LIFE: Long Distance Relationships
distance (n.)
An amount of space between two things or people.
relationship (n.)
The way in which two or more objects, concepts, or people are connected; the state of being connected.
Ta-daaa. Let's talk relationships. Writing about something personal can be tricky sometimes. You don't want to give too much information, but you want to share just enough in the hopes of making a difference to the people reading this. I don't know how anyone could find this post "inspiring" but at least I hope it helps in some way.
Here's a small update: Currently, I'm in a relationship with someone who lives 468 miles away from me (thanks, Google.) It's a long story. But thankfully, we're not separated by oceans or continents. No time difference, only different cities.
My friends ask me how I "survive", and a few has told me I'm "strong". A few also said that it's "romantic", or "wow, it's just like in the movies!" Stuff like that. It's flattering and hilarious, but I don't think I've ever told anyone about how it actually feels to be a part of it. So for this post, I decided to get real. In all honesty, here are a few things I can say.
My friends ask me how I "survive", and a few has told me I'm "strong". A few also said that it's "romantic", or "wow, it's just like in the movies!" Stuff like that. It's flattering and hilarious, but I don't think I've ever told anyone about how it actually feels to be a part of it. So for this post, I decided to get real. In all honesty, here are a few things I can say.
How Distance Helps
Technically, distance has a way of bringing you closer. The science is that communication is what makes a relationship, and the same goes with trust. Distance puts pressure on both these things. When you're far apart, it makes you constantly want to re-connect. You text, you call, or you tell each other stories everyday like a daily life report. With the distance, your relationship is anything but shallow. It's not sitting together in nice cafes or driving together to malls, but it purely comes from talking and listening. A level of understanding that goes deeper than the surface.
It also forces you to be independent. You know those people who kind of just go missing after being in a relationship because they just go on dates all the time? Well, I will never be one of those people. Being away from them means there's room for you to spend time with your friends and family. It gives you space to grow, and to not miss out on what life has to offer. You don't cling to them all the time, which in some ways, just keeps you sane. It's hard, but it gives you balance.
The Hard Side
But how do you make it work? The first thing is, you have to be with someone who makes it seem easy. Someone who checks in on you and asks how your day was. Someone who makes effort and doesn't take you for granted. For example, someone who would ride on a train for 3 hours just to come and spend time with you when you're traveling in a city near his. Those kind of people.
I gotta say, long distance feels like a constant countdown. Except you're not sure when the timer's going to end. You take it day by day without fully knowing when you'll see each other again, and once you do, time flies a little too quick and it's a tough, bittersweet goodbye before you know it. That's when the timer resets, and the countdown starts over, to another day where you'll hopefully get to see them again. (Keep your feelings to yourselves, people.)
What happens when the person you genuinely care about is so far away from you? You appreciate their presence more than anything. You start to acknowledge all the little things, like simply having them beside you. Hearing their voice becomes something rare, and seeing them in person feels nearly impossible. Well technically, without a ticket, it is.
But you try. You try your best to make the most out of it. It's not going to work if only one person is doing all they can. Both sides need to understand that they need to try to make it work together. Make time and stay honest. You don't demand, you just give. Because I guess that's how love is supposed to work. (Right?)
The Heart
So I haven't told you about my actual story now, have I? That's because I don't know how to tell it properly. I've only been experiencing it for about a month, but I can honestly tell you that aside from all the hard stuff I mentioned earlier, somehow, it's worth it.
We make it work, one way or another. We've promised to tell each other everything, and aside from the hard stuff, he makes it seem easy. We text each other everyday, and make calls when we can. He gets it when I'm busy, and I get it when he is. There are plenty of things that he does, from the small things (like a "good morning" text already waiting on my phone every time I wake up), to the big things (like riding a train all the way to Jakarta to see me.)
I can't find the words to describe what it was like to actually see him. It was like knowing that all your patience finally paid off. This was the person you'd tell everything to. The person who understands you and makes you laugh, and probably knows all the little things about you. To be able to finally sit with him and chat, or just walk with him in a big mall that we knew nothing about, or even sit in a theatre and watch a movie that bored us to death, it was more, more, more than enough.
John Green once said, "you can never love someone as much as you can miss them." I don't know if that's true, but I think it's okay. You can miss them when you're alone, miss them when you talk to them, miss them when you see photos of the last time you were together. Miss them immensely, or sometimes just a little bit. Allow yourself to miss them. Maybe it's just your heart's way of reminding yourself that you love them still.
