Blogger Recognition Award

Hi guys! This Summer I've been nominated twice for the Blogger Recognition Award by the amazing ItsElla and girlonrainbow! I'm so excited and thankful for the nomination :) Thanks girls!

Here are the rules:

1. Write a post to show your award.
2. Acknowledge the blogger that nominated you.
3. Give a brief story about how you got started blogging.
4. Give two pieces of advice for new bloggers.
5. Nominate 15 bloggers for the award.

How I started blogging

I'd been writing my Harry Potter fanfiction saga for 8 years intermittently and it finished at the beginning of January 2016. I missed writing and sharing my words so much! Then, I read Girl Online and Girl Online 2 and it gave me the idea of starting a blog. Since I finished my fanfiction, it took me less than a month to look for a page and create my blog, I just couldn't help it hahaha I started it without ever having followed a blog before and I had no clue what blogging was about, to be honest, but you figure it out with time!


Two pieces of advice

1- WRITE ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO WRITE. Of course, you never have to forget that you have readers because it's thanks to them that you can keep sharing your words, but don't think that you have to write a certain thing for them to follow you. I've been really surprised with the response to posts I really liked but thought nobody else would. When you write about what you're invested in, that's when you write your best and people notice it.

2- Be considerate towards your followers and never, never take them for granted. It's really sad to see that someone you follow, and whose blog you always comment on, never comments back. Of course you might be extra busy during your exams or holidays, but you have to appreciate them and show your appreciation, because we're all a community and we support each other :)


That's it! I nominate Beth May, Lily Mae, My Life As Marina, Laura from Blossomofhope, Iris, Amy Rose, Leigh, Rosie, Izzy from ThePastelStyle, Marti, hp20508, Jess from wellwellgirls, sweetreats, Frances and Ambi!

I hope you liked this post! I can't wait to see all your award posts!

A big big hug,


Acqua

Looking Back | 50TH POST!!!

Hello lovelies! How are you today? I'm really, really excited for this post because I'll have the chance to evaluate these past months since I decided to start a blog, something that has changed my life quite a lot. We're celebrating that this is my 50th post, that I just got my 3999th view AND that I just got 50 followers on Bloglovin! I know many people have more, but it's a great deal for me and I can't thank you enough. And today, on this 50th post, I wanted to share my thoughts with you, and I'll do it by giving awards to different categories! You'll see how it goes :) Enjoy!

My favourite post
This one is really hard for me. I feel like my favourite posts are the most heartfelt ones, and even after almost six months, I think I would go back to Little Me as my number one favourite (gosh, I've just reread it and I'm crying so much.) It was such an important post for me and I think it explains a lot of who I am, I poured it all into those words. Those early posts, when I had no clue what blogging was about and just wrote about whatever felt important, are all among my favourites. The second place would definitely be for QOTW #6 (Down Syndrome Day). Special mentions to Blank Pages, My Blessing, QOTW #1 (The Sun Will Rise) and QOTW #5 (Being Light).

My least favourite post
QOTW #9 Short Wisdom is THE LAZIEST post I've ever written. I was just too tired, so I gathered small quotes I liked and added pictures for all of them. I keep thinking I could have focused on a quote or two and write some thoughts about them. Maybe it would have taken me as long as gathering the quotes did, and the post would have something mine. Maybe that's what I regret the most. All my posts have like a print of myself, and that one doesn't.

Best thing about being anonymous
You can write ANYTHING you want. "Oh, I can't say this because my friend who reads it will know who I'm making a reference to and..." no. It's like a fresh start. And this freedom makes you take it more seriously. People here are getting to know you from scratch, so you better work hard for them. It's not like I hide who I am really, because if someone who knew me stumbled upon this blog they would absolutely know it's me, and I don't care that much to be honest. But right now... I'm loving being anonymous :) And if you wonder, I've told some people I write a blog, but I haven't told the name to anybody.

Worst thing about being anonymous
When something exciting happens, like when you get an incredibly nice comment, you can't share it with your friends or acquaintances. You feel like you want to say "Look how nice and awesome this person is!", but you can't. It's okay though.

Most mindblowing thing
THE WORLDWIDE REACH. It just... it's unbelievable to me! People from maybe 50 countries have read my words and that is craaaaaaaazy. When I had readers from 7 different countries I printed a blank world map and started to paint a country every time I had someone reading my blog from there. And look at this beauty. (1- I haven't finished the outline of the sea, I knoooow! 2- If you don't see your country coloured PLEASE let me know!)

It keeps getting more and more coloured. Shoutout to the 10 countries I get the most reads from, in the following order:
-US
-Spain
-UK
-Australia
-Philippines
-New Zealand
-Taiwan
-Poland
-Canada
-Bahrain

Most nervewrecking thing
When I'm about to post something really personal or my opinion on a controversial topic. You always feel vulnerable and exposed, right? It's okay though, because you're the best and are always so supportive :)

Most exciting thing
When I read certain comments, mainly on said personal or controversial posts and see people get what I'm trying to say 100%. Have I already said you're the best?

