In the spring of 2012, a young woman in her twenties was sitting on a plane the first time in her life travelling abroad. Most people would have been very nervous in her shoes considering that she has never flown before, but in fact, her mind was fully occupied by the excitement of discovering the world’s rich existence through experiencing a brand new culture. Artistic self expression was her main talent and this long awaited adventure was really needed to stimulate her creative side. Whether it’s to express the interesting aspects of a new environment, the culture shock and it’s invisible obstacles or the joyful bacchanal her soul would be dancing when the new impressions are overflowing her senses. These moments, are literally the best raw materials for any creative process and she was aware that these will enrich her life further and provide her a brand new perspective on the world.

A big, orange-coloured suitcase, a medium sized handbag, £2,500 in cash and an incredible amount of determination to succeed was travelling with her on that April afternoon. It wasn’t a short holiday but a well planned life changing decision to leave the well known behind for the hope of a better quality of life. She knew that whatever happens in the future, she will cope and will always have a backup plan to return to her native country if things are not planning out well – and this safety net was sufficient for her over-analysing mind to not get into the worry cycle. Measuring herself in an environment where all she had was her intelligence to solve problems, was the highest form of personal development for her and this knowledge made it worthwhile to make the decision to leave the familiar behind. Being a risk averse soul, this was a very courageous decision. But the existence of a back up plan made the journey lighter which took away most of the fear that usually accompanies any major life-changing situation.

Living in another country she quickly realised that while we pick up new habits and create new boundaries, some aspects of our lives remain the same: our inner barriers, the never learnt lessons, the seemingly insurmountable obstacles we are carrying with ourselves to everywhere. Chances are these challenges will not break the surface immediately in a brand new environment, but once the newly experienced world becomes our new comfort zone, we will soon face everything that we have not solved in the past.

As Steve Jobs said, ‘you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards’- and while we can label life experiences as ‘bad’ in the moment when something outrageous is happening to us, looking backwards it can be evaluated as a blessing in disguise. As unbearable as it may seem to deal with a not-so-easy life situation, it can have a profound meaning if we are flexible enough to analyse the scenario and take away the most important lessons from it.

That young woman on the plane back in 2012 was me. If I follow Steve Jobs’ advice and connect the dots looking backwards, I can confidently say that this adventure was the best decision of my life despite all the challenges I experienced in my path. Met a lot of wonderful people who genuinely fostered my growth in one way or another and will forever be grateful for all the things I have learnt in the United Kingdom (including the difficult lessons). I am also grateful for all the closed doors that never opened to me during my time here as these events have diverted me to a more suitable and enjoyable path in both my private and professional life. Looking forward for all the new experiences this country can offer in the next decades!