Choices Make Change

If someone came up to me when I was 15 and told me that by 22, I would have fallen in and out of love, lived in two Canadian provinces, the UK, seen 13 countries, graduated college and moved back to Europe within a year-and-a-half, I would have said they were crazy. When I entered high school I was already over it. Before 12th Grade and after visiting my brother in England, I decide to move. I worked in a small deli, got all my credits to graduate, finished school five months early and moved to England in March 2010.

At first it wasn't easy. I had to adjust to living with a brother I didn't really know, his partner and a new baby. Finding a job, getting a National Insurance Number and setting up a bank account wasn't easy. Being independent wasn't a strong personality trait of mine. Eventually I realized the only way to stay there and make a life for myself was to get a job, make friends and be open to new opportunities. So that's exactly what I did. By the end I had jobs at the cinema, a cosmetics company and taught gymnastics.

I met my friend Richard who promised to show me traditional British culture. I had my first pint, tried lamb, saw many historic places like the Roman Baths in well, Bath, the cathedral in St. Albans, toured the side streets of York, had the best fish and chips from a dodgy little shop, explored London and got my first tattoo.

We traveled into mainland Europe, we never backpacked and we stayed in hotels but I wouldn't change it for the world. The first place we went was Munich. It was the first time I saw a baby grand piano in the street with a band to accompany it. I was amazed, absolutely blown away by the beauty. Before I moved back to Canada we made it to Belgium and France. I managed to squeeze in going to Copenhagen. Since coming home I've made it to Iceland, Ireland, Scotland and Hungary with a trip booked for next week to Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Now hostels, trains and new people give me a rush.

I don't want to sit here just to brag about the places I've been. But I do want to mention how lucky I am. I live in a world where I have access to information, freedom of speech and rights as a woman. Travel didn't just change my life but it changed me. I am open minded, almost fearless, strong, independent but most importantly, my own person with my own opinions that I wouldn't have had before moving. So yes, most days I do wonder how I ended up here. I can't speak for 15 year old me, but i wouldn't change a thing.