Reading.

If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.

Her.

I don't know what I want. Ever. I'm just always confused.

All I do is hurt and confuse everyone around me.

But what makes me "me", is the ability to grow through my experiences.

Erasmus: a life changing experience.

Erasmus is not only about studying abroad, travelling and meeting new people. I believe that, above all, it is an unique experience where you get to discover yourself. You get to test your limits, you get to experience life in a new way.

First, you will move to a foreign country, alone (if, like me, you choose to go without any colleagues). This alone is a big change. You don't have a familiar face when you get home. If you had some tough few days, no one will be there to make you feel better. It's hard, but it will toughen you up.

Making new friends is a great way to improve your communication skills, as well as your English and, in my case, French. My Erasmus experience lead me out of my confort zone. I went to parties alone, I travelled to Denmark with a guy I had just met, I hitchhiked with strangers, I went to Italy alone and almost got stuck at the airport... I made new friendships that I still cherish very much and I lived an unforgetable experience. Many adventures that changed me, that improved my skills and, above all, that made me grow.

Changes.

People say you only realise the real value of something when you lose it. It's a cliché, but it is also very true. It's not that people didn't value it before, however we can live decisive moments which make you realise what was really important to you, in spite you haven't thought about that before.

I'm a regular human being. I'm imperfect, I make mistakes, I make stupid decisions. It's normal and no one can run away from it. What differs us is the way we act in those situations. Some people can deal with their mistakes and learn from it. Eventually, they will grow from it, get stronger and better. Other people just keep making the same mistakes and will never live life to its fullest because they are always running away from the tough reality they might have to face, because they are too afraid to get hurt or to hurt someone.

Nevertheless, hurting is one of the most natural things in the world. If you don't experience pain, if you never feel that pain, it will be impossible to live truthfully. It is only because you had really bad moments, because you went to the worst moments, that when the good ones come along you are able to cherish them and enjoy them the most.

A new year.

Welcome 2016!

I could make a list of all I want to achieve during this new year, but I prefer to (try) live more spontaneously than make promises that I won't keep.

I realized that I didn't wish for anything at midnight.... I forgot that part, but now that I think about it I really wish for health and I hope for a better year, full of exciting adventures. That's what will make me truly happy.

What I've read this summer.

• The Razor's Edge, W. Somerset Maugham
• One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
• The Stranger, Albert Camus
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
• Notes From a Small Island, Bill Bryson
• Bossypants, Tina Fey
• The Woman I Wanted to Be, Diane Von Furstenberg
• Paper Towns, John Green

Of all these books, the one I loved the most was definitely The Razor's Edge. I wasn't expecting such an incredible story about a man in search of the true meaning of life. All the characters that Maugham (as narrator) describes us are different and interesting in its own way, but it's Larry that captivates us all our with his perspective of life. It's a must-read book.

Lately - August.

1. Day in Lisbon exploring the University Botanical Garden | 2. Sunny pool day | 3. Beautiful view from my house | 4. Furry friend I met when I went for a walk | 5. Afternoon exploring the mountains | 6. Grapes from my grandma's farm.