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And that's it! I don't know if any of this made sense. This post was long, but I guess it's enough. I'm actually in the process of making a vlog from my Jakarta trip, but the compiling and the editing are going to take quite a while. So I chose something slightly easier for now. Stay tuned!
If you happen to have any questions, or if you share the same experience, or if you simply have anything to say, feel free to leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you.
Good talk.
Disclaimer: I extracted a lot of what I wrote from Jenn Im's video here, in case you were wondering, because I didn't know how to accurately put my feelings into words, so I somehow found that as a source of inspiration. Don't judge. K bye.
LIFE: Changes and Galaxies (Pt. 2)
Disclaimer: This post is going to be very, very long. Stop now while you still can.
Oh, you're not stopping? What a curious soul, you. Suit yourself.
I wanted to write because I needed a space, or a time, to vent about what I've been feeling lately. It's taking me a lot of the courage that I don't have to be writing about something so personal like this, but I just needed to be honest for a minute, and talk about what's been circling my mind over the past several weeks.
Let's be honest; passion is hard. Figuring out what you really want to do with your life is hard. Let me rephrase that: Figuring out what you really want to do with your life when you're a high school student with at least 20 different hobbies or interests and a lot of ambition but sometimes a severe lack of confidence, is hard.
The truth is that I've spent my whole life thinking I really really knew what I wanted to be and what I wanted to achieve. But then, at some point in the railroads that is high school, my train stopped. It stopped and simply... changed tracks. I thought I was ready to put my heart and soul into one dream. I thought I had a path lined up in front of me, perfectly in place, and it was just a matter of getting the train to move forward. So full of assurance, so confident in the direction in which I'm heading towards. But one day I just woke up, and realised how much I've been lying to myself.
I'll just give you the details here: Ever since I was little, I was exposed to a world where you could always feel free to express yourself in many forms. (Short explanation: It's because I was raised by a father who was both an artist and a musician.) That's when I started to develop a deep, deep love for art, and music, and all things alike. I've always loved to draw, ever since like, first grade. However, when I reached 4th grade, I started liking clothes. I was a 9-year-old girl, so of course I did. I drew clothes all the time, and soon enough I concluded that I wanted to be a fashion designer. That was it. My goal, my locked destination, my obvious dream.
I took sewing classes, illustration classes, everything. But what I never told people was how much I actually did not enjoy these classes. How much vanity I saw in the fashion world, how the industry just kind of scared me more than it encouraged me to pursue it.
Now, a year before graduating high school, I realised that I'd be a fool if I continued to pursue something I didn't actually like. I've always known, deep down, that fashion was not for me. I don't dress in high-end clothing, and I don't indulge in luxurious items. I don't find joy in looking at or purchasing branded fashion items, I actually find them useless! They're pretty, sure. But what's the big deal?
My life is surrounded by so many wonderful things that I'm still in love with. Music, art, travel, photography, and many other things that made me feel happy to be alive. If I were to pursue fashion, it would be like putting all of these things aside and focusing on an ambiguous dream that I didn't find the reason of.
The truth is I'd rather sit and watch a Broadway show rather than sit and watch 20 models walk up and down a runway in glittery outfits. I'd rather go to a wedding to take pictures of the small moments of happiness between the bride and groom through a camera lens, than go to a wedding because I made the dress she's wearing. I'd rather spend hours, and hours, and hours creating a wall mural that could inspire people, instead of spending hours and hours working on, say, a couture gown. This is what my heart tells me. That I thought I knew where I was going but I never truly did. That it's starting to look obvious, what I love and what I don't.
Some people validate this. A slight change of plans. Mistakes, trials and errors. As a perfectionist, I didn't. A part of me wants to punish myself for simply changing my mind. I had it all planned out, and then one day, I just didn't like it. I hated myself, like a voice whispering that I was already a failure, or that I was obviously going to fail.
What if my portfolio doesn't make it? What if I fail to find a job when I grow up? What if I end up as a disappointment to everyone? What if, what if, what if? It has become harder for me to actually believe in myself. I feel like a person with no direct path, no talent worth seeking, no voice worth of being heard. I'm exaggerating, I know. But guys, this is how a perfectionist overthinks. And I've had enough.