Most curious thing
It's always curious to see your reactions to certain posts. My beauty posts are usually the ones with the most views and comments, but the ones with the most saves and +1 on google are the thoughts ones, such as the quotes of the week. I sometimes think maybe there are too many quotes and you'll get bored, but then I see that even though not so many people find it interesting, they really help and they're really embraced by those who do. Something else that's really curious as well is how Easy and Happy, which is one of the most read posts, only has 4 comments (and 2 are mine!)

My favourite thing about blogging
It has to be all the people I interact with. You guys are the reason for what I do. Reading your posts, commenting on them, reading and answering your comments, taking what you say into consideration, emailing some of you... this is something undeniably awesome. Thank you, thank you and thank you for sharing this ride with me.

My least favourite thing about blogging
When I'm busy, posts and comments I owe keep piling up and they might become a burden. I want to comment on all of your posts and I carry the weight of my conscience until I do! I feel like I might put too much pressure on myself because of that.

Advice I would give to bloggers
Just have fun with it. Don't get too worried and pour your soul into your blog. If you're honest and natural, you'll find people who will connect to you. Write about what is important to you. Don't worry about the views. Interact with others, don't forget about people who comment on your blog and comment back. Just enjoy the ride alongside the people who are willing to take it with you :)

Thank you, all of you, for these past months. Blogging has become something key to my life and I feel like I've grown so much. I'd love to know your opinion on what you'd like to see for the following 50 posts and all the posts that come. What posts have been your favourites and you would like to keep reading. Just your general opinion!

I'll see you on Friday. Until then...

A big big hug,


Acqua

Answering your questions!

Hi there guys! How are you today wherever you are on the world? I've been asking you to ask me questions for the last week, thank you to all of you who did! This is my first Q&A, so I'm really excited :) Let's get to it!

Laura (www.blossomofhope.blogspot.com)

- What has been your biggest achievement in life?
I feel like my biggest external achievement was A Fiddler On The Roof . Those who have been around longer will know it, but for those who don't, I was in a local production of A Fiddler On The Roof that immediately went huge! It was all over the newspapers with amazing critiques, and we were invited to one of the biggest theatres in Catalonia. I translated the whole thing when I was 16 and it was a hell of a work, but I loved every second! Then I got to play Hodel, who is one of my favourite characters ever. It was such a blessing! My biggest personal achievement I think would be learning to keep my anxiety at bay :)


 Rosie (rosieauthorwriting.blogspot.com)

- What are your favourite places in the world?
My village is actually one. There's just so much to do for such a small village... I know loads of people who can't wait to finish studying so they can go to live abroad. I'm just not one of them. I love travelling though, just... as a temporary thing! My favourite places I've visited are London, Rome, the North of Italy, Nantes, the Chenonceau castle in France... I wish I could visit Florence, Greece, Scotland and the U.S.! (Either coast would be awesome!)

- Other than blogging, what are your hobbies?
I have plenty! I love working with children, singing, playing the violin, reading, writing, swimming, watching TV series, watching films, watching reality singing competitions, listening to music, going to concerts, watching youtube... and I'm sure there are more that don't come to my mind right now!

- How was high school for you?
Honestly? It was haaaaaaard. So hard. I only knew a couple of people from my previous school, which was awesome because I'd been bullied really badly. I wanted to start over. The first year, my best friend who came with me was ill for some months, so I had to make new friends, and everything was fine. But when she came back, she didn't like that I had more friends. She became a really possessive person and sent everybody away from me. I spent two awful years. That's when I got anxiety and a bad, bad depression. At the end of my third year, though I met a guy who became my best friend. He was amazing. It took that girl a year and a half to take him away from me too. And then, things went bad again, but I managed better (wow, this is almost a book hahaha sorry it's so long!)

- Who are your top 5 blog/bloggers?
Wooooooow this is such a hard question! You all know I love El's blog, and Rosie's and Beth's have been my favourites for a long time too! But recently I've found more blogs that I love... I can't say only 5! To name a few, blossomofhope, Emily Maltby, ItsElla, ambiinwonderland, thepastelstyle, wellwellgirls, Royally Rouge, Autumn's... sorry if I forgot someone! >.<


Ambi (ambiinwonderland.com)

- What would be the one thing in makeup that you have to have in your collection?
I think it would have to be mascara, because it's the only thing I wear daily! Eye pencil looks better on me though... but I save it for special occasions! So mascara it is! ^^


El the Bookworm (theramblingssofmoi.blogspot.com)

- If you could be any book/film/theater/miscellaneous character, who would you be?
EAAAASY. Not to steal it from Rosie, but it would definitely be Éponine. Gosh, if I could play her in a production of LesMis... it would SO make me the happiest person on the world! But it's true that actually being her wouldn't be the best thing hahha If I could live one character's life I think it would have to be Luna from Harry Potter. I'd love to see things from her point of view and, of course, I'd love to go to Hogwarts!

