On a Sentimental Note

thefinish

March 9th: We had a celebratory dinner today, a farewell to me. It is the last time I’ll see Karl in Melbourne until an undetermined next time. I will be heading to Darwin and he to Brisbane. As we hug one last time before we part, my eyes start welling up. I say goodbye and hurry into the house. Thankfully my housemate is not home yet. I need a moment to myself.

I’ve been saying my good byes this weekend. Every person I meet, I find myself continuously learning valuable things from them.

Taylor & Maki – a mindful duo whose perspective on culture and living I will carry with me everywhere I go. It’s not about asking ourselves what the choices are, it’s about asking ourselves whether we want to choose from the choices presented.

Lia – an energetic, knowledgeable woman who’s always on top of current news. She tells me she’s only curious, but I believe she knows what’s happening around us because she cares.

Florence & Ariel – personable, independent women with aspiring travel encounters. It’s so great to be able to freely speak our minds, to be shallow, funny, mature, serious, happily single, happily open to opportunities – all of it.

Kat – whom I meet briefly in person. I am showered by her caring nature and together with her partner I see what big and beautiful hearts they bounce off each other and spread to others.

And then there’s Karl. He’s like a thought machine. Wonderful ideas are constantly pouring out of him, and when I ping some of my ideas to him, he processes it, digests its, and bounces back with results that keep me thinking for days.

AO asks me what I will miss most other than her. My genuine reply is “everyone else”. You all give me the stimulus to live and discover, to challenge the routine, the mundane, and the norm in order to refine/let go of thoughts, behaviours, tastes, perspectives.

I didn’t really know what I was looking for when I left Vancouver. Maybe I wanted to prove to myself of my independence, to see what kind of life I can create when I leave behind most of what I have. I wanted to know where uncertainty can lead me. It led me to a group of unforgettable people, people who have shaped this transient me for the better. I will miss this moment in time, the place and its people, but there’s really nothing to miss, because I’m bringing all of you with me (figuratively).

In her beautiful French accent, Genevieve advises me, “You ‘aft to go out and explore and try things. If you don’t go, you ‘aft nothing to compare. If you go, then you can compare, whether it is for better or for worse.”

It is better.

Love,
Tiff

P.S. I’m going on a tour. While I’m gone, I’ve prepared some amazing hiking posts for you all. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

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