I may be a perfectionist, and I could have high hopes and standards for myself, but I need to remember that I'm human nonetheless. Right now, I'm pursuing a communication design major, which basically covers everything and nothing all at once. I don't know what my future job is going to be... yet. I could be a web designer, graphic designer, blogger, photographer, or I could even find my way to be an artist, or I could just be someone who works in public relations.
The pressure from my relatives certainly doesn't help. "What's a degree in design going to give you? What jobs are there for majors like yours? How are you going to make money?" And good Lord, honestly, I wish I had a passion for medicine, or biochemistry, or engineering. Really, I do. My friends are off to become doctors and nutritionists and here I am who simply can't share the same passion for those things. I just can't force myself to love something I obviously don't.
Speaking like this, honestly, scars my ego. It does. It takes away a portion of my pride because I thought that people could count on me for being so sure of myself and for knowing what I really wanted to do with my life. Some of my friends told me they looked up to me because I "already knew where I was going". But the truth is, I don't always know. And it worries me sometimes, but other times, it pushes me forward. I know where I'm heading for the time being, and I can only hope for the best. I'll continue to pursue things that make me happy, and I have to believe that my heart will continue to lead me into paths I didn't know existed.
Because now I understand that it's not humanly possible for me to control my life the way I want it 100%. I'm always going to know more in the future than I do now. Some things I can pursue ambitiously, but some things I can only mention in prayers.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
"When I am afraid, I put my trust in You." Psalm 56:3I'm limited and I'm human. My plans have changed and my life has managed to alter itself one way or another, and I need to learn to be okay with it. One of the things I could do now is pray. Pray to a God Who has promised to never leave me, nor forsake me. A God Who promises to sustain me no matter what happens. A God Who told me to not be afraid.
Therefore I no longer am.
I'll write again someday,
MOVIES: Four To Watch
In a time where my schedule wasn’t so packed as it is now, I had the time to indulge in a bunch of TV shows and movies that many people recommended to me. Over the last several weeks, I’ve watched 4 different movies that I never watched before and these four really got to me. So for a blog post, I decided to compile them into a list and write my reviews for each one. Or at least I can try. Here we go.
SPOTLIGHT
When you’re trying to find movies that are both enthralling and thought-provoking, this is one of those movies. Featuring outstanding stars like Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams, this movie definitely deserves its wide recognition (including its 8.2/10 ranking in IMDb and its big win at the Oscars for Best Picture!)
The storyline of this movie itself is actually based on a group of investigative reporter/journalists working for the Boston Globe, looking deep into the story of how a significant number of priests actually took advantage of and molested an even higher number of children over the past few decades. Based on a true story, this movie showcases how these reporters worked so hard to shed light into the situation and expose it to the public, digging their way through years of archives, all to bring justice members of the Catholic church who have abused children during their time of being a part of the archdiocese.
It's not the type of movie that I'd normally watch or love, and I guess a percentage of people could find it boring with its lack of action or romance or whatever it is that millennials are drawn to these days, but I happened to enjoy this movie a lot. To be honest, it did require a lot of focus and concentration to actually watch this and keep up with the movie itself, but I was actually so fixated by the compelling story that this movie carried out. I highly admire the directors and producers of this film for being so courageous in making a movie concerning the situation, and also the outstanding stars who carried out their roles flawlessly in this production.
STILL ALICE
The first time I'd noticed this movie was when I was on a 2-hour flight heading overseas, and this was one of the movies available. But apparently, because I was probably too tired (or just plain lazy), I watched the first 2 minutes and then closed it before I could even begin to process what it was about. Fast forward to several months later, I stumbled upon this movie again so I watched it, from start to finish, and sure enough, it was quite amazing.
Truthfully, I wouldn't call this movie exactly "memorable". There were parts of it that I found kind of dull, and I also wasn't a big fan of Kristen Stewart's acting here (or anywhere, actually), but other than that, it's really just the type of movie that gets to you one way or another. Not only does it consist of Julianne Moore's astounding performance and great picture production, but it also opened up my eyes to how something like Alzheimer's disease can truly take its toll on a person's life and family.
I found it fascinating that they didn't just choose an ordinary type of character to suffer from the early onset Alzheimer's disease, but they chose Alice, who is this refined, well-educated, intelligent lady who has her life almost completely together. It was heart-wrenching to see how the situation slowly makes its way into the storyline and how you literally feel Alice's world being torn apart piece by piece, her life completely deteriorating right in front of her. Emotional, but an excellent movie nonetheless.