- What would you be doing with your life if you weren't blogging?
Writing anything. I started blogging less than a month after finishing the fanfiction I'd been writing for 8 years because I couldn't just stay without writing and sharing my thoughts! I'm working on another project too, but that's classified ;)

- What is something that is traditional to your country that you love? 

Castells

Ball de Bastons

I love love love my culture! Here I have to specify: I don't consider the Spanish culture to be the one I belong to. It's not that I don't like it, I think a lot of Spanish traditions are really cool, but I've been raised in Catalonia, which has a different culture than the rest of Spain because of its past as a different country, and I love the traditions here, which I feel are mine. For instance, my favourite one is Castells, human towers. They're getting really huge right now! A lot of people belong to a group. I don't, but a lot of my family members do, and I always go to see their performances! I see them every time I can; I love them so much. I also love Ball de Bastons (stick dancers), which I take part in.


Jess (wellwellgirls.blogspot.com)

- If you have three wishes to make, what are they?
Wow, that's hard! I wish my brother would spend more time with the family. He's had a girlfriend for a year and he barely talks to us, and I wish that could change. I also wish wars were over. It's really cliché, I know, but it would make the world so much better. Finally, I wish people could respect one another. A lot of problems in our society come from disrespect. And I think it's so wrong!


Beth (bethmay75.blogspot.com)

- What inspired you to start writing a blog?
The idea came from Girl Online, I'm not original with that hahaha I just wanted to write more after finishing my fanfiction and it felt so right!

- What do you like to do in your free time?
Loads of things! All the hobbies I said above can apply to this. I sign up to more things than I actually have the time to do. It can get overwhelming, but I try to manage as well as I can! I love baking too, and drinking tea.

- What's your favourite shop or brand? 
I really don't think I have one. I loved Maybelline because of their nail varnishes, but I've found out they test on animals and I'm really disappointed. Ooooooh I know I know, my favourite shop is Fnac! They have books and music and dvds and electronic products and stationery and I'm so happy when I go! La Casa del Llibre (The book house) would be a good one too. Both of them have books in English, so that's always a bonus.


Ella (ellacrabb.blogspot.com)

- If you could make a film, what would it be about?
It would so be a musical! It would have love, and pain, and happiness, and sadness, and loaaads of drama! Some storylines would have a sad ending, but some of them wouldn't, and the final message would always be: there is always hope. If I made a film, I'd want to spread hope. Maybe that could be the title and the name of the main character! That's actually a good idea!


That's all! Thank you so much for the questions and I'll see you on Monday!

A big big hug,


Acqua

Growing Up

Growing up is something I said I never wanted to do, and yet here I am. I've changed so much and still have so much to learn.

It's weird to me how things are when you see them from another perspective. How something that seemed the end of the world is just a funny story of how worried I could get, or how something that wasn't special at that moment stands out now.

One of the things I've realised is how you stop being on the extreme of things. When you're younger, you are always the most whatever of the place, and later it's like you've softened on the edges. Or maybe you're still as rough, but you see that there are other people more on the extreme. And suddenly, you're not the smartest in the room. You're not the weirdest anymore. You're not the most innocent. You're not the one who reads the most. You're still smart, and weird, and innocent, and read a lot, but there are always people who are further on the end.

At the beginning I kinda lost myself. I somehow hated to feel that different, but at the same time, knowing I was all those things was reassuring. It was like I knew who I was all the time. I knew my place, I knew what to expect from life. And then, I wasn't that anymore.

If I wasn't the smartest, or the weirdest, or the one who read the most... then, who was I?

Those thoughts scared me to death, and they still do. People keep telling me I have to show myself instead of pretending to be someone else, and I try, but then I think... If I don't know who I am, how am I going to show it?

I can clearly say who the 14-year-old me was, as if it were a different person. Maybe this difference is what allows me to describe her.

I think we never stop growing up, and yet we never stop being children if we don't want to. We can still see the beauty in things, look at life as if everything was brand new and, at the same time, have this extra knowledge that comes with time and lets us see how we don't know anything at all. Putting things into perspective. That's what it's all about.

Let me know if you have any questions for me, because I'll be doing a Q&A next Friday! Until then...

A big big hug!


Acqua

QOTW #9: Short Wisdom

Hi guys! I'm back! I arrived yesterday at 11:30 pm and I'm absolutely exhausted... I have loads of posts to read and comment, so I thought today's QOTW could be a little different. That's the reason I decided to do a compilation of short quotes I really like :) I'll leave you with them and I'll see you on Friday!

