xoxonads

My Season Experience

If you are new to my blog, or have forgotten what I was talking about six months ago (I wouldn't be surprised), the reason I haven't been active on my blog is because I've been doing a season abroad.

Back in April I wrote a post about Saying Yes to New Adventures ~ and it seemed weird to just jump straight back into 'normal' blogposts without touching on my experience.

I've been struggling to write this post however since getting back, mainly because I was like where do I even begin, and being away for so long, I almost forgot what kind of style my writing was, and I've changed since my last post. Most importantly though, I didn't want to bore you with all the ins and outs of doing a season. Instead I thought I'd talk about why I did it, and what I gained from the experience.

I will be back to posting more beauty, fashion etc. kind of posts though if this isn't really your type of read x

Why I did a Season?

I kind of go into this in my last post but the main reason I wanted to do a season was because I didn't go to university and I felt like I missed out on an experience. I'd previously been on a Neilson holiday and thought it would be amazing to go out there and work, especially looking after kids.

I guess, as cliche as it sounds another reason why I wanted to go away was to find myself.. it kind of got to the point in my life where I wasn't happy if I was alone, and I'd constantly have to seek happiness in others, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but self-love n all that. Going away was a chance for me to make friends by myself, gain confidence, and more than anything independence. Going away for six months would've been the longest time I'd ever been away from my parents, but it wasn't just down the road, it was to a whole other country, and I appreciated this because it meant I really did need to learn to look after myself.

What was Season Life?

I mean Season Life is pretty self-explanatory, but before I'd done one, I could not have told you what it was or what it involved, other than of course doing seasons. Season Life is like a whole other culture, and you meet all kinds of people, all with their own reasons for doing a season.

When you are out there you are in this bubble, and it does consume you, you develop this whole other life surrounded by people who are pretty much your family, even though you've only known them for a few weeks. At first it's like 'wow, I never want to go home, this is the best thing ever, I love everything,' eventually though ~ for me anyway ~ the novelty wore off, and I began to miss the little things, like having a routine, my own bed, home cooking, my friends and family. Don't get me wrong I still loved every minute but it did get overwhelming sometimes, and towards the end I was ready to come home.

Before I went out I expected to make new friends, enjoy my job and just kind of make the most of being abroad. Of course I did all of that, but we also went out quite a lot, went on road trips, and spent pretty much all of the money we made.

What I Gained from the Experience?

I can't even begin to put into words how much I gained from going to Greece. I learnt so much, not only about making friends, and getting to know people, and how to survive a day looking after kids with only three hours sleep, but also I learnt so much about myself.

Towards the end of last year I went through a pretty rubbish phase, I hadn't gone to university, where all my friends were looking like they were having the time of their lives. I'd left a job where I was the happiest me, to go into a job which I hated, which I then quit and I was stuck, and lost... I didn't know what I wanted, or where I wanted to go.

Going away not only bought out my confidence but bought out the person I always wanted to be. Someone who went on adventures at 3am in the morning, or said yes to spontaneous nights out, or spent time round friends rather than laying in bed all night watching tv on my own and now I'm back in the job where I'm the happiest, I can quite honestly say I'm living my best life, and I genuinely think it's all from saying yes, to an experience I almost turned down!

I guess to kind of sum up this post, if you are ever offered an opportunity similar to this, or a chance that you think will help you better yourself, take it... you regret the things you didn't do more than the things you did do ~ not sure if that's the actual quote, but ya get the gist!

here's a couple of photos also, because why not x