For the last three days of my European tour I returned to Valladolid, the city in Spain where i spent a year teaching English. It's very close to Salamanca, so I figured I should pay it a visit since it was only a bus ride away. It was really nice to reunite with a couple of friends and to see some of my old students, but on my last day there, I was left feeling unsettled. It's a strange feeling being back in a city you once called home and simultaneously feeling out of place, like you no longer belong. Physically, everything looks the same, but romances have dissipated, friends have moved away and you're left with the memories of how things used to be. You realize that even though the plazas and streets still look the same, in fact, everything else has changed. However, it's moments like this that can give us the best lesson, if we are willing to look for it. I believe that people and places come into our life for a reason, and although they will always be a part of our history it's OK to leave them in the past. To be grateful for what we learned and where it took us but to close that chapter of our lives and begin the next one. And so, as I boarded the train to Salamanca I couldn't help but smile. Although one chapter was painfully coming to an end, another amazing chapter was just beginning. And as they say "There's a reason why the windshield is bigger than the rear view mirror. Where you're going is far more important than what you've left behind"
For years I have heard about the stunning landscapes of New Zealand, and most people I have spoken to prefer the South Island. For this reason I knew I needed to visit, even if it was just for a few days. Although I did not have NEARLY enough time, I got to see just a few highlights of this amazing place. I flew into Christchurch, a city which was devastated by an earthquake seven years ago. You could still see remains of the destruction everywhere but I loved the spirit of the city. Despite enduring something so heartbreaking, the people were coming together, and working hard to make the city even better than before. After exploring the city for a couple of days I took a day trip to Akaroa, a beautiful harbor side town. Getting out of the city gave me a chance to see the stunning landscape that the South is famous for When I got to Akaroa I had a couple of hours to explore before heading out on my dolphin excursion. I bopped around some shops then had a coffee with t...
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