A big big hug,


Acqua

April Favourites

Hi guys! How are you! I'm really excited because today I'm going on a holiday! Well, it's actually not a normal holiday, because I'm going to a big theatre event with loads of people, you can easily see 6 plays everyday! The people there are really cool and the hotel we're staying in is too, and we're gonna be playing our play on Sunday so it's really exciting!

But before going I wanted to post this April Favourites! I've been loving a lot of things, so it's been hard to narrow it down, but without any further ado, here are my favourites!


1- Maybelline SuperStay 7 Days Gel Nail Color varnishes
I talked about the 230 Berry Stain shade on this post and you know I loved it, so I bought another shade more suited for Spring! It's the shade 130 Rose Poudré, and it's a really pretty nude pink. I think it's very elegant and it's perfect if you tend to go for warmer, more natural colours. It faded a little bit faster than the Berry Stain one, but it still lasts a lot and is really easy and quick to apply. The formula is awesome and there are more beautiful colours on this range, so I'm sure you all can find your style!


2- Essence's Nail Polish Corrector Pen
There's a lot of nails on this post, I'm sorry ^^' But you know nails are my thing! I bought this corrector pen a couple of weeks ago and it's SO useful! It's a kind of marker with nail polish remover instead of ink, so you can use it to "erase" the varnish left outside of your nails if you're clumsy like me hahaha It makes my life so much easier, I'd definitely recommend you give it a try! I bought Essence's because it's the only one I could find, but there are more brands that make them!

3- Bonté's Express Nail Polish Remover
GUYS THIS IS MY LIFE SAVER. It's the best thing I've purchased in a while. It has a sponge inside with a hole in the middle so you just put your finger inside, rub it a little bit on the sponge, take it out and voilà! No nail polish! It works so fast and so well and it saves me a lot of time and effort when I want to change the colour on my nails. I'll let you know how much it lasts, but for now it doesn't seem to dry out or stop working. I think it was like €1.50, so definitely worth the money. Again, I've found more brands with this kind of product, but I bought Bonté's because it was the cheapest and for a trial I didn't want to pay a lot if maybe I wasn't going to like it. I'm definitely repurchasing it!


4- Essence's Kajal Pencil in 21 Feel the Eclipse
This is actually my favourite Essence Eye Pencil, but I absolutely forgot about it for my "Top Essence Products" post! I used it a couple of days later and I wanted to smash my head for forgetting it, so I thought I'd put it on my favourites :) It's not completely black, it's a beautiful deep dark blue and I'm absolutely in love with it! It looks black if you don't look closely, but then you can see it's a touch away from being black. It lasts a fair amount of time for its price. It won't last you a whole day, but maybe a morning or an afternoon.





5- Pantene's Aqua Light Shampoo
I usually use the "Repair and Protect" range from Pantene and I really like it, but a friend recommended this one and I gave it a try! It's really good, it doesn't have as many components as shampoos usually do, so that's definitely a plus. It doesn't damage your hair and it leaves it feeling really smooth and clean. My hair tends to get a little bit oily quickly, and I've found this one to avoid it. Also, I think my hair is less frizzy since I started using it!

6- Danielle Bradbery's Potential
You know I love reality singing competitions and Danielle Bradbery, winner of The Voice US Season 4, is one of my favourite singers. We're being really patient because the process for her second album release has been really long, but some days ago she had a concert and dropped this new song which is SO GOOD. I wasn't in love with her last single, but if the songs that are coming are as good as this one... well, I'm sold! Please take a listen to it, I've had it on repeat for some days and I don't get tired! It's so good!


That's it! I hope you'l have an amazing weekend and I'll see you when I come back!


A big big hug,


Acqua

Day In My Life: Sant Jordi!

Good morning guys! I'm really excited about today's post because it's my first "day in the life" and because I get to share my favourite day with you! You all know that the 23rd of April is the International Book Day, but what you might not know is that this is a pretty important day in Catalonia, where I live, because it's Saint George's Day and Saint George (Sant Jordi) is our patron saint.

There is a legend that is told to every little kid at school: Once upon a time, there was a city that was threatened by a dragon. People used to give animals to feed the dragon, but soon there were no more animals to feed it and they decided that they should give a young maiden every day instead. They picked up a name from the box and it turned out to be the Princess. The King said that she should be spared, but she said that it was her turn and she would go. The King was devastated. When the dragon was about to kill the Princess, a young warrior riding a horse appeared and defeated the dragon. The warrior was Saint George. Roses grew from the dragon's blood and he gave one to the Princess. Some stories say he then went on to marry the Princess and rule the kingdom, but many more say that he then left the city to save more people that needed his help.

