QOTW #14: On Birthdays and Loneliness

Hi there beautiful people! How are you today? As you know, I'm currently on holidays in Italy, so I haven't been able to use my computer until right now! I'm sorry if I owe you comments!

I was going to write a "Day in the life" post, I had my photos ready and everything, but... it turns out today is my birthday and it led me to a lot of thinking I thought I could share with you.

This quote is very important for society nowadays. As someone who works with children I can say they grow up too quickly. They don't stay as kids for long enough, they miss that opportunity. And speaking for myself, I always try to have something kid-like in my heart, like the excitement for things, the will to be active all the time and not lose a single minute... I always, always try to look at the world through the eyes of children, and it becomes a bigger, scarier and way more wonderful world.

This year, my birthday doesn't come at an exactly good moment for me. A few days ago there was a concert I went to with my friends, and I felt really, really lonely because they all seem to have someone better than me to go with. This has been happening for a while, and I always leave it for the next day and then it doesn't seem that important. But it hurts too much and happens too often for it not to be a concern. I can't conceal it any more.

I know I have moments when I'm better and moments when I'm worse, and I accept it. I know I've been way worse than I am right now. But I still have that voice in the back of my mind telling me I'm not enough. And God, it hurts. I know it's not true, I swear I do, but it's still there.

This is not a "poor me" post, don't take it like that. It's just some thoughts that came to my mind. I will be better and I know it. But some times, loneliness just takes over and some factors pile up and it only makes matters worse. It's okay for that to happen. And it's okay for us to feel bad. Suffering is human. And suffering means it matters, it means you're feeling, you're not numb.

What wouldn't be okay would be to give more power to that voice. We're human and we feel insecure about ourselves, so little voices are bound to come. Those voices aren't what matters. What matters is how you act upon them, if you allow them to control your life or you don't. That's what ultimately affects your life.

I have many great pictures I can't wait to share with you, and... a LUSH haul coming soon! I went to the mall next to where I'm staying and I swear I screamed when I saw the shop. I rarely have the opportunity to go when I'm home! I've decided my present to myself will be a bag of LUSH goodies ^^ And what better present could there be? (Apart from a pile of books which may or may not have been ordered on Amazon!) Any new products you've tried lately and loved?

Have a great week!

A big big hug,


Acqua

"Special" People

Hi there guys! How are you? I'm really sorry I've been missing for a while! I was on a Summer Camp working with kids and of course, I couldn't write a post or comment on your blogs. I will start catching up on what you've done these days soon, but there's a big festivity coming in my village and there's just a lot of stuff! My apologies if I can't be as active as I'd want to.

Before starting to talk about the topic I have for this post, I want to share a shocking experience I've had today. I started giving lessons during the Summer when I was 15, and two of the first English students I ever had were two sisters, aged 10 and 7. I taught them English and occasionally French for three Summers, and then the lessons stopped. I haven't seen them since.

Today, I found out the oldest one died from cancer less than a year ago. It has been one of the biggest shocks I've had in my life. She was a year older than my sister. I can remember them playing while I gave lessons to the younger one. I remember she hated English. I remember she asked to do French instead because she liked it better. I remember she was a little spoiled, a little mean. And I remember how she wrote me a letter for Christmas to wish me happy holidays and thank me for my lessons.

I have a heaviness over me I can't let go of. I hadn't seen her for a couple of years, but still... I know this happens every day and people lose people who are closer to them than she was to me, but it's all so unfair. I remember how cheerful the younger sister was. I wonder if she'll ever be that cheerful again.

I just needed to let it off of my chest. Sorry if I'm rambling, but I don't even know how I feel.

Anyhow, let's move to the topic! I've been working with kids for the whole July and the first week of August and there has been something that has bothered me more than anything else (and believe me, lots of unheard things have happened.) In one of my jobs I worked with a kid who had Asperger Syndrome. So far, so good. He is a lovely kid and is a sweetie to work with even if he has his moments.

