Homesick but Happy
As much as I love my freedom, being away from home is not always as easy as I'd expect.
Coming from a home that consists of myself, my mother and my dog I don't necessarily leave a busy and fast paced environment when I board a plane and go back to university. Usually its the latter- I arrive in a flat full of my friends and, for at least a week or two, we live in each others pockets. However, when the buzz of partying every night and the new found sense of freedom wears off so does the want to spend every waking minute with your housemates... Usually.
This year, however, I've not had the disappointment of a united house suddenly dissolving. We still cook together and go out together and we are each others main base of friends; and it's an environment I feel honestly blessed to be in.
I've asked myself a few times, "how I can get homesick when I'm constantly surrounded by interesting people, I'm never far from something to do and I rarely have time to myself?" but apparently I can. This is my second wave of heavy homesickness it came after I looked up how many miles my Valencian home was from my Northern Irish one and it turns out it doesn't seem so far until you put a number on it. 1609.8 to be exact.
So, instead of throwing myself a pity party I put the kettle on, made some fifteens and decided to think about all the things I have in my life right now that I wouldn't have if I was at home. :-)
♡ The people
Most of the people I know now are leaving at the start of February and that makes me sad; but Erasmus introduced me to some of the greatest people I've ever met.
♡ The mentality of 'yes'
Historically, I'm very good at saying 'no' or 'not right now' and 'maybe another day'; a habit which I find doesn't open itself to a lot of opportunities. A little while before I came to Valencia I started trying to say 'yes' and it got me an expenses paid trip to study in Connecticut at Southern Connecticut State University, as well this adventure with Erasmus+. I decided to delete 'no' from my vocabulary and replace it with 'yes'!
♡ The work opportunities
I've never been at uni and had more than one job at a time; and when I have been working it's been part time and a relatively easy job. Now, I go to university and have three separate places to call 'work'. It's hard, I'm constantly busy but it's worth it.
♡ The weather
At this exact moment there is the loudest thunder storm I've ever experienced going on outside, which defeats or enhances this point depending on if you like thunder storms, but usually the weather is pretty great in Valencia. Mild winters, hot summers and very little rain.
♡ The views
Recently I've forgotten how beautiful this city is; but after a midnight walk by the port looking at the lights reflecting on the water and wandering through the centre to just appreciate the architecture surrounding the hub of Valencia, I've remembered how lucky I am to be exposed to this city.
AC :)