People chasing their dreams around the world

Recently, I started thinking about the freedom each one has and if we take good advantage of it.

A few days ago, I exchanged a couple of emails with my ex flat-mate, a nice Finn girl. She told me she is going to move to Australia in 1st of January. Wow, this is a big decision for the first day of the new year!

Another girl I know from Norway is setting off to South America for three months...for holiday!

Last night, I talked to a Finn guy I met almost three years ago. He currently works in London, but he is moving around a lot.

Last May, I attended a translation conference, and I met freelance translators from numerous countries, and they all had a thing in common; traveling and living in different countries for long periods of time.

I would like to be able to live in Finland, but something holds me back. I like traveling around, but I want to have my "HOME" where I will be able to come back every time I need some stability or even whenever I run out of money! At the time, "HOME" is my mother's home, as I do not own a home myself.

I admire those who chase their dreams around the world. I would like to include myself in them, but I wonder... Do we travel, because we want to reach something or because we want to escape from something? I feel lonely often, and traveling makes me happy. Does everyone else feel the same?

The Finnish paradise

I spent my summer in Helsinki. What a lovely city for summer vacations. Coming from Athens, I really enjoyed the cool breeze, and the clean atmosphere. The temperature in Athens was around 42 degrees, while in Helsinki, it never went higher than 28. All Greece was burnt down by arsonists, but I could walk next to the trees and lakes, and fill myself with positive energy; something I really needed. I attended some Finnish language courses, but let's face the truth... Who enjoys studying during the summer? I passed the exams, but one month later, I have forgotten most of the grammar I learnt.

Why did I go to Finland? Because I absolutely adore this country! Finns can enjoy so much without even realising it. It is a very safe country, there is a welfare state with buses and trams arriving on time (at least, usually), and you know that if you have a friend, they will always be friend of yours. Where I come from, people are double-faced, and they may pretend to be your best friend, and say the worst behind your back. Well, fortunately, not everyone is like that, and I am happy, because nowadays I have some good and real friends.

When I first visited Finland, I was there with a scholarship, Erasmus/Socrates. I stayed there for five moths, and I can say it was an unforgettable experience. I lived in Tampere and I had my first multicultural experience. I discovered a country where metal music, Santa Clause, and dreams were alive! I was excited. I discovered a new educational and managerial system which simply left me speechless. I then felt that if ancient Greeks had not existed, no one would be aware of Greece. How magic and sad at the same time.