What bothered me is that I heard more than one of my coworkers call him "special" more than once. Seriously... what the hell???? What he has has a name, it's called Asperger Syndrome. And it's just a problem he deals with every day. But in the end, he's just a kid who wants to have fun and play like all the others. "Oh, he is special" (or talking about his brother) "This kid has a brother who is special."

I MEAN. I think we should be grown enough and call things by their name. To me, every single kid has things that make them special. That's something that I use as a ground to build my work on. And saying that kid is "special" only stigmatises the problem even more. We're adults and we have a job to do, so let's start calling things by their name and then do something to make the situation better. Calling that kid "special" only worsens the situation.

Our society needs to evolve and take the blindfold off. Every kid has different needs, and putting kids with Down Syndrome or Asperger Syndrome or Autism on the "special" box doesn't help anybody. We need to know what we're dealing with to act on it. And we need to be able to talk about it like grown-ups instead of disguising it.

At least, that's how I see it. Let me know what you think!

Also, did you watch any of the youtubers I recommended? Did you enjoy them?

A big big hug,


Acqua

Top 10 Places I Want To Visit

If you know me, you'll know I love traveling (for instance, I plan on visiting Tuscany, Prague and Latvia these following months), and I can't have enough. I do get nervous before and think "maybe I should stay and not get in trouble", but once I'm away I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. It's hard to narrow down the places I want to visit to my top ten, but I think everywhere is worth visiting! In no particular order, here are the 10 places I'd love to visit.

1- Greece
I'm a huge fan of the Ancient Greek culture and I would be delighted to visit Greece. I went to the British Museum the first time I visited London and it all led to the Parthenon statues. I just stood there as if someone had cast a spell on me! I'd visit them all: Athens, Delfos, the islands... and I know it's technically in Turkey, but I have a fascination for Troy as my final project for high school which I spent a year working on was about the Iliad, so I'd love to visit it as well.

2- Israel
I want to learn Hebrew and I'd love to visit Israel as religion is something very important in my life and I would be able to go back to the roots, which I think religion really needs because it has gone off the rails in some cases. I think Israel, although dangerous right now, would be beautiful.

3- Scotland
I LOVE SCOTLAND! I want to see everything: the cities, the green wilderness, the smallest islands, the lakes and, of course, all the Harry Potter nerdy stuff. Being from an area quite different than the rest of its country myself, Scotland does hold a special appeal because I feel identified with them, it has this similarity which I think would make me feel even more comfortable.

4- Ireland
Okay, admission done: I want to see everything in the British Islands! I just love everything there. Ireland seems such an amazing place to visit because of the beautiful nature and beautiful people. Just bring it on!

5- Tuscany
I love Italy. I've seen Rome and I've been to the Piamonte area four or five times. And as a big lover of art, Tuscany just sounds like the perfect place. The landscapes are beautiful and the culture is too. I just can't wait to see it this Summer!

6- Versailles
Here is a place I really, really want to visit. I can't fathom how large that place is. It sounds like such an interesting spot, most importantly, with a lot of stories to tell; and, as you know, stories have always been my weakness! I'd love to see how it's organised and witness how big it is.

7- The Philippines
My love for Lea Salonga brought me to love the Philippines. I plan on learning Tagalog and visiting it one day! The landscapes are among the most beautiful in the world in my opinion, and the people and mixture of cultures add that cultural spice that you need when you visit something. I just can't wait until I can put a foot in there!

8- China 
I've studied Chinese for three years now, and I've had the opportunity to learn about China's culture and the most beautiful spots to visit. Contrarily to most of my classmates, I can't see myself living there, but I'd love to spend some weeks discovering as many things as I can. China is such a gem with so much to offer!

9- India
This is the one I've been the most hesitant about. I have a friend working with children in the streets of Bombay and she's really excited about it, and this is something I'd love to do. Moreover, I think India's art and culture are absolutely stunning, and its diversity mindblowing and really interesting. As with China, I feel like this huge country has a lot of hidden gems I'd love to discover.

