A Year Abroad

Twelve months ago, I was a bundle of nerves...

And stress...

And panic...

And "oh my god, what am I doing?"

Twelve months ago, to this date, I packed a small, ok, very large suitcase and hopped on a plane with a man I'd known for a mere 9 months and disembarked on a journey. While I was scared, nervous, sad, stressed and panicked, deep down I knew it was the right thing to do.

I remember saying goodbye to my family, the feeling of sadness and loneliness wash over me instantly. I remember the panic I felt saying goodbye to my friend at the airport. But most of all, I remember the resentment I felt towards my Frenchy for taking me away from them.

Once I stepped onto the plane, I felt empty. I didn't know what I was doing, where I was going and how I could survive without my family and friends.

It wasn't until our final descent into Paris, that I finally started to feel excited. Excited to see Paris again, excited to explore more of France and excited to see the home town of the man I love.

I was fortunate to be welcomed into the life of my Frenchy. I met all his wonderful family and an endless stream of friends, but I felt like I belonged. Despite the language barrier, it felt right to be there. Over the months, I improved my French, explored many places and had the most fun I've had in a long time. 

And then the money train ended.

After an amazing 4 months of exploring, relaxing and eating French cuisine, it was time to start working again. So, we packed up our stuff and got on the next bus to London. Within a week of arriving in London, we both had work, somewhere to live and a new place to explore.

Over the months, we explored the top tourist spots in London, hunted for the best coffee in London and enjoyed our time together. But then the London life took over. We started seeing less and less of each other, working too much and slowly lost our energy to explore the finer things in London. 

My twelve months abroad have been amazing. I've explored many places in France, discovered Barcelona, drank beer in Munich and met so many wonderful people along the way.

What I've learned from my year abroad:

1. Appreciate every moment with your family because you'll miss them as soon as you take off.

2. Enjoy the small things in life, because sometimes they turn out to be the big things.

3. Don't stop exploring. The minute you do, the inspiration will stop.

4. Money isn't everything. As long as you have someone to love you, a roof over your head and some food in your belly, everything else doesn't matter.

Where to next?

After a quick stop in France, it's time to get back on board a plane headed for Australia. It's time for my Frenchy to explore the rest of Australia (with me of course) and it's time for me to see my family and friends again.

Life gets a bit brighter in Brighton

 London is a beautiful city, but it's only the beginning. There are so many beautiful surrounding places to discover and explore.

And for as little as £10, you can be on a train for an hour and a half and end up in the beautiful seaside town of Brighton.

I spent a whole day exploring the streets of Brighton and it has reenergised my soul.

So things to do in Brighton.

Firstly you should take a stroll along the seaside and soak in the sea breeze. This is such a great remedy for energising the soul.

Along the seaside you can discover some markets and explore the local art and photography. 

You can continue your walk along the seaside until you reach the Brighton Pier.

Here you will find food and many sideshow games to play. You can play few games and enjoy some rides overlooking the Brighton sea.

Or if you are anything like me, you'll be a bit peckish after your seaside stroll and you can't leave Brighton without indulging in the typical local cuisine... Fish and Chips!

But, be warned, they are large servings!

You'll be nice and full after your feast and ready to take a stroll in the streets of Brighton. You'll discover an explosion of colourful houses, graffiti alleyways and more markets to enjoy. The best thing to do, is just walk. You'll discover little hidden gems along the way.

After a couple of hours of strolling through the streets, it's time to energise. And what better way to energise then a hot cup of coffee. One thing I was amazed at was the amount of cafés in Brighton. They all look amazing, it was hard to choose where to go.

I only spent 6 hours in Brighton, but it was enough time to re-ignite my love of exploring new places. I hope this day trip was only the beginning of discovering more of the places surrounding London.

5 things I love about London

I owe London an apology.

I've been here for almost five months now and after an initial struggle with homesickness and a difficult time settling in, I've decided to focus on the positives and finally embrace everything this city has to offer.

So, here are the top 5 things I love about London:

1. There is always something to do. If you find yourself with nothing to do, then you're not doing London right! There are so many museums, shows, parks, restaurants and shops to look at and with so many public transport options available, you have no excuse to stay at home.

2. The trains run frequently so you're not wasting your time underground. If you miss a train, don't panic, the next one is only 1-3 minutes away! No stress! 

3. You are in the centre of Europe. There are so many surrounding countries to visit, so why not treat yourself to a long weekend in Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Portugal or even Paris :)

4. London is one of the fashion capitals of the world! There are shops everywhere, fashion everywhere and the streets of London are like a fashion runway. If you love fashion, this is a great place to experience the latest in the industry.

5. It's a great place to put your foot in the door for your chosen career. It's such a big city so there is always a possibility for evolution in your chosen field.

What do you love about London?

Coming up next: Spring is in the air

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Where did March go?

Does it scare you how quick time is flying by?

It feels like only yesterday we were celebrating Christmas but in actual fact, Christmas has come and gone and now, so has Easter.

I've been in London for close to 5 months now and it has been a difficult time. London is a very busy city. There are millions and millions of locals and millions of tourists, so everywhere is crowded.

And, the working days seem extra long here in London. I work 9 hours with an hour lunch break and then add on commuting to a from work, my 8 hour shift, turns into an 11 hour day. It has been difficult to try and find my work/life balance!

But, I've decided to find the positives in this city and try and enjoy my time.

For the passed 6 weeks, I have missed my blogging. I have been struggling in London, settling into my work and missing my friends and family, that I have neglected my real passion.

My blogging.

I will be managing my time better so I can blog more often and share with you my real passion...

[W R I T I N G  ,  F A S H I O N  &  T R A V E L]

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So be sure to check back for the London fashion and more from the London series.

Coming up next... The 5 things I love about London.

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