into my own little world.
I feel like a fly on the wall when I'm on my own on the train. Nobody ever notices the girl sitting alone. They carry on with their lives, they have normal conversations. And I know this might sound very strange, but there is something quite soothing about observing other human beings living their lives. The old ladies talk proudly about the achievements of their children and grandchildren. The teenage boys laugh about the silliest of things. The mother cuddles her toddler, and points out every tree and bird we pass, before calling her husband to let him know when they'll be home. And the teenage girl with the iPod writes about all of them in her journal, and considers what a joy it is to be alive.
Try it some time. Travel alone. Watch the people around you. You'll learn more about life than you could ever imagine.
Travelling Alone Playlist: 1. Say What You Need To Say- John Mayer 2. Blackbird- The Beatles 3. And The Birds Sing- Tyrone Wells 4. Your Song- Ellie Goulding 5. Long Live- Taylor Swift 6. Drops Of Jupiter- Train 7. Autumn Leaves- Ed Sheeran 8. New Soul- Yael Naim 9. Mountain & The Sea- Ingrid Michaelson 10. Happy- Natasha Bedingfield
18 Before 18 1. Read 3 books 2. Stick a note to the bottom of someone's shoe 3. Try 5 new foods 4. Have photos taken in a photo booth 5. Complete 18 random acts of kindness 6. Surprise someone with an unexpected gift 7. Write a thank you note for someone who won't expect it 8. Put a video on Youtube 10. Have 20 followers on my blog 11. Write a letter to my future children 12. Complete the '30 Days of Pictures' project 13. Learn to rap the entire Fresh Prince theme tune 14. Write a Time Capsule entry in my diary 15. See how many marshmallows I can fit in my mouth 16. Write a letter of support to Kate & Gerry McCann 17. Write a list of what I have learned in 18 years 18. Go without chocolate until my birthday.
1. I am currently reading Book 1- The Time Of My Life by Cecelia Ahern
2. Stuck a note to Kate's shoe!
3. 1/5- I had dairy free yoghurts. Yuck.
7. I wrote a thank you card for the nurse who I've been shadowing, she was so thrilled. :)
8. I have 3 videos made- just depending on really slow internet!
9. Okay, I just realised I don't have a number 9! So silly. Hmm... I will make a playlist of songs I've loved in the last year!
12. Okay, I've been kinda failing at this one. I'll catch up now!
15. I have a video! Will post as soon as my internet will allow me to.
18. Succeeding so far, much to everyone's shock. ;)
30 Days of Photos. Day 1: A photo of a tradition.
This is my Dad and I in my Nana's house, Christmas 2008. We play music together a lot, but one of the most special times is every Christmas when we meet up with his side of the family. We always bring the instruments and have a sing-song. :)
Day 2. A picture of a crazy night.
Okay well to be honest, we don't have crazy drunken nights. We are crazy when we're sober, we're just those kind of friends! So I don't have a photo of me in a drunken mess, I'm proud to say. I chose this photo because we don't know the guy or girl on the right, and we think it's pretty cool! We were taking a group picture and they just decided to jump in. Now they're in our photo forever, we're still talking about them, and we don't even know their names! We HAVE to do this some time, jump into someone elses' photo.
Well that's all for now! Might do another photo post later. :)
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