10- New York
Musical geek, Broadway bound. You know me. You know Broadway would be a dream come true. I love musical theatre with a passion and now that I've seen three West End shows, it's time to get bigger. And, of course, who wouldn't like to visit New York? For this girl living in a corner of the Mediterranean Sea it would be unbelievably cool. Just you wait, NYC!

That's it then! I'm really fascinated about these places and I hate that I had to leave others like Australia, California and Austria out of it.

What's the place you'd like to visit the most?

A big big hug,


Acqua

Summer Goals 2016

Hello everybody! How are you?

Summer is finally here, so it's time to start spending time at the swimming pool, on the beach... and Summer also means we have a lot of time to kill. I wanted to put up a list of 6 Summer goals so I use that free time to actually do something. Here are my goals for Summer 2016!

1- Take care of my garden
So, my house has an inner open space with trees and plants, but my mum and dad don't really care about it (they're pretty busy and it's not their priority) so I've decided I'll put up a nice garden. I started by taking care of all the plants and flowers in the flowerpots, which took me several hours (they all look fantastic now though!) and I'm cleaning up all the weeds and plants that grew on the ground. And there aren't just some. The whole ground is covered by them and I've spent a lot of hours to only take out maybe 1/5 of them. I'm on my way though, and I'm determined to spend upwards of hours on it. It's my biggest Summer project!

2- Host dinners with my friends
One of the reasons I'm cleaning up my garden is that I want to have an open space so I can organise dinners for me and my friends. No excuses because I'm too lazy, or I'll regret not seeing them later!

3- Not get stressed out from my many jobs
I'm working on a Summer school during the mornings and I have several English and Violin students to teach in the afternoon. I love every single thing, but I tend to stress too much over them, so I just want to keep it calm and have a good time!

4- Go to the swimming pool often
I love swimming. It's my favourite sport. But some times I avoid going because I'm too lazy, even though I'm really happy when I get there. I've bought a ticket so I can go to the local swimming pool any time I want, and I plan on using it a lot! (I'm actually going now.)

5- Deal with a certain person better
You know me. It's really hard for me to hate someone. But there's a girl that just has the power to make me mad every time she opens her mouth. I don't like how she treats children, I don't like how she treats me and I don't like how she treats her friends. She's always acting as if she was the only one who does every single thing right and doesn't have any concept of responsibility or commitment. She just has a really negative aura and I find myself falling into negativity when I'm around her. I'll try to avoid it, because she works with me and I can't avoid her. We'll see.

6- Improve my Italian
I'm going to Tuscany with my family! It's a place I've ALWAYS wanted to visit and I'm really, really excited about it. That means I'll have a great oportunity to practice my Italian and improve.

That's it! Have a nice Summer and enjoy the holidays, I sure will!

A big big hug,


Acqua

My Blessing

I spent many years wondering what was wrong with me. I had this hope that one day I would find my place, and I envisioned it as finding the right friends for me, being able to party, go to dinner, and do loads of things with them. I saw myself doing the things that all teenagers were doing, like dating the cute boy I would find who would look past my armour and would love and accept me.

I never got that.

I never got what I wanted, but I got what I needed.

I wanted to find my place, but I saw my place somewhere I didn't belong. I didn't belong in those clubs partying. I didn't belong around lots of people. The problem was I kept looking for my happiness there, and I was never meant to have it that way. So I was left unhappy wondering why I was still lonely and deeply sad.

Don't get me wrong, I still wish I could do all that, and some times it gets me down. I'm in a better place now, but there are many things I'd want for me and I don't have. It's okay, though.

It's okay because then, I'm reminded that I'm blessed. I'm reminded that I have loads of stars guiding my way.

Last December, I thought there was a considerable possibility I wouldn't see 2016. I won't go talking about it because it's long and complicated, but it led me to balance what my life had been up to that point. And it made me see the things I cared about the most. And there were two that totally broke my heart (apart from the obvious, which is leaving my family and my friends): the fact that I hadn't taken writing more seriously and the fact that I would leave all the kids I've worked with behind.

