Life Around...The World?

'Home is an invention on which no one has yet improved' 

- Ann Douglas 

The Netherlands vs The World

About a month ago I decided to go 'home', to The Netherlands, where my parents live. I am not entirely sure if this is my main 'home' as I have had many places that I called this over the last years. Also Austria is home and Berlin and I even sometimes consider New Zealand as my home. But basically: For me 'Home' is where my teddybear and my pillow are. These two items are, at the moment, located in my bed in Hulst so I guess The Netherlands is 'Home' for now. 

In order to understand this post better I will have to give you some background information. Hulst is the city I was born and went to school till the age of 15, after that I decided to change and finish my high school in Terneuzen (a city 20 km away from Hulst). After my graduation I lived around many places in The Netherlands and Belgium but moved to Austria about 6/7 years ago. As you can imagine I left many people behind, friends and colleagues, and learned to be a World Citizen. The longest period of time I have spend in Hulst, over the last years, has been about 10 days. I guess you can imagine what a change it is, being here now for 1 month and staying for another 2 months. I went from a World Citizen back to an 'Abandoned by Young People City' Citizen.

Back to the 'Normal' World

Being back in the city I was born in is interesting. Let's say; I enjoy the conversations with my parents and the temporary work in doing next to Bacon and Eggs Tours. Apart from that; Being back here made my think about my life more than ever. And the thought are, sometimes, shocking and there have been many moments I thought: Kim, seriously, what did you do with your life!

Being here confronts me with the people that stayed here, with their marriages, their children, their relationships, their homes and houses... It confronts me everyday with all the things I do not have and makes me wonder if I did the right thing. There has never been a stronger moment in my life than now where I can't help but wonder: Is my life how I really want it? 

Yes, I do not want to swap my life with any of my former class mates that have all the security of a  family, home and job. I admire them for being able to cope with it, to take care of their relationships and all the things that come along with it but I, no, Im not ready for that. I might not be made for that, at least.... not now.

An Alternative Lifestyle

I have chosen, myself, all the paths I went over the last couple of years. Of course I sometimes  wish I had it done a different way but I am happy with all the things I did, the choices I made because they made me into the person I am today. I might have chosen an alternative route, an adventurous route, a challenging route which sometimes worries me. But I absolutely love my life at the moment!

Bacon and Eggs Tours

Bacon and Eggs Tours represents everything I am. A relaxed company, made out of love for Travelling and New Zealand, made for all those people who want to learn about this countries culture and nature and are, just like me, a little adventurous. Having your own company is for sure not easy and I experience that everyday. It worries me, stresses me and gives me sleepless nights BUT it also makes me laugh, makes me happy and very proud of myself for getting through even if when it gets tough. Being back in Hulst, back 'Home' makes me fight more for my company and my lifestyle and every time I have to listen to the question marks about my life from the people around me it makes me want to fight more, and never, really never, wanting to give up the awesome and amazing life I have. It might not be a secure way but it for sure is an awesome and adventurous way! 

Never give up your dreams, they might be 'weird' to the world around you but they are your dreams. Admire them & never let them down!   

Decisions and choice, words who rule my world

'For my part I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake.

The great affair is to move' - Robert Louis Stenson

Where to begin? Choice, opportunities, challenges... Questions, plans and endless conversations without an end. Circles, running around in circles... and time... time who pores down rain on my parade. 

New Zealand is the country of my dreams. I can be myself, have nature around me and am able to have sand and snow on the same day. It is legal to go out the door on jandals and wear board shorts, hoody and have messy hair at any time of the year. The internet and smartphones are still a thing of the future and planning or worrying are words not to be found in the New Zealand dictionary. It is the country of relaxed people where 'cuz', 'bro' and 'sweet as' are not considered as ghetto slang. I am in love with this piece of land floating around at the bottom of this planet however... can I stay here? Or better, shall I stay here? 

Now the end of my studies is getting near I should probably make some decisions on what to do after, after my 'student' life, after the years of hoovering around the world. New Zealand is the country of my dreams but opportunities lay in Europe and, unfortunately, so is the salary. Torn apart between two worlds which cannot be further away from one another. 

At the moment I am tired, tired of travelling and living out of a suitcase. A different place to sleep every night, I long to a place to call home. Because, where is home? After living in different countries over the last seven years, building up and taring down foundations I am here, 25 and at a point I want to choose. I travel around to go, to move, to have a new adventure and I tend to do this every couple of months, years. Of course I can keep continue doing this and I am sure I will be a happy camper but where will home be? I want to be a pink princess, a handbag (inside joke) let somebody else make the decisions for me cause I am too tired to do it. 

Where to begin? Choice, opportunities, challenges... Questions, plans and endless conversations without an end. Circles, running around in circles... and time... time who pores down rain on my parade and takes over my life at the moment.... 

Travelling New Zealand

At the moment my life is all about my studies and my return to New Zealand. However, the last one is causing some sleepless nights... 

It is 11pm and I'm in bed, I want to go to sleep but there is this little person running around in my head, bouncing. It keeps releasing opportunities, challenges and difficulties of where to go, what to do and how to do it. 

For the lucky ones that already had the opportunity to travel to this beautiful country, they may know how hard it is to stay at one place in New Zealand. It may seem so small when you have a look at a map of the world, but, believe me, it's huge! There is so much to see, so much to do and I want to see it all again, and on a (very) low budget :) The plans I made, or had to made, already changed numerous times and I really don't know anymore why I should have a plan before I go.

Why do people like to plan everything before they start travelling, why not just go and see how everything will be. By doing so you keep yourself from being disappointed and sad. As I wrote in my previous post, people are not fond of uncertainties, we like to plan and avoid the unexpected. I wanted to think I'm different but can't fool myself anymore. I am like this, I am a (little) Dutch 'control freak'.... and I'm not amused by it! 

So, on the 15th of December I will fly back to my favourite country, I will get on a plane with a max. of 15kg luggage, fly for 30 hours and be happy! Whatever comes after that I will see there...