To do: Lebanon.

Today I've decided to put my second plan of my year off in motion. My first was executed with ease with help from the lovely boyf. It was an interrailing trip from Stockholm to Paris via Copenhagen and Amsterdam and was most definitely the best start to my year (i.e. September to September!). This second plan will take far more thinking and organisation on my part. It will be a fortnight visit to my relations in Lebanon.

I've only once travelled alone on an airplane (and that was Heathrow to Dublin, hardly challenging!) and I've never been outside Europe. I'm excited and very nervous. I'm not nervous about the destination, no, my cousins will certainly look after me, I'm nervous about the fact that I'm actually doing something I've been talking about doing for years. Literally years! 

I'm a serial procrastinator when it comes to all aspects of my life and I usually end up sticking to the normal route and not straying. This is going to be a great experience, for certain. It will open my eyes to a world I've only read about in papers and seen on telly.

I can't wait. This is it. This is me finally realising my potential and living up to the grand high expectations I set for myself as a teenager to be different and to experience everything. 

Some people may think that I am overreacting, but I think I'm on my way. If I only have one year to make myself the person I should be, then every experience and opportunity can and will help me do that. 

Two weeks can change a life, I'm hoping it will help shape mine.  

Visiting the Big Schmoke.

There was a time when no planning went into my visiting people, I threw however many outfits into a bag, make up wipes, make up, phone charger and off. Now that I'm a big girl and have a severe amount of time on my hands however, this has changed. My current impending trip to visit the Boyf in Dublin is taking far too long to pack for. Things are not as simple as they were.
My Student Travel Card no longer lives in my purse, for one, it seems, and this has lead to over two hours of searching. And to no avail. I can't get another because, alas, I am no longer a student. Sad face. I uprooted the big black sack in my room (full of 'clean' rubbish - old bits and bobs not fit for charity and that cannot be recycled- after Project clean away five years of College) and emptied it into another black sack. I found a fiver, but no travel card. Happy face, followed by Super duper sad face.
Also, the fact that my wardrobe is more extensive than ever has lead to the dilemma of what to bring. Boots are a must, because of the rain. Therefore clothes that go into the boots are staple.
So with clothes half sorted, and cleanser, toner, moisteriser, make up (including new No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara that was only €9 with my €7.50 voucher plus free eye shadow palette which I love - green, gold, dark shimmering brown and purple) and all things beauty related organised, I get a call from the Boyf saying his friend and his Girlf are cooking us dinner Saturday night. Eeeek. I've never met this particular friend before, nor his Girlf...and now they're cooking for us!
This is something I wouldn't think twice about springing on Himself, but it's totally different the other way around. Four years ago in this situation I would not have panicked because I wouldn't have had time to. Not that I'm panicking, really, just wondering how it will go, will they like me, what will I wear, etc. The usual wonderings in a situation like this.
And then a thought hits me. Yes, right now, a thought has just hit me. I will wear my fabulous, bargaintastic new clogs with heels, purchased today for €30 in Topshop (I had a €20 voucher so they were a tenner - cha-ching!).

So now I'm delighted. I'm not only looking forward to seeing my beloved, but also to wearing my favourite new shoes. Result.

Hello

For the first time in five years (i.e. since school) I'm not employed and I'm not in college. Five years of studying later, I'm still a nothing, well, a master and a bachelor, but no specific employable title. I've decided to use this year to do the things I didn't do during the five summers since school because realistically I'm going to have to become a real person soon and all the crazy things you can do during college can't be fit into a grown up life. I didn't go work abroad, or go on mental backpacking holidays. Now's my chance. I'm going to travel, write like I've never written before (about everything) and relax my brain after all the learning. There will be many a time where stream of concsiousness-esque posts will be unreadable, and more than likely not interesting to those not in my head, but for the most part, I hope anyone who reads my journey will enjoy it and take something from it.