I can't put in words how much these kids mean to me. When I'm with them, I can see every single word I say being taken into consideration. Of course, there are difficult kids who won't listen, but what one doesn't want to hear, the other will carry with them. The amount of kids who need someone to hug them, or pay attention to them, or make them smile, or just listen and show them that they matter... this amount is scary. I don't want any kid to feel lonely. Not happening while I'm around if I can avoid it.

As you know, I felt reaaally lonely as a kid, and it's really important to me that no kid feels like that. But asides from that... working with them just makes me really happy. Seeing life through their eyes, through the innocence and the brilliance of children, is amazing. Parents keep thanking me because they learn a lot from me, and I can't help but think I learn loads more from them. If you listen... there's so much they can tell you. And they're really grateful when someone is willing to hear.

I don't know where I'm going with this. The thing is... there's a particular generation of kids, those who are on their last year in elementary school (which finishes when you're 11-12 here) who are just my kids. They just are. I've had them at theatre, at summer camps, at the choir... I just have a very special bond with them, and because they're leaving school, they had put up a performance, so I headed to the village's school to see them.

They were so surprised and happy to see me there. The look in their eyes is something I will cherish forever. Knowing they trust me and I've been an influence to a small part of who they are is bigger than anything I could have ever imagined. There is where my happiness is at. With those kids. With the pride I feel when I see them grow to be these great boys and girls they are becoming. And with the way they show me they're grateful. That's my blessing.

I guess what I wanted to say is that you should keep your eyes open. I highly believe that happiness is something you make out of life, but sometimes, it comes from outside. And it might come from the most unexpected places. Your happiness might not be where you think you'll find it, and that's okay. There's just a different happiness waiting for you. And when you understand it... everything will change.

A big big hug,


Acqua

QOTW #12: Freedom and Respect

Guys, I'm not sure how this post will go down, but I feel like I have a lot to say and there's a lot inside of me that needs to come out, so please bare with me.

Two of the things I'm a huge fan of are the singing competition The Voice and Youtube. And two of my best friends are part of the LGBTQ+ community. So this has been a hard weekend for me emotionally.

Like most of you will know, Christina Grimmie, youtuber and contestant on the 6th season of The Voice US, was killed last Friday at her meet&greet with fans after a concert in Florida. On the following evening, over 50 people were killed on an LGBT bar, also in Orlando.

Apart from being a fan of whatever and friends with whomever, what I am to begin with is a human being. Both this events struck home, and they were quite painful, but there have been other news lately about people dying, and dying, and dying. And as a human being, I can't grasp the point of it all.

Why do people think that they even have the right to decide who lives and who dies? It's bad enough that people die of illness and accidents, but why do humans have to increase that tragic number? Christina was such a beautiful soul. Someone so grounded, so positive. She was one of those people that make the world slightly better. Why isn't she here anymore? And apart from the guy who worked at The Wizardring World of Harry Potter, the people who were killed in that bar might not have a name for us, but that doesn't make them less important. They had families, and a future. They mattered. And they're gone.

I don't get why it all is so pointless. I wish we could think more about the others. I wish we could let go of the differences and start treating others with respect.

Here's where I want to go with the quote I chose, which was an excuse to write this post but that doesn't make it less relevant. Freedom is important. You are entitled to have your freedom, but your freedom ends when the other people's starts. Freedom without respect is dangerous. If you're free but with no boundaries, you start acting like you're a god. And you're the only one who can put those boundaries.

I'm so upset. The world is upside down. I don't get it. I don't get why we can't all live with respect.

Go to your loved ones. Tell them they're important. Make sure nobody feels worthless.

I want to share a song with you, a song that Connie Talbot wrote as a tribute for Christina Grimmie and had me balling my eyes out. I hope you'll like it, here are the lyrics:

Sailing Safe [Original] – Connie Talbot
A Tribute to Christina Grimmie

Heartbreaking all around, 
We speak but there’s no sound. 
Black stains upon our cheeks, 
Our tears come falling down. 
Cry a river over you, 
And drown in its despair. 
I know I didn’t know you, 
But I know it isn’t fair. 

Cause we lost an angel, 
We lost an angel on Earth as well as Heaven. 
We lost an angel. 