ZOOTOPIA
Now for an animated movie! Yay! I watched this movie with my mom the other day and I hope you're ready to hear my inner 4-year-old self being totally hyped about this movie and ranting on about this.
So to be honest, I don't know about you, but the moment a new animated movie comes out, my friends are always going to prefer watching the newest action/thriller movie instead, and I usually play along. But every time I pass the theatres, a tiny voice in my heart just goes "Can we please just see that new animated movie look at those characters they're so cute oh my God Zootopia sounds so adorable AND IT'S A DISNEY MOVIE? Even better." Something like that.
For a cute movie, I really liked that they added a plot twist factor into it. I also like how they poked at a significant situation like discrimination (in this case, between predator and prey animals) in what seems to be a lightweight children's movie. I absolutely loved this movie and found every aspect of it so entertaining and innovative. The thing I have to love most about it is the complexity of each of the characters they made. Officer Hopps, a highly-motivated and sassy bunny lady cop. Let me say that again. A bunny lady cop. Guys. How can I not love this main character? And don't even get me started on her love-hate relationship with the fox the entire time. OTP OTP OTP. A perfect combination of adventure, humour, moral values, and endless cuteness, it was a wonderful, wonderful movie that I'd totally fangirl about from time to time.
THE INTERN
If you're looking for some type of friendly comedy mood-booster movie, I'd totally recommend adding this to your list. Filmed in gorgeous (gorgeous) settings in New York, this movie was basically one of the best I've ever watched.
It features a story about a senior citizen, retired and living alone, played by Robert DeNiro (who surprisingly didn't play a role of an old man who just yells at things and is angry all the time and curses at everything this time). Looking for a little more excitement in his life, Ben Whittaker finally signs up for a senior internship program, and therefore finds himself working as an intern in this big successful fashion company, run by a young, creative, ambitious and driven CEO, Jules Austen (who also has a stunning wardrobe, by the way.) The whole process basically eventually starts to open both of them to new things, about life and about each other, resulting in a genuine friendship formed between the two.
I may only be a sucker for movies based in New York, but trust me guys, this is something anyone from anywhere would definitely enjoy. This movie could break your heart, make you laugh, or simply leave you in awe. But all things aside, it's something definitely worth watching.
And that's all I have to say for these four movies! I hope you guys enjoyed reading these reviews I wrote (or parts of it at least), and I hope you stay tuned for more posts coming to you soon.
Have you watched any of the films listed above? What did you think? Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!
Until next time,
MUSIC: Recent Favorites
It's March already?? Gosh, 2016, you need to slow down like you're literally being so rude, just chill.
I haven't been putting up any of the blog posts I've saved in my drafts or prepared so far and that is because, well, I've simply been feeling a tad bit uninspired. It's actually difficult to push yourself to write something when you just don't feel like saying a lot of things at the moment, so you just end up rambling. Like what I'm doing right now.
But anyway, today I decided to compile a list of eight songs that I've been in love with recently. Most of them aren't exactly new songs on the radio but I've stumbled upon these tunes one way or another over the past few weeks and long story short, I'm obsessed. (A small shoutout to Rebecca Black for her video that influenced the addition of 2 songs in this list.) So here they are.
This first thing on the list isn't technically a song mentioned but I stumbled upon Alessia a short while ago and I am literally in love with her talented being God bless her soul. She's got an amazing personality, her records are pure brilliance, and she has such an excellent and breathtaking voice. She's also gorgeous, FYI. The first time I heard one of her songs, I knew immediately that it aligned perfectly with my music taste.
My favourites from her so far are I'm Yours (because the lyrics are so on point), Seventeen (an adorable one), Stone (a very slow song but it's so beautiful I can't even), Here (obviously), and Scars to Your Beautiful (a masterpiece, to say the least).
Everyone's been talking about this single that Little Mix did with Jason Derulo and I'll be honest, I didn't really like this song the first time I heard it. Now I just can't get over LM's amazing vocals and how brilliant this song actually is. I also found the lyrics to hold this depth I've never really felt before in other songs. The music video to this deserves way more views on YouTube than what they have now. More recognition for Little Mix this year, please?
I need to seriously calm myself down when it comes to this song because of how obsessed I am and how extremely happy I am that I actually found it in the first place. I just.... can't.
