I feel very privileged to have been part of such an amazing experience and I have to thank my Mum, Dad and Jack for supporting me in every sense of the word, my Granny for being my pen friend and my Uncle Archie and Auntie Maureen for always being there for a catch up and to recommend places to go to make the most of my time here. My friends have been incredible and I have learned a lot about the people in my life - realising the people that I thought were friends that are not anymore and being thankfully for the friends that I definitely should make more time for. Heather, Judy, Emily and Nicola where would I be without you guys to shake me back into reality when I'm being my usual stressy self over life, oh so dramatic! Aaaand my Girlies for generally being the best 'Dynamic Dinosaurs' (private joke!). Gregor, Danny and Kirsten have also included me in the majority of wine nights over skype and kept me updated on life without me there (generally Gregor being really stupid!). Life moves on back home and I am old enough now to realise that but I truly am thankful for the people who have stayed in touch and dropped me a message once or twice, it's the little things in life that put that smile on your face.
I didn't mean this post to be a list of thank you's but just now seems like the best time to write everything down before I freak out over studying for five subjects in three days and then have five finals in one week, some of them being on the same day as each other (the only downside of studying in Canada - future students take note!).
Studying Abroad is something I have always wanted to do, to the point where I picked my university because of the options but I realise that it is also something that a lot of people are afraid to consider. When it came to applying I did not even think twice, it was a natural decision and I went for it. When I received the place at Humber in Toronto, Canada the people I told were amazed that I was able to do such a thing - I found this strange as I did not see the big leap in my life that everyone else saw. As the experience is beginning to come to an end I still do not see the big deal in my decision to move across the world for 6 months (travelling beforehand too) but I suppose that just proves how lucky and privileged I am to have been able to do such a thing. Life is way too short and if anyone has learned that in the past year then it is me, after something happened within our family at the beginning of the year I vowed from then on in that I would say YES to life. I never want to regret saying no to things so I may as well say yes at least to try it once. I honestly feel that going by this motto has helped me achieve my full potential out here, I don't think I have missed one opportunity!
As cliche as it may seem, you learn a lot about yourself when moving abroad, you find yourself in a way. I had lost myself over the last two years, becoming someone I no longer recognised as the fun loving, laugh about everything Sally I used to be and by using my experiences here I am ready to change things (getting deep I know...)
Onto a lighter note...NEW FRIENDS! I read this quote on Instagram the other day "we all begin as strangers" which is so true - take it how you like but for me I realised that only 12 weeks ago, my best friends that I have met here were strangers, we knew nothing about each other and here we are now best friends that I don't quite know how I am going to survive without when I am home. All are different friendships than I have had before, although we have all become a sort of dysfunctional family which is awesome, I wouldn't change it for the world. The memories we have created together will stay with me forever (especially that Churro instax picture which will never be fit for the Internet hahaha).
Travel is literally the best gift that you can ever give yourself. People have said to me that they wish that they could be in the same situation as me....well you can be! I was that person, sitting there and wishing that I could be that person away travelling and seeing the world and I here I am. Living back in Scotland over the past couple of years I have been moving from one place to the next without a solid place I would call 'home' but now moving back I don't think that I want that - a roof over my head is all that I need and it's my family and friends that make it home. I can truly say that Toronto will forever be my second home with travelling through life with the people I love being my first 'home'.
This experience has taught me that although society thinks otherwise, travelling is my dream career - yes it may not be in the fashion industry or deemed as getting a 'real job' but I will be happy to travel from place to place along with hopefully helping people along the way - I know for me, that this path will make me happy over any career that I undertake and will give me a ton of life experience that no job will ever be able to do. So to the people that tell me that I need to grow up - I have grown up and this is my decision.
So to end this in depth reflection of my time here I just want to say a massive THANK YOU to the people who have made this experience possible and the most amazing time of my life and if your reading this and wishing you could do it, YOU CAN! Don't think twice just do it! Annnnd if you fancy going somewhere in the world, let me know and I'll come along for the ride!
Lots of Love
Sally xxx
P.S Keep Exploring!
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