And with this grief won’t you take our prayers with you please 
Now you have wings, you can teach the angels how to sing. 
And with our tears won’t you build an ocean back here. 
Sailing safe… 

You heal the broken hearts with your own melody, 
Taught us that it’s okay to not follow society. 
This world never deserved you so I say goodbye tonight. 
Good night, God bless you, rest in paradise. 

And with this grief won’t you take our prayers with you please 
Now you have wings, you can teach the angels how to sing. 
And with our tears won’t you build an ocean back here. 
Sailing safe…



A big big hug,


Acqua

Update & Tips Against Stress

I'm SO SO SO sorry! I know I was meant to post last Monday, but I got home after 11 PM because I had a meeting and all I could think of was having dinner and going to bed. I felt so bad when I realised I hadn't posted...

As you know because you're all in the same situation, the end of the school year brings lots of exams and projects and everything just keeps piling up. I also work and study music at the same time, so it can get quite overwhelming. If you've been here for a while, you'll know that I've suffered from anxiety before and, even though it wasn't triggered by the studying and working-related stress, the tips I used to overcome it are also useful for this time of the year, so I thought I could share them and some of my studying methods with you :)

1- SLEEP. Get some good, long sleep. Your brain and body won't work otherwise. When you're sleeping is when the things you've studied soak in and settle into your brain. If just one day you need to sleep less, it's okay, but NEVER less than 5-6 hours. Under no circumstances.

2- Don't do the same thing for a loooong period of time. Some people tell me they've spent the whole weekend locked at home to study THE SAME FREAKING SUBJECT. I admire them because it's something I can never do, although I can't help but think after a while, time isn't as useful. Your brain can get stuck, and you can't force it to go further. If you really have so much to do, maybe switch the subject, or do a different kind of work. And in most cases...

3- Take some time off. Have a nice, bubbly bath. Do some yoga (I've just started and it's really useful). Go for a walk, breathe some actual air. Go to the cinema. Go to have dinner with friends. Just do exciting and calming things between the studying.

4- Plan what you want to do and reward yourself when you complete a task. Even though I'm not always able to follow my lists and schedules, making them is very practical because it allows me to view everything that has to be done. That calms me down quite a lot.

5- Find what works best for you. Everybody has different ways of studying. Just keep trying things to see what works with the way your brain is built. Don't assume that because someone else studies in a certain way, this way will work for you. Find your own method.

6- Finally, be smart and see what your teacher wants. A question can be answered in different ways depending on the teacher that's going to correct it. Every teacher is an individual who considers certain things more important than others, and you need to pick up on that. Get to know who you're dealing with!

That's it! I hope you'll have a relatively nice and calm exam period :) And I'll see you on Friday with my May Favourites!

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

My Evening Routine | Collab with Beth May

I'm not good with keeping routines. But when I come home from a busy day, I like to calm down a little bit, so I try to find some time to relax and take care of myself, which I tend to leave at the bottom of my priority list (that's something I'm trying to change!)

I usually come home after having gone to Uni, to work and then to take a singing/ violin lesson or sing in one of my choirs, so I come really late and exhausted. The first thing I do is light a candle and take a long shower. I use the Pantene Aqua Light shampoo and the Pantene Repair and Protect conditioner. Every two days I also use a hair mask, Bonté's Repair & Protect, which I've been using lately and really love. I cleanse my face using Bonté's Cleansing Gel.



After that, I take my laptop and do my homework because I haven't been able to until that moment. Later, I have dinner with my family and then we watch some TV. If I still have homework to do I finish it while we watch something that doesn't distract me, and then I go to sleep.

Before going to bed, I make sure that I brush my teeth and take care of my skin. Depending on the day and how my face is, I use Bonté's Purifying Tonic, Facial Moisturizer and/or Purifying Attack. Then, I braid my hair, set some alarms (I'm a heavy sleeper and it's really hard for me to wake up!) and finally go to sleep.



