The beginning of a grand journey

With only a few weeks left of November it's hard to believe that 2013 has almost come to a close..... what a year it has been. Perhaps the biggest life lesson that I have come to understand is that despite what you plan, the logic you use and your awareness of what is good or bad for you, people and moments come in and out of your life and sometimes its best not to try to understand them.

I never really believed in the saying... everything happens for a reason... but now I realise that its the best way to embrace and view your life. If it is meant to be it will be, it's true....you do find things when you are not looking for them, impulsive decisions can turn out the be the best moments you experience, overthinking and overanalysing will not get you anywhere..... If people are supposed to be in your future then they will be there but those that are meant for the past are usually there for a very good reason. My impulsive decision to apply for a voluntary teaching position in England just two weeks before the application deadline was my 2013 leap of faith....

Now, its 48 days until I relocate. In less than two months my life is going to change completely and I have never felt so ready for anything in my life, that's how I know that it's all going to be ok.

So...... with the time flying by I have began to seriously think about the top 10 things I would like to do/achieve in the UK, so far I have come up with 5 major goals....

1. Visit all of the film locations for the 2005 production of Pride and Prejudice. (Berkshire, Derbyshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Wiltshire). Yes I am obsessed and no I am not a freak...

2. Go to Jane Austen's house in the village of Chawton, in Alton. (My love of Jane is perfectly rational...)

3. Explore the Lake District.... & pop into Hill Top House. (Beatrix Potter's home in Hawkshead). 

4. Play air guitar in a boat in Eastbourne. (Afterwards announce to the massive crowd "Thankyou and goodnight Eastbourne!!".

5. Enter every Nandos I come across.... For Narg. (The One Direction gang, especially Nial....love their Nandos, so I'll do a quick but thorough scope of the room for the 1D bois in the hope of finding one of them.... or all of them at some stage). This particular goal is for my youngest sister, who insisted that a visit to every Nandos in England when the opportunity arises is ESSENTIAL.

And there we have it! My first five goals for UK 2014! Wish me luck....

It's the final countdown

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS.....

It's hard to believe that in exactly 56 days I will be boarding a plane and flying to the other side of the world..... on my own..... to live in a place that I have never been or seen before..... with people that I don't know..... for a whole year. Sometimes I actually have to remind myself that it is actually happening and that the dream of a European adventure is right at my fingertips.

If you asked me what I thought I would be doing in 2014, living in England would have been the last thought to cross my mind, but here I am, with my flights all booked, my suitcase eagerly waiting under my bed and a few pairs of newly purchased boots just itching to be stomped through the snow!

At the moment the excitement factor is definitely outweighing the fear factor..... (there have been no tears....yet) but I know that this will be the most testing, but ultimately the most rewarding year of my life. I thought that writing a blog would be a great way to keep my family informed of my whereabouts and day to day life (not so sure if its a really smart or really stupid idea), but basically for their own sanity. I also wanted to create a place where all of my beautiful friends can check in and read all of my embarrassing stories.... of which there are bound to be many and hopefully become inspired to do some travelling of their own! I cant promise that this blog is going to be highly intelligent, or informative, but I can promise that there will be lots of laughter and lots of love.

Happy reading xx