Saturday 15 August 2015

Back in BG

Dear reader,
You've been on my mind, but due to the unreliability of the available technology I've been silent. I'm presently in a comfortable apartment somewhere in Sofia, happily enjoying my alone time. After five weeks of travel around Europe, I was more than ready to kick back in Bulgaria. My new and improved mental state leads me to enjoy the country more than I expected, even though there may be the usual irritants. A level of discomfort is expected when the pessimism of your country of origin knows nary a limit, yet I find things to savour. A few nights ago I learnt many new historical details from a (US) Republican in the kind of cultural conversation which you just can't find in Australia. It's a welcome change of pace.
I suspect ranting about my progress with the Spanish language won't interest most of you, so I'll spare you the details of how my week in Madrid inspired me to get serious about it. I may even return to Madrid sometime soon to immerse myself, once I've reached the level of being comfortable with conversations. But! Onward to the next paragraph.
I guess I've been infused with so many cultural formations that my head is still abuzz. I'd forgotten how rewarding travel usually is for me. I'm now busy figuring out my next bout of adventures, even though this current run is not over. (We still have Belgrade and Athens on the agenda, and it's possible we'll stop over in Singapore on the way back.) I had originally been planning a three month stay in Berlin, but then I remembered that my mum and I had already made plans to hire a car and explore the UK & Ireland, which still appeals. So I guess that's next year sorted.
Being in Bulgaria is altering my thinking pattern, by the way. I tend to be more animated, and less modest. This could be a good thing, because I definitely have some work to do to restore my confidence to the level it was a few years ago. I'm not quite showing off, but I'm ditching the depreciatory disclaimers.
I like the theory that life is a series of choices. There is no 'right way' to live it. Things don't fall into place so much as you engineer your own pathway, create your own reality. You are the author of your own story... So what kind of story do you want to make?