I hope you have enjoyed this post! If you want to check Beth's, go here. And if you have some questions for me you can leave them in the comments, because I'm going to do a Q&A post next Friday :) See you on Monday! ^^

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

QOTW #7: Being alive

I've put quotes from my favourite books and musicals, but a thing I haven't talked about a lot is my favourite TV series - and believe me, I'm almost as obsessed with it as I am with LesMis. It has to be Doctor Who. I love the amazing job it does with praising humanity, the small brilliant things about the human condition. I love how it brings hope, joy and pain equally. I love how it underlines the importance of small abilities that one may have, and how they can save the world. You get REALLY invested emotionally with it and it has helped me through so much.

And this is my favourite quote from the whole series. It's actually not the first one I've written, because I managed to fit one into my last post, "We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one!", remember? Doctor Who just manages to speak to my soul!

This quote is SO important to me and I live my life by it (I did even before having heard it!). I've told you before how I think feeling everything deeply is a huge part of my personality, and it explains a lot about me. When I'm happy, I'm really happy, and when I'm sad, I'm really sad. I don't stay in between. And everything gets me all the time; maybe that's why when I like something I'm quickly obsessed with it!

I used to see this as a curse, because I kept wondering why I seemed to be sadder than most people I knew. But then I realised there was a beauty in it. I was sadder; but I was also happier. I was living EVERYTHING as much as it could be lived. I was giving life my all. And that meant I was so alive. When this quote came to me, it was like heaven-sent. If feeling everything deeply is being alive, boy do I agree that this is the best thing there is! And letting it get to you is exactly that. You feel pain because it matters. And allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough for something to matter this much is taking a risk, but in the end, I also find this a huge part of life.

You can't live your life halfways. You only get one chance. And you have to give it your all. At least, that's how I see it. And at least, that's what I'm going to do.

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

March Favourites!

Hey guys! Happy Easter! Today is Monday, so it's time for some favourites! March is ending and I've been loving a lot of things, so I wanted to share them with you. I hope you'll enjoy my first monthly favourites post and you'll have an amazing week! Make sure to check my last post, a collab with El, as well ^^ Let's go!



1- Career of Evil, by Robert Galbraith (a.k.a. J.K. Rowling)
I don't know if you've heard of the Cormoran Strike books, but just in case you haven't, after Rowling had that huge success with Harry Potter and was judged harshly on The Casual Vacancy, she felt a lot of pressure and didn't enjoy writing any more. That's why she decided to write a mistery novel called The Cuckoo's Calling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. It had amazing reviews and eventually the identity of the writer was leaked. Career of Evil is her third book of the series, and can I tell you... I loved the other two, but this one is THE BEST. It's sheer brilliance. From the characters to the plot, to the adrenaline, to the language, to everything... this is one of the best novels I've EVER read and I can't get enough of it. I strongly, strongly recommend it if you like mistery novels, you won't be disappointed!

2- Essence's "All Eyes On Me" mascara
I've had this for a while, but I haven't used it until recently. I like it for reasons (I know) others won't: it doesn't give your lashes a looooot of extra volume. Usually, when I put it on, I'm not wearing any other makeup, so it would look weird to have huge lashes with nothing else hahah it just accentuates them, which is something I really like; it's really cheap, it's not sticky and it lasts all day long. I love it!

3- Grumpy Cat PJs
This might be my favourite overall hahah I. Absolutely. Love. It! I bought these PJs on Primark and the moment I catched a glimpse of them I knew they had to be mine. I absolutely adore Grumpy Cat and I can't get enough of it! They are also really comfy and perfect for Spring. And finally, the quote on the T-shirt ("This is my happy face") is perfect for when I wake up hahaha

4- Bonté's Body Cream
I've told you before about this brand: it's from a Spanish supermarket called Clarel and their products are usually amazing and SO cheap. I bought their body cream on the "Romantic Orchid" scent and it smells amazing, I apply it after my shower and it leaves my skin feeling so moisturised! I don't know if I have any Spanish readers, but if I do, check these products out!