The name Halsey has been making its way through a lot of platforms so I have listened to her other songs a couple of times (Gasoline, for example), but I didn't feel like it's something I'd normally like. AND THEN THIS SONG HAPPENED and it just completely blew me away. The music video is flawless and outstanding, the song is so great. I just love it. A lot. Go listen to it if you haven't.
This one is one of those old-but-gold songs that you know was released a few years ago but would still sing to if you ever heard it somewhere today. I don't really know what attracted me to this song so much but I actually found myself listening to it on a daily basis because it's just really good. It just makes me want to play it and snuggle in my bed on a rainy morning and write in a pretty journal or whatever I don't know it just has that vibe. And that chorus though, who could resist?
So, about Lorde. I'll be honest. Sometimes she amazes me, but other times she just scares me to death. Haha but all things aside, this song has a really cool tune and even though every song that Lorde sings kind of sounds the same I still enjoy this one a lot. I've never heard a lot about Disclosure but all I know is that they make the strangest music videos ever. Huh.
But anyway, I totally recommend you to try this song, and if you have some extra time, you should also check out the SG Lewis remix version because that one's just pure genius (It's the one I linked). (Thanks, Rebecca!)
Okay, I guess I'm a little late to the party when it comes to loving this song. I've seen the title everywhere (of course, with Troye Sivan's growing presence and popularity all over the Internet) but honestly I just didn't want to listen to it at first because I didn't like the idea of a song being so popular because it came from a YouTuber. But then I just pushed it aside and still wanted to kiiiind of know what the song sounded like so I clicked it and bam. Instant obsession.
There are so many things to love about Tori Kelly. Honestly, it's hard for me to actually admire or be head over heels in love with musicians or singers these days, but okay, Tori is amazing. I find her to be absolutely wonderful, her voice is Heaven-sent, the music she makes is beautiful, and she's just so talented. Gorgeous, too, by the way.
The lyrics to this song spoke to me a lot and I found it really empowering and uplifting. This is the music we need today, guys. I really like the beat of this song and how it doesn't sound like she's overdoing it.
I can't really explain why I like this song. I guess I've been exploring through both ends of the very wide "new music" spectrum, and this song just has a different overall vibe to it. Normally, I wouldn't listen to these types of songs but I actually find it really intriguing. I don't know a lot about AURORA but I think she's a really potential new artist in the industry, and this song highlights that statement perfectly. I don't know if other people would like it, but I strangely do.
So I guess that's all from me today! I'll try to be a lot more productive and to write a lot more content for the blog in the future. I hope you guys liked this little list I put together.
What are some songs you've been into lately? Leave a comment below and I'd love to see your recommendations!
Until next time,
10 Deep Questions Tag
Recently, I've been thinking about doing a tag post but I couldn't really find one that fit. There was a Valentine's Day tag but considering it's near the end of February, that'd be a little outdated. A very commonly used one would be the Boyfriend Tag, but I don't have one hahaha. Thought a Makeup Tag would be fun too, but of course I clearly don't know how to talk about makeup.
So I decided to do the 10 Deep Questions Tag today, just because I wanted to write something and because it could give you a look into the deepest parts of my soul. Just kidding, that was exaggerating. I guess it's just to allow whoever is going to read this to understand me a little better. Here it goes.
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1. What is more difficult for you, looking into someone's eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone's eyes when they are telling you how they feel?
Looking into someone's eyes when telling them how I feel would be a lot more difficult for me. I have anxiety and sometimes a lack in self esteem so situations like these would be tough. But I can always look into people's eyes when they're telling me something important, I think it's a way of letting them know you appreciate them for it and that they have your full attention.
2. Think of the last time you were REALLY angry. WHY were you angry? Do you still feel the same way?
I was really angry a few days ago actually because our school told us that we would have 3 days off but then they kind of cancelled it for a really unnecessary reason and I'mnotgonnawritemoreaboutitbecauseit'sveryupsetting but I got over it. It taught me that some things just don't go the way you want them to but you still have to be mature and choose to deal with it gracefully.
3. You are on a flight from Honolulu to Chicago non-stop. There is a fire in the back of the plane. You have enough time to make ONE phone call. Who do you call? What do you tell them?
(What in the world would I be doing in Honolulu?)
