People

 

And so it was…

The first step for a new beginning was taken: new country, new school, new friends and new-found goals.

It was both the toughest and the most fulfilling year I’ve had in a long time. Contrary to what would have been expected,  the adaptation process I went through was not for being in a different country, but because of myself. Of course that living among different cultures was the trigger, but I was free, for the first time, to really focus on myself. It is scary getting to know who we really are. Wounds reopen, fears and insecurities come to the surface, and all of the sudden, everything we’ve kept well hidden in the deepest corners of our hearts, bursts out.

Still, it was the perfect moment for this to happen. It allowed me to take bolder steps and, although it didn’t change me, it initiated a process for a new state of mind.

So, now I’m back with a changed view on what surrounds me. I refilled my heart with new and old places as well as faces (eh eh). If I left “de coração cheio” [with a fulfilled heart] from the Netherlands already, it must have grown extra space for all the happiness I had to fill it with, here in Portugal.

I felt as I had never left, while in the mainland. Built new memories and replaced the most unpleasant ones. For the first time in a long time I began to genuinely like Lisbon. I lived it, walking through its narrow streets all day long. It may have been tiring on the body, but it was a treat to the heart.

 

But Porto, Porto was like going back home… It’s almost impossible to describe how it made me feel.

Warmth. Peace of mind. Strength.

Madeira may be were my roots come from but in Porto they grew stronger. The thing about roots is that they become fragile when pulled away from the soil, but as soon as they adapt to a new and better-suited soil they have a quicker and healthier growth. Porto was the first fresh and suitable soil I’ve ever been to, although the Netherlands’ provide me with the most nutrients for now. I can say that I am already looking forward to going back to that orange-themed country and start afresh. My roots are becoming really comfy over there.  🙂

It’s all about the people. The people that cross our paths. They make us who we are. I know I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am if it weren’t for all of you, whether you played (or keep playing) a small or bigger part on my life. All interactions lead me somewhere and will continue to do so.

To you all I dedicate one of my favorite songs, but in this case, specifically to my good friends who took me in, as well as the other very good friends who spared some time for me these last few days.