5- Bonté's MED range for greasy skin
Again products from Bonté. My skin is quite greasy (not as much as it was in the past) and I need to keep a daily skincare routine. I stopped because it wasn't that bad and the products were too expensive, but then I discovered this ones and I've been using them since! I own the Purifying Tonic, the Facial Moisturizer and the Purifying Attack. I especially like this last one, because it does a direct action on the spots you have: you apply it on them and it dries them so they go away really quickly.

6- American reality singing competitions
This one is a little random, but seriously, they are amazing this year! The last season of American Idol is about to end and my early favourite (Sonika Vaid, check her cover of Bring Me To Life!) is already out, but the 4 people left are so good! And don't get me started on The Voice. It's my favourite reality singing competition format and this year the singers are SO good! I keep downloading the covers and I go crazy over them. Love love love it!


So that's it! Let me know if you share one of my favourites and if not, tell me what favourites have you had this month! Love you!

A big big hug,


Acqua

QOTW #6: World Down Syndrome Day

Hi there! How are you? I hope you have had an amazing Monday and it will lead to an amazing week!

This is probably one of the most honest, heartfelt and emotional posts you'll see me writing, and I'm already tearing up just at the thought of it. And that's because I'm going to talk about a topic that really touches my heart and that I'm really, really passionate about.

Today is the World Down Syndrome Day. If you read my last post 50 Facts About Me you'll be aware of the fact that my best friend has Down Syndrome, so yes, this is a special day for me and I'd like to share this part of me that's so important with you.

First of all, let me start by saying that she IS my best friend. I don't say it so she will feel better. I don't say it out of pity. And I don't say it to look good. She is my best friend because she has taught me so many things. She is my best friend because she makes me a better person.

I can't even find the words to describe it, so I'm going to switch to the quote. And this quote is so important. My best friend has Down Syndrome, but she ISN'T Down Syndrome. This affectation is a characteristic about her, the same way we all have our particularities, but there is so much more to her that you could miss if you just look at that extra chromosome.

And it's not even like it only happens with Down Syndrome. I have anxiety, but I'm not anxiety. Other people have other things, but they're not that thing. And I find it really sad that some people can't go beyond that, because there is so much greatness they aren't seeing.

The only thing they want is to be treated equal. To have friends, to go out with them, to have a job, to have rights, to decide for themselves, to feel like humans. Because they feel the same way we do. They get happy, sad, upset, angry, nervous, excited... and then, why do we treat them like they're so different than we are?

I read a quote of a father directed to his daughter, who had Down Syndrome, and I thought it to be so brilliant: I have the feeling that I think more, but the question still stands: what things are more worth thinking?

I feel like this quote leads me where I wanted to go. People keep thinking she's lucky to have me, but honestly? I'm the one who is lucky to have her. She saved me in so many ways. She has taught me so many important things. She makes me better. She makes me more human.

And in the end... what is a disability? She finds it more difficult to get to some places, but she works as hard as it gets to reach her goals. And honestly, in the years I've been on this Earth, if I've learned one thing, it's that the only thing that matters in the end is being able to love.

When it comes to that, the disabled ones are the rest of us.

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

Lonely Or In Love... Help!

Hi there! How are you today? I know I should have posted a Quote of the week because it’s Monday, but there is something that is really bugging me and I feel like I have to write about it, and maybe someone will have a bit of advice for me.

Writing this is really hard for me because it’s an issue that I’ve had for years and I feel like at 20, I should be over it. I never thought it would last for such a long time, and it actually embarasses me a lot. But if I can’t put it here, where would I put it?

Sorry about my rambling, but this is a delicate topic for me. As I’ve said before, I was bullied for a long time, 8 years intermittently. This led me to depression, anxiety and, most importantly for the topic that I’m talking about today, social phobia. I spent a long time having panic of socialising. The sole thought of hugs made me crawl under my bed sheets. I couldn’t have physical contact with anyone because I was too scared. Then I met a boy who took me out of that well and became my best friend. Of course, I fell madly in love with him. How couldn’t I? But things didn’t end up well, and I was left more lonely than I had been previously. I fell back down. And it took me a while to recover.

