There is this strange feeling when I change between places, groups of people or as I refer to them, different realities. Sometimes it’s exciting, sometimes draining, sometimes just odd and most of the time it goes completely unnoticed – just this familiar tingling sensation in the back of my mind. It depends on how familiar the environment is, I guess… the recent one is a bigger stretch, so I’m very glad that it worked out to have a week long ‘transition break’.

I was spending about a month and a half in a hostel in Zagreb which was a very interesting ride in and off itself. It was a fairly different type of hostel than what I’m used to, but it still had a pile of well-known scenarios so it felt both alien and familiar. Anyway, it was packed with experiences with intoxicated people,procrastination and casual travel-small talk. When I was talking about it I often said that it’s a roller-coaster realm for me – at certain times of the day I had a lot of fun, talking with interesting people, dancing, painting murals, and at other times I heard a voice in my head ‘What the hell am I doing here?’. It was crazyland. But I met many great people there (I believe I made a few friends) and I definitely have a pile of fun memories that I’ll carry with myself.  I wasn’t sad to leave the place, but I did wish I could have some of those people in my life a little longer.

I’ve been back home for a week – breathing out, catching up with a few friends, having some potential-work conversations and rearranging my travel gear for what comes next. Even within this ‘transition time’ period home, there are so many different environments – going for a coffee on a casual networking meetup with art friends is very different from having lunch with my brother, or grabbing a beer with a friend, popping in to my art school, having a chat with my Dad, finally having the chance to catch up online with friends who I haven’t had a proper conversation with for months. Different layers, tones, topics and level of honesty… With going through these usual rounds, in the familiar, but varied environments I kind of tuned back to myself I think, which I really needed. It would be great to also have the chance and the time to get into the creative and productive mode – painting and studying intensely for a set amount of time, but that shall come later…

Tomorrow I’m heading to the southern part of Czech Republic. I’m volunteering for a an event out in the nature with yoga/meditation every morning, workshops of movement, storytelling, crafts and many other things throughout the day and bonfire and music in the evening. A camp out event with no electricity and a ‘no drugs, no alcohol’ policy. I hope for a lot of stargazing, meaningful conversations and meeting inspiring and driven people that are leading interesting lives.

Soon enough, I’ll get to know what it actually is.
A week ago I felt frustrated, unwilling and lost – I was trying to come up with excuses so that I can get out of this deal, cause I was just exhausted and it is a bit outside my comfort zone (getting there with public transport from here seemed quite bothersome and being out in the nature with no urban comfort is not something I’ve done lately – I’m borrowing a yoga mat and a sleeping bag and it’s up to the organizer where I’ll sleep as I’m not bringing a tent).
But bit by bit I made the steps necessary and as things fell into place and I got some rest too, I am now excited to go. I’m still have concerns about discomforts I’m likely to face (oh hello allergies!), but I did everything I could to prepare and I’m going to jump in anyway. I love nature, I LOVE interesting people, I really miss sitting under a starry sky and staring into a fire until the dawn.

It will be great.