My mom is probably the first person who came to mind. I'd tell her about what's happening and that I don't have much time, and I'd tell her that I love her, even if I might not see her again. I'd tell her to be strong too. THIS IS AN EMOTIONALLY CHALLENGING QUESTION. Moving on.
4. You are at the doctor’s office and he has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? What do you do with your remaining days? Would you be afraid?
Do I tell anyone? Yes. I would probably tell my closest friends, or the people I trust the most. I wouldn't want to share it with too many people because I just don't want them to be looking at me with pity for the last 30 days of my life. When it comes to what I'm going to do, I'd probably explore as much of this world as I can with the days I have left. Spend a week in another city or country or whatever. Maybe alone, maybe with a few loved ones. I don't have to go jump off a cliff or anything though, I just need to travel.
I'd probably also end up giving everything I can give to the people in need. Like donate all my clothes or give food to a village somewhere. Maybe go on a mission trip and help the poor, or help fund education for little kids who beg at the streets using the money I'm going to leave behind. These are actually things I never really got to do but have always wanted to. I'd change a person's life if I had the chance.
The last thing I'd most definitely do is write letters. Multiple letters, to all the people I love and care about. My family members, my friends, literally anyone close to my heart. I'd write each letter with everything I have to say to that person, literally pour my heart out. If I'm going to leave a legacy, let it be love.
Oh, and I wouldn't be afraid. Okay, that was a lie. I would be at first, but I believe that with time comes courage. This was a long answer. Moving on.
5. You can have one of the following two things. Love and Trust. Which do you choose? Why?
Hard question. But the first answer I thought of was trust (?) Which is strange. Logically, I'd be okay if people didn't love me (as long as they didn't hate me either). I want to be the person they trust, though. At least even though people don't love me, they can still trust me. I can be that friend they go to after a rough day, or that person they can fully rely on. It's a lot more humbling. I guess I know that as a person, I might be hard to love (?) But I'd still rather be hard to love than hard to trust.
6. Do you make your own decisions or let others make them for you?
I'd never ever ever let other people make my decisions for me.
7. What would be (or what was) harder for you to tell a member of the opposite sex, you love them or that you do not love them back?
It'd be harder to tell someone that I don't love them back. It's always hard when you know you'd hurt someone if you were being completely honest.
8. Your best friend confesses that he/she has feelings for you more than just friendship. He/she is falling in love with you. What do you (or did you) do/say?
It really depends on who this best friend is and how much I trust and love them just the same. But obviously, I wouldn't do or say anything that I don't mean.
9. Think of the last person who you know that died. You have the chance to give them 1 hour of life back, but you have to give up one year of yours. Do you do it? Why or Why not?
I couldn't really think of "the last person I know that died" but I guess the first person I thought of relating to this was my dad. And if I had the chance to give him 1 hour of being alive and back here with me, while giving up one year from my lifespan, I'd do it. I'd do it in a minute. I'd do it any day. It doesn't need much explaining, but I would. I would, I would, I would.
10. When was the last time you were nice to someone and did NOT expect anything in return for it?
Okay, let me try to answer this without sounding too vain or proud of myself. The last time this happened was actually today in the school's cafeteria, where I guess I did a random (?) act (?) of (?) kindness (?), if that's what you'd call it, for someone else.
On second thought, I'm not even going to mention the whole thing. I did it for one of the janitors at our school. I brought my friends to do it with me as well, and it turns out they had the same thought. So there was that. Just reminding you guys: Don't give people a hard time, and always do something good when you can. Even when they can't repay you, and even when they won't even know that you did it.
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Sooooo that's it! There's really not much to add, I just hope you enjoyed reading through this post. I also hope you found it inspiring, somehow. I don't know.
Did you think of some answers yourself while reading through this? Leave a comment, let me know what your thoughts are, because I'd love to hear them. :)
I'll write again soon,
TRAVEL: 4 Places On My Bucket List
"To travel is to take a journey into yourself." -Danny Kaye
For a girl with a deep love for traveling and new adventures, I experience quite little of it. Why, you ask? Because the reality is that I'm a 16-year-old student with no driver's license, only struggling to fight my way through the jungle that is high school. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating. But I'm just trying to say that traveling, exploring, and all of these leisure activities simply could almost never make their way into my agenda.