The thing is… I feel like all those years of isolation were the years in which other people learned to socialise. They got it wrong so many times, but now they know. And I don’t, because I didn’t go through that apart from this only time, and I feel like I’m miles away from where I should be. I grew up too fast in some things, and I’m behind in others. Sometimes I feel like I’ll never be able to socialise “properly”, if that’s even a thing.

The ending of that kind of relationship I had with that boy left me in pieces. He had been the only person I had trusted in a long time and it destroyed me. It took a long time to build myself up, and this time I had to do it on my own. And here I am now.

Sorry again, I don’t know if this is getting too long, but I needed to write the context. The thing is… I’m as scared of being in love as I want to. I’m in love with the idea of being in love. And I swear… sometimes I feel so alone. And here comes the problem. A friend of mine told me how she thinks a boy has a crush on me. I’m not gonna lie… I do look at him with different eyes. But I don’t know if I like like him or I just feel lonely. He is amazing and I wouldn’t want to do that to him. I wouldn’t want to be with him if it’s just that I feel alone. But the problem is things have gotten to a point where I don’t even know how to differentiate both things. How do I know if I’m in love or I just feel alone? Am I in love with him or just with the idea of being with someone? Every time I see him now I’m super tense because I feel like he’s going to say something about that and I don’t want to answer that question. I can’t answer that question. And he doesn’t deserve it.

I don’t know if that makes sense. Sometimes I feel like I’m horrible for what I’m doing to him, even though I haven’t really done anything. But just for having these thoughts. I feel like he deserves someone who is completely, 100% mad about him. And I can’t be that person, at least not yet. Sometimes I think I should go away from him so he can find someone better. I’m just a complete mess right now, and I couldn’t think about anything else, so I wrote it.

Anyways, this is me right now. You’ve seen my thoughts or my advice with some things, but with this? I’m really lost. I’ve always been.

Thanks for reading my rambling and sorry about it! I promise Friday’s post will be more cheerful!

A big big hug!

Acqua

Quote Of The Week #4

Hey hey heeey! How are you today? I come here after a hectic weekend, so forgive me if I haven't read and commented all of your posts... I'll try to do it as soon as I can! And by the way, I have Bloglovin now, so you can follow me there!

But it's this weekend I want to tell you about. These two days have been reaaaaaaally busy, but also reaaaaaaally happy. Me and some more people from my village have been working on a theatre play for a while and we did two shows this weekend. Also, because there weren't any other weekends in the world, I also had a huge concert in which 400 people took part. It's the most exhausted I've been in a while, but I swear I've barely ever been so genuinely happy! The success in both things was amazing, I couldn't believe it.

And here we get to the quote. "Whatever you decide to do, make sure it makes you happy." During the rehearsals, especially for the play, I did have a rough time. I just can't seem to get along with some of the people. They're irresponsible and selfish: they don't go to the rehearsals, their attitude when they go is awful, they don't know their part... I was so tired I just wanted to get this done with.

Then, when the play started, the director (who, of course, was the most tired person there), told us something. "Don't let anyone take this moment away from you." And my mind took a turn I didn't expect. He was so right. I love being on the stage. I'm a really nervous and shy person, but when I'm up there? I feel invincible. I feel like I can do anything. I can be whoever I want. I can feel whatever I want. And most importantly... I can make people feel what I'm feeling.

It's such a beautiful thing! I've made people laugh. I've made them cry. I've laughed, I've cried. It's like all the feelings I'm always holding in go out, and when they see it... they just connect. And then they come, and they tell me, and they thank me. And somehow, everything falls into place.

The thing is... in the end, almost all the time, things end up working out all right, and it makes you happy. And then it's hard to know if the struggles were worth it. A choice comes. The choice of what to do with your life. I was so sure of what I wanted to do until this point. I wanted to be a Translation student, and that's what I've done. But what happens later? I'd love to write, that's for sure. And I also love being on the stage. I love translating. And I know that whatever I decide, whatever my path ends up being, it will make me happy. Not other people. Me. That's what matters in the end.

A big big hug!


Acqua xx