November 2024
As the American I am, this is the month of thanks. And I sure do have a lot to be thankful for this month. New adventures, new countries, solidified relationships, and old friendships. Lots of unexpected things and the coldest weather I’ve experienced in over five years. Luckily, I was able to grab myself a pair of 100% Merino wool thermal wear to cover the cold. So, shall we get into it?
Table of Contents
1.Recap | 2.Lessons | 3.Challenge | 4.Summary
1. Recap
I headed to Frankfurt for the first time. Most of my time there was, honestly, having a bit of a mental breakdown. But… I found a Chipotle, so I had a burrito, and it made the whole trip better! I’ll figure it all out, I know. Sometimes, it’s just frustrating when what you want doesn’t seem attainable in the timeframe you hoped for. However, I did get some very exciting news this month regarding my future plans, and I’m going to keep it to myself a bit longer just to savor it. After Frankfurt, I headed to The Hague to house and cat sit for a new friend. Super sweet lady with a great community of women that I’ve been invited into… how adorable. Mostly enjoyed a house to myself, planned for the future, and got cat snuggles. Then, I returned to Amsterdam to catch up with my friend Sharlino from Bonaire. However, in my attempt to keep up with the 190-something cm dude, I’m pretty sure I got alcohol poisoning. Woohoo! A few days later, my parents arrived! Mama missed me too much to wait another six months to see me haha. However, my brother didn’t have the same feelings so he stayed home while I explored the Netherlands and Germany with my parents. A few days in Amsterdam with them, three museums, a day trip to Maastricht (which I’d love to spend more time at), picking up the rest of my things I left while in SEA, and a movie night with my friend Arnout. The Tew Crew then took on Cologne for a few days. We went to a couple of Christmas markets, which made mom super happy… it was cute. She and I also had a four-hour hamam spa experience- sorry, dad! We got back to Amsterdam in the wee hours of the morning, slept for a few hours, and then they headed to the airport. I went down to Leiden, then went on a couple of day trips with Arnout to Zaans Schans and Gouda. After that weekend, I began my seventeen-hour journey to my little Half Pint Swedish friend in Gothenburg. Tilde and I share a brain when we’re together, so of course, we decided to do a few road trips. The first was to visit her cousin in Ljusdal, which is where the month ended. It was such a full, beautiful, cold month :)
2. Lessons
The lesson I learned about myself this month was that I crave deep and honest communication in every interaction I have. Being in Scandinavia, I realized how much I never really cared for the small talk that never went beyond the superficial, and I’d rather just not say anything then. And an ongoing situation with a boy (shocker) is teaching me that I need a certain level of communication to feel secure in the relationship… regardless of what type of relationship it is. I want a connection with others. I need it. And if I don’t feel like I’m getting it because of a lack of openness, then I’m not sure how long I’ll stay around waiting for it.
3. Challenge
So, my goal for this month was to have a few job interviews and secure a job for myself. Given that I’ve been looking and searching for months now, I didn’t think it was an unrealistic goal. Unfortunately, the time of year isn’t helping me in any way. I did not get asked for any interviews, but the conversations and realizations I had this month have helped me widen my perspective and places of searching for said job. For December, I’m going to be gentle with myself. My only challenge is to finish the items on my to-do list that have been there for over a month, and I just haven’t felt like doing them. Ending the year feeling like I accomplished things, grew, learned, and got better. I’m still jobless and have no idea what I really want to do, but I’ve got so many lessons learned, experiences, and memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
4. Summary
Well, November didn’t disappoint. It was full of laughter, smiles, and unexpected joys. I added a new country to my list, caught up with friends I haven’t seen in a long time, hugged my parents again, and learned more about myself. It’s hard to believe it’s the end of the year now, but this year has been the best one yet. I can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store for us all. Let’s enjoy the Holiday season and ring in the new year with a smile!