However, this hasn't stopped me from daydreaming endlessly about the places I could go. The things I could see. The world is so big, but mine feels so small. That's why I chose to write about traveling today. Because I think it's important to let my mind be free, and to let my heart crave for more of what's out there. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, if I work hard enough, this feeling of wanderlust will be fulfilled.
If I were to be honest, I'd rate myself as quite a well-traveled person already. I've seen beautiful, beautiful cities far away like Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, and Rome. Some beautiful places are also not too far away, places like Singapore or Bali. There's a certain feeling that overwhelms you the minute you step foot into a new city. It just... welcomes you.
That explains why I adore traveling so much. The rush of excitement as you drive to the airport, tickets in hand, ready to go on a sweet escape from an otherwise monotonous life. That being said, here's a list of four places or cities that I wish I could (or will definitely) visit before I die.
New York City
The city that never sleeps, a concrete jungle, the Big Apple, New York is a place of everything. A place where anything can happen, endlessly bursting with energy. I've always always always wanted to visit New York. Where do I even begin?
Central Park, where I can sit down in a picnic, or sit on a bench and draw sketches of random New Yorkers, or simply go on a very long walk. Broadway, too divine and magical not to be added into my bucket list. Times Square, to just stand in the middle of it and feel everything. There's an endless list of places to visit in New York. I want to go to their little coffee shops along the road, but I also want to go to the important places, like Grand Central Station, the Brooklyn Bridge, Broadway, or even the 9/11 Memorial.
It's always been a huge dream for me to somehow find my way to travel to this city. It's actually one of my biggest dreams to land a job in New York City someday, or get accepted in a uni there then get a job in the city. But of course, this is put on hold considering it's a very big dream that I'm still finding the courage to pursue. Nevertheless, I hope the city waits for me.
London
Okay, so London... Where do I start? I feel like this one doesn't even need a lot of explaining. I've been to Europe a couple of times but never got to visit London because it doesn't go with the EU visa, but to be honest, it's a place I've always always always wanted to go to. There are so many to see and experience! Maybe I'm a little biased because I only know this from movies and reality shows that revolve around London but you get the idea.
Now I don't expect to have tea in a fancy mansion or meet the Queen or anything, but there are plenty of things that I still want to do in London. Some are little things, in fact. Like seeing the Big Ben, seeing London from the top of the London Eye (the giant ferris wheel they have), take countless photos of red phone booths and sit on a red double decker bus. I want to go to King's Cross station (and try to see if I can find platform 9¾), and then walk in Oxford Street. I want to take a walk in a nice big park somewhere in the city (like Hyde Park or St. James), visit the British Museum, or watch a play. There are just so many things to amaze me.
Santorini
I don't know a lot about Greece. In fact, I know very little to nothing about Greece. However, there's one particular place that comes to mind once I think about it, and that place is called Santorini. I learned about this place through the Internet and when I saw it, I just completely fell in love. The island just looks so serene and breathtakingly beautiful, I knew that I had to go there someday. Somehow.
Santorini is actually an island known for its amazing landscape and their white, cubist houses decorating the whole terrain. It's quite interesting to see how the whole place goes uphill and perfectly overlooks the Aegean Sea. The places I'm mostly interested in seeing (according to a handful of research I did) are the Oia village (where the pretty white homes are located), Santorini caldera, and the Kamari village (a small coastal one known for its beaches).
Venice
Last but not least, I couldn't possibly miss out on a place as beautiful as Venice, Italy. Out of all the places I've heard of and all the places I've seen (although not in person), Venice has got to be one of the places that's intrigued me the most. My dad's visited this city in the past, but sadly I never got to ask him about it.
There are no words as to how I can even begin to describe how much I love the sight of Venice, so much that I've always wanted to visit the city. It's so picturesque and exquisite, so different from other travel destinations. I guess it's because when choosing a place to travel to, it's either a beautiful city or a tropical getaway. But this time, it's neither of those things. Venice just gives you a different experience, mostly because of their unique methods of transportation. Not to mention the beautiful buildings and views. I may not speak Italian but for this place, I can most certainly try. A lot of people categorise this as a very ~*romantic*~ destination but let's be real: I'm not going to wait around for a boyfriend to travel anywhere.
And that is basically all I have to say for this post! I do hope you enjoyed reading and knowing more about these places that I've mentioned. If you have ever been to any of these places, feel free to leave a comment and give us a little more insight, including what you personally think!
What are the destinations on your bucket list?
Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear about it!
Until next time,
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