This is the reason that there is a beautiful tradition for Sant Jordi: boys give girls a rose, and girls give boys a book. Nowadays, everybody gives books and roses to their loved ones, and honestly, I think it's such a beautiful tradition. I always go to Barcelona for this day because it's full of little stalls selling books and roses (and when I say full I mean it, there are thousands of them.) There are stages with people performing, writers signing books, and the spirit of the day is so festive and cheerful. I absolutely love it! I was really excited and I kept my phone out all the time to capture everything so I could show it to you guys. Allons-y!

I got on the train with a friend at 8:32 a.m. so we could be in Barcelona by 10, because being a Saturday we knew there would be too many people later. 9:45, we got to Barcelona and we got straight to La casa del llibre (The book's house), my favourite library, so we could buy before it became impossible due to the overcrowding. We met another friend there. I bought the first part of Endgame, which I'm REALLY excited to read, and Insurgent and Allegiant in Catalan so my sister could read them (she's always angry at me because I keep buying books in English and she wants to read them hahaha).

Afterwards, we stopped by the Casa Batlló, a building by Gaudí, a really important Catalan architect (he designed the Sagrada Família and Parc Güell, among other things). They covered it with (artificial, of course) roses for the occasion and it was beautiful!

We took a lot of pictures there and then went to the central square, Plaça Catalunya.

There, we stopped by the TV and radio stages, to see the shows being filmed and recorded there live. It's always fun to see TV people really close to you, even if you don't get to talk to them!

Then, we went to the Rambles, and we got to a stage where we saw a couple of nice bands last year, but unfortunately the bands were scheduled for later.

Barcelona was full of these, it says: When I read, I'm everything I want to be, and then in small: A princess in armour, a prince in love with roses and a vegetarian dragon. I absolutely loved it!

 
We walked in the Rambles for a bit, and then went to the Cathedral Square because there are always shows. We saw a lot of people dressed up (in a rose-selling stall there were a couple of guys dressed up as princesses and it was hilarious hahaha). Then, we went to see a friend of my friend's, who was working at a pharmacy shop (she actually gave us a couple of product samples, so watch out for nearby reviews ;) ).

We went back to Plaça Catalunya and stopped by the Disney Store on our way because we just couldn't help it hahaha

Then we visited FNAC, a place where they sell cultural and electronic products, to see if the had the other two parts of Endgame, but it was SO full of people we could barely walk, so we went out and I thought I would buy them on Amazon. We actually spent a lot of time to get out of there, it was late (12:30) and Barcelona was starting to be suffocatingly full, so we decided to take the train back home!

A cute bag I bought to carry the books! It's supposed to be Saint George kissed by the Princess after he saves her!

When I got home I went to the local library with my mum and sister to see what they purchased. My mum wasn't sure which book to pick up, so I told her she could choose one to buy and I gave her the other one as a gift. My sister picked up Omnia by Laura Gallego García, which I'm definitely reading when she finishes it!

In the afternoon I slept a bit because I was exhausted and I had an exciting evening ahead: my choir was singing a Sant Jordi concert, and I needed to be at my best! We had been working so hard and we were excited to show the result. Quite a lot of people came, and everybody liked it very much! Many people said they were so emotional they almost cried, so that's good hahaha In the end, they wouldn't stop clapping! I think it was one of our biggest successes and I'm really proud of me and the girls because I think we did really well and people saw it. It was amazing!

So this was my day! I figure you understand why I'm behind in commenting on your blogs hahaa I'm gonna get to it this afternoon! I hope you enjoyed this post, tell me if you've done anything exciting this weekend! Have a nice week!

A big big hug,


Acqua

Offline Me

Hi there! I come a bit later than usual today, I'm sorry!

Some weeks ago, Ella (ellacrabb.blogspot.com) made a post about the differences about how she is on her blog and on her "real" life, and she invited everybody to write a post about it. I thought it to be so interesting! That's why I'm here today, to introduce you the offline Acqua.

When you meet me for the first time, you'll tend to think that I'm really extroverted, because I talk a lot, but what I am when I meet new people is terrified! With the years I've learned to enjoy it, but even though I'll talk a lot, you'll only get the surface. I'll tell you about the activities I'm involved with, my hobbies... but never anything too deep or personal.

People who know me a little bit tend to think I'm distant. That's because I never know how to act in front of them, I kinda find it easier with people I don't know at all. If I know you a little bit but it hasn't been a long time since we met, if I like you and trust you, I'll just let go random pieces of quite personal information as if it weren't important. That's my way of telling you I trust you haaha

People who know me a lot still won't know everything about me. I never tell everything to the same person. And I think that's gonna continue for many years to come.

The word I think describes me the best is "contradiction". As you've seen, I can be both really extroverted and really shy. I'm also pretty logical, but really imaginative. I'm down-to-earth but I'm on the clouds. I can change a lot depending on the situation, and here comes one of my most characteristical features: I like being in control of things.

