How time is flying! It seems like it was just yesterday when I left Siberia to go on a trip around the world. Back then, everything was about to happen. I was about to experience a lot of ‘first times’, a lot of ‘first moments’, a lot of new things. All of the sudden, nine months have passed and I was celebrating, almost worshipping my very ‘last’ moments of this wonderful journey that I was about to end. Another chapter of my life was about to close. Shortly, I was about to fly back home.

Home? Where is that? For one and a half year, my home was everywhere and nowhere. It was Siberia when I was teaching German at university in the coldest city on earth. It was Alaska when I was working as a ‘wwoofer’ taking care of a greenhouse and reindeer for a couple of weeks. It was Southeast Asia when I explored the countries’ cultural diversity and natural beauty. Home was wherever I was. The world was and will always be my home.

Now I have to return to my country of origin, the country I was hoping to leave behind me. For good. I would not call it home, rather my ‘base’. Germany is where my family and my friends are living. Germany is where I can always go back. Germany is where I can leave my old live behind and go on new trips. I am very excited to see my beloved ones again and finally tell them in person all about my adventures of the last couple of months.

What I will bring with me?

-A countless number of unforgettable memories. I met amazing people that shared their life stories with me. People that let me into their lives. People with the most interesting characters. People that were different. People that inspired me. People that had an impact on me. I am grateful that our paths crossed and that we could spend some time together. (Sometimes it was hard to let them go again, but one thing you will get definitely better at while traveling is saying goodbye.)

–Pictures that try to capture the most beautiful landscapes, breathtaking sceneries I have seen and new worlds that I have discovered. I truly fell in love with our stunning, fascinating nature! While I was scuba diving a whole new, different world opened up to me. Incredible creatures floating around, colorful corals and plants. Exploring the underwater world while you feel like you are flying. One feeling that is totally addictive! Something I will keep on doing in the future as often as possible 😉

–Stories about people, other cultures and different ways of living. Our world is full of diversity. There is not one right way of living. Not at all! People in Western societies often think you can only have a good life if you have a certain amount of money. This might be true for some people, but in Southeast Asia I saw how happy, how satisfied people can be with their lives even though they do not have much. Life is more than money! Everybody is responsible for his own happiness. Something I learned whilst traveling: You do not need much to be happy!

–A better version of myself. It is true that traveling widen horizons. Not only did I change certain point of views, but also myself. Traveling always brings out the best of me. While I am exploring other countries, I am always relaxed, calm, positive, even optimistic and not to forget, happy. Apart from constantly trying and learning new things, I also got to know myself better. I overcame fears; I discovered old patterns that have negative effects on me and my life; I looked back on things and people in the past and understood them in a different way. At the same time, I worked hard on myself. A better, a healthier lifestyle became more and more important to me. I changed habits. I did a lot of yoga, spent an intense time on meditating, gave up drinking and partying, finally quit smoking. It was time for positive changes in my life. It was time to let positive things happen in my life. Therefore, I wanted to return to Germany as a changed, as a better person.

They are saying: When one door closes, another door opens. Of course, I am sad that my journey is about to end. I knew it was not going to last forever. Nevertheless, it is hard to let go of the adventurous lifestyle I was living for months. Everyday was different. It is hard to say goodbye to the most amazing,  most wonderful time. After all, this will be one of the best years of my entire life. I do not know what the future will bring, but leaving this year behind me, putting it into the past, will most certainly be a challenging task.

Of course, I am scared. I do not know what to expect in Germany. What will life be like? Will it be the same when I left it? I know many things have changed while I was gone. This time my return will be a different one. I will not come back as a student any longer. This time I have to take responsibility. It will be serious. Once again, I have to start all over again. But this time I have to find a job and a flat. I just hope I will not fall back into old pattern, but find new, better routines in my everyday life. Furthermore, I wish to find appreciation and gratefulness for what I have back in Germany so I can live there without falling into a serious post-travel-depression.

At the same time I already wonder if I will still be there in one year or if I might be able to go on a new journey. After all, I am a world wanderer. I am in love with the world; I am in love with freedom and independence; I am addicted to traveling and exploring. Hence, I see my return as only temporary.

Nobody knows what will happen. Nobody knows how my life will be like in the next couple of months. Nobody knows where I will be today in one year. For sure, it will be one big surprise! As usually 😉 It has been a pleasure!

For now, it is time to say goodbye. See you another time, my dear world!