Growing up as "daddy's little girl" I never thought I'd be living the life I am living right now. My parents were extremely overprotective, to the extent that they never let me go on school trips, ride a bike or roller skate. I grew up in the same home all my life and went to the same school for 12 years. I even lived at home with my parents while I went to college for my undergraduate degree. My spare time was spent with my friends and family. I was living happily in my little part of the world, and was very familiar and comfortable with the way my life was going so far. But something was missing and I was too afraid to get out of my comfort zone to seek this desire for more.
Sometimes life gives you multiple opportunities to recognize what you are missing out on. I took one of those opportunities and left everything that was familiar and comfortable behind to pursue my career goals. I left my friends, my family, my home, my city, my country, and moved all the way to the other side of the planet for higher education. It still is one of the biggest and scariest life decisions I have ever made in my life.
When I first got here, I did not know how to make my own bed, much less how to cook, clean, and take care of myself. I struggled for a long time trying to learn how to do things on my own, including, managing my own finances, learning how to cook, or do household chores. I struggled with depression, homesickness, acculturation, loneliness and isolation.
Now five years later, I can't recognize the person I was before coming here. I have learnt to survive and thrive outside my comfort zone. Yes, it took me a few years but I am so grateful for actually stepping out of my bubble. And yes, I say thrive because I have been able to make the most of my time in the past five years. Most importantly, I learnt how to be independent and take risks. And let me tell you, it was totally worth it.
So the little girl who didn't go on school trips because her parents thought she might fall sick, now travels the world by herself. The little girl who was not allowed to ride a bicycle, has grown up to drive and repair her own car. The little girl who was not allowed to roller skate, well she still doesn't plan on doing that right now but has the desire to one day jump off a plane.
Sometimes you have to let go of what is familiar and comfortable to truly appreciate what you have and to explore the world that exists outside your bubble. So don't be afraid to take those risks, move to a different country if the opportunity presents itself. Learn a different language, travel by yourself, break some rules, live life like a renegade.
"It's our time to make a move
It's our time to make amends
It's our time to break the rules
Let's begin
And I say hey, hey hey hey
Living like we're renegades
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Leaving like we're renegades
Renegades, renegades"
Lyrics from Renegrade by X-Ambassadors