That doesn't mean I have to boss around. No, it means that if the situation I'm in is out of my comfort zone and I can't control it, I'll get really anxious and overwhelmed. I think that's why I change so much. I adapt to the situation so I won't freak out.

The image people have of me is this girl who's literally EVERYWHERE. She's involved with everything, and she loves being busy all the time. People trust me because I'm everywhere, apparently.

The image other people have of me is that I'm intelligent. I don't want to show off, of course! But  I've always gotten great marks. I think I get things quickly, and I know how to get things done, so I've found what works for me when I'm studying. And to me, that's the key for a good mark. Knowing your strategies!

I couldn't leave my favourite things out of this. You all know them, but I'll list them anyway. Writing and reading make me who I am. I've been studying music since I was 5, and it's a huge part of my life. When I like something, I really really like it. And working with kids is connected to my whole being.

That's it, I think. Until Monday...

A big big hug!


Acqua

Stories

Hi there guys! I feel like I haven’t written a post about my thoughts in ages, and I really felt like it today.

You all know I love stories. From books, to movies, to TV series, to musicals… I love to get invested with the characters, to see their evolution, to see what happens to them. I love a good story more than anything.

I’ve wanted to be a writer for God knows how long. I wrote my first story when I was three; I’ve lost it now, but I remember it being an adventure for the main characters on one of my favourite cartoons back then (so I was already writing fanfiction, I’ve never thought of it like that!). I have these amazing ideas for novels that I plan… and then I get bored with them. I just plain abandon them and move on to the next one.

I love writing, but the thing I like the most is the creation process. You get the characters, you give them personalities, relationships, struggles, good memories, bad memories… you give them a story, in the end. And then you mix all those stories and create that complicated network, and you can see it in your head, and new ideas come to your mind as if they were always meant to be, and you just see where everything’s going. And it’s amazing.

But not everything is wonderful, and you all know that the good things always come with the bad things. I just make a story out of everything. I meet or just see someone and I imagine this story in my head, I imagine myself becoming friends with them, us having adventures… and okay, I know this isn’t that bad, but the problem comes when I don’t see someone in a long time and I create this picture in my head of how they are. And then I see them again and I realise they’re not at all what I thought them to be. That’s because I made up a character, forgetting the person. Of course, this is not the worst thing in the world, but it can be problematic and I try to stop doing it. I guess that’s the curse of all the people who love stories. We make a story out of everything!

This love for writing and stories brought me here. I feel like I’ve changed SO much in the two months I’ve been writing this blog! I’ve made some amazing friends, my English has gotten so much better (hey, some English natives told me they thought I was a native too and it made me really happy!), I’ve been able to express a lot… This is my 20th post, and I have now over 1600 views, which is insane. And sometimes I still wonder what makes a post better or worse, why some of them have more views than the others. For example, Easy and Happy, which you can see is my second most read post [update: third now, but still], only has 4 comments! And it still has a lot of views. Sometimes I feel like clicking on my favourite posts so they will have more views and will climb on the list (like Little Me, it’s fadiiiing!), but I never do, because in the end, you’re the ones who decide :) I don’t know, do you ever think about it too? I want to take this opportunity to thank you SO MUCH because my last post had 29 COMMENTS and a lot of views! I went bonkers when I saw all those comments popping up hahaha Thank you so so much!

But we’re getting off the rails, so back to the stories. I guess what happens when I make up stories and situations is just my imagination working. I guess I love stories so much I try to become one.

And as someone very wise once said… (props to you if you get the reference!) “We are all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one!”

If my life has been a story, it surely has had its ups and downs, but it’s been a hell of an amazing story :) And if you feel like yours hasn’t been good all the time, just keep swimming. I swear there is a bright future waiting for you!

A big big hug!


Acqua

50 Facts About Me Tag

Hi guys! How are you doing today?

I asked you to tell me what kind of posts you'd like me to do, and El suggested I could do the 50 Facts About Me tag! I looked it up and I thought it would be fun, so I considered myself nominated from that comment hahaha I think it's gonna be difficult to come up with 50 random facts, but I'll try my best! So without any further ado, here it goes:

1. My birthday is on August.
2. My favourite books are The Fault in Our Stars and The Little Prince .
3. My favourite TV series is Doctor Who (I'm just a biiiiiit obsessed with it!)
4. My favourite Doctor is the 10th, and my favourite companions are Rose and Donna.
5. I can play violin and a little bit of piano and guitar.
6. I take singing lessons, I sing opera and I'm a soprano!
7. My favourite song is On My Own from Les Misérables (and something I didn't include becuse you all know it is how obsessed I am with it and with musicals in general!).
8. I love the scent of new books when you open them.
9. I passed my driving test on my first attempt!
10. I'm not someone who is bothered by bugs but I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE BEETLES.
11. I live in a village of less than 2500 inhabitants.
12. I learned to read when I was 2, before being taught at school (I just asked my mum when she read to me and deduced from there hahaha).
13. My favourite Disney films are Hercules, Tarzan and Tangled.
14. My favourite singer is Lea Salonga.
15. I can speak 6 languages: English, Spanish, Catalan, French, Italian and Chinese.
16. I'm a Translation student in my 3rd year of University (or College, as it's called in some places.)
17. I have fear of heights.
18. I'm really paranoid, so when I walk down the street at night, I will feel threatened by every single thing going on around me!
19. I generally hate reality shows, BUT
20. I'm obsessed with reality singing competitions!
21. I work as an English and violin teacher.
22. I've had anxiety, depression and social phobia.
23. Some times I'm still affected by them.
24. But I've been able to overcome most of it, which makes me really proud!
25. I love working with children!
26. I was an A+ student in school.
27. Now I still get good marks, but it's more difficult hahaha
28. In spite of that, I'm really unorganised and I procrastinate too much when it comes to academic work.
29. I'm a professional multitasker and I'm always doing something.
30. My uni friends don't get how I can deal with so many things at the same time.
31. Chocolate and tea are my favourite edible things.
32. I can't eat pepper, I will vomit!
33. I'm the older of 3 siblings: I have a little brother and a little sister.
34. I'm a Christian who is reaaaaally upset about the Church's behaviour in the last decades.
35. My best friend has Down Syndrome and she is one of the most brilliant people I've ever met in my life. She's taught me so much more than I'll EVER be able to teach her!
36. My favourite youtuber is Carrie Hope Fletcher (itswaypastmybedtime), who played Éponine in the West End version of LesMis and who I actually got to meet!
37. I also really like danisnotonfire, Amazingphil and Zoella.
38. I play theatre as an amateur and teach it to little kids.
39. When I finish University, I plan on taking a year off and going to the UK as an au pair.
40. My dream would be to become a writer.
41. The fandom I'm the most invested with is Harry Potter.
42. I'm in Ravenclaw.
43. I wrote Harry Potter fanfiction for 8 years!
44. My favourite sport is swimming.
45. I've never cut my hair shorter than shoulder-lenghth.
46. Right now, my hair gets to my waist.
47. I'm the clumsiest person in the world!
48. Sometimes I'm insecure about my figure, although I know I'm just a bit over the standard size and my size is actually healthy, I'm just curvy.
49. Growing up, I always wished I had a Sims game but my parents wouldn't buy me one >.<
50. I chose the name "Acqua" because it's the pseudonym I've been using in writing contests since the age of 12! I just like water and Italian hahaha And I think the name is beautiful and it suits me!

And that's it! I don't know whether you all have already done this tag, but if you haven't, let me know in the comments and consider yourself nominated! I hope you've enjoyed these facts about me, and I'll see you on Monday with the Quote of the Week!

A big big hug,


Acqua

Little Me

Hi there lovelies! How are you doing today? I hope you have an amazing day, and if not... I hope I can make you forget about it for some minutes!

I recently discovered Little Mix's song Little Me, and it made me think about a time when a friend of mine was doing a research: he kept asking people where would they go if they had a time machine and could only make one trip. He said that the answers fit in three groups. The first group was people who wanted to go to some point in the past, to see a historical event, to meet an important figure... The second group were those who wanted to see the future, who wanted to see where we were going. And the third group were those who wanted to go to their own past to relive an important moment in their lives.

And then there was me. I'm glad to say my answer didn't fit in any of these hahaha I told him I wanted to go to my own past, but not to relive a moment. I wanted to be there to support the younger version of me.

I've kind of told you how my childhood-teenage years weren't easy (but then again, whose are?). I went through some crap. But that crap has made me be who I am today, so if I went there and changed anything... would I be someone else? For good or for bad, I don't have that choice, but I've come to appreciate who I am today, and hell yes I would change some things, but with the essence still there. Would I have this ability to empathise with people who are going through a rough time? Would I be so invested in working with children and making sure their childhoods are as happy as they can be? I believe this gives a meaning to my life, and I can't imagine me without all these hours spent to make sure they're okay.

All that stuff and more goes through my head when I think about that. We are who we are for the things we've been through. And if we changed the smallest thing, who knows who we might be?

But there's still a young girl alone and lost who thinks she is the worst human being in the world and she deserves the hatred of everybody. And it makes me so sad. I'd just want to be there for her. Go to her in her sleep and tell her her life is going to be magnificent. Tell her she'll do so many things she can't even imagine. Tell her she's gonna fall in love with life, with every little thing. Tell her she's lucky, because she feels everything so deeply. The joy, the pain. She's gonna be so sad and so happy. And that's how it should be.

In the end... I'd tell her to never lose hope. That's going to be the fingerprint of her soul. Hope. I haven't lost it today.

I hope I never will.

A big big hug!


Acqua

Self-love Near Valentine's Day!

Hey hey hey! How are you doing today? I hope you're amazing! ^^

Soooo Nicky (nickywriteslife.weebly.com) nominated me for the Miranda Sings Award. It's an award I found really important because it puts emphasis on self-love! And that's something I forget quite often. Here are the rules!

• Announce your win with a post and link the blogger who nominated you.
• Include the featured image on your blog post.
• Nominate 10 or as much bloggers as you can and link them in the post.
• List 7 things you love about yourself (This can be about your appearance, your personality, your achievements, etc.)
• Don’t use negative connotation.(Ex. Many say I have a nice voice. You do and are an amazing singer!) Be confident in yourself!:) 

Now, I want to tell you how this nomination has come at the right time. First of all, we have Valentine's day approaching, and if you're single like me (if you're not it's good as well!) it's a good thing to remind yourself of the good things about you :) Also, I've had a hard week and I've been really discouraged about everything, and I think I kinda needed to tell myself that I'm still worth it and I have good things going on, because in some moments I thought I just wasn't good enough.

So without further ado, here are 7 things I love about myself!

1. I'm a really creative person.
2. I can speak six different languages.
3. I love doing volunteering stuff, especially with children.
4. I have a good singing voice.
5. I can read really quickly.
6. I have a weird memory and I'll remember the most random things!
7. I try to be full of hope and light and transmit it to others, and when someone thanks me because I've contributed to their happiness it's the best feeling in the world :)

 I nominate the following people:

• Rosie (rosieauthorwriting.blogspot.com)
• Beth May (bethmay75.blogspot.com)
• Girl Abroad (girlabroadblogs.blogspot.com)
• Ella (ellacrabb.blogspot.com)
• Yashashvi (yashoi.blogspot.com)

That's it! Thanks for reading, please leave a comment telling me something you like about yourself! Let's spread the positivity ^^ Make sure to remind yourself that you're a valuable human being with amazing qualities and flaws that make you who you are. And that's wonderful!

A big big hug!


Acqua

Blank Pages

I like blank pages. I like everything they have to offer. I like knowing they're going to be filled in, but having no clue about when or how. I love how blank pages mean an opportunity. They can turn out to be anything you choose. Maybe that's the reason they're so hard to fill in sometimes.

This blog is another blank page that I've started to fill in, and I'm as excited about it as I'm nervous. Will anyone read these words? Will anyone like them? Will anyone care? Why am I writing this blog, in the end?

But let's not get carried away. If you got here... hi there! You might be wondering who I am. I'm a 20-year-old girl who gets overly obsessed with anything she likes. Books, musical theatre (especially Les Misérables), Doctor Who... My native language isn't English, so forgive me if I don't make sense in some moments! (Although to be fair, sometimes I don't make sense even in my own language.) I'm a mess and I'm a mixture of things that maybe shouldn't go together. I love the scent of new books. Sometimes I'm really (and I mean REALLY) shy, and sometimes I'm the most talkative person you've ever met. Sometimes I'm too much, sometimes you don't see me. Sometimes I think I have a "CONTRADICTION" sign on my head, along with green lights and everything.

Still... that's not the point. The point is that I have another very important thing.

I have a story.

Sure, it isn't an epic story in which I'm the shining hero. But I've been through some things and I've learned some others. And I still have a lot to learn. But I've seen that sharing my thoughts has helped other people before. And, of course, writing has always helped me. Words are my filter to understand everything. To understand myself. So that's why I'm here.
 
Finally, I want to talk about the title of my blog. Although it wasn't easy to choose I'm quite happy about it now! During most of my life, I've felt like I don't really belong anywhere. Sure, I have friends here and there, but always individual friends with their own groups of friends with whom they go out while I stay home. And sometimes I've just felt stuck and stopped really living. And then one day I realised... the world wouldn't stop for me. The world keeps going round and round so fast that, if we don't watch out, we can end up being left behind. And I don't want to. So I've started a path without knowing where it leads. But I'm going to make the most of it while I'm on my way.

A big big hug!

Acqua


 PS: Hey hey hey! Acqua here! I had another blog (onmywayacqua.blog.com), but a lot of people told me how they had a lot of problems to get to it, so given that I only had two posts I decided to move it before the problem got worse. This was also the first post I posted there, but I wanted to post it again so there would be an actual beginning to this blog. Thank you so much to everyone who read and commented on the other blog! I'm sorry for the inconvenience of bringing it here, but blog.com wasn't working. And if you're new, hi there! I hope you liked it, let me know what you thought! xx