For those who aren’t familiar – I am currently living in Europe. Given the title to this outlet, I’m sure you’ve gathered that much, though I felt it necessary to specify. As a brief run down for those remotely curious, I have just spent the last six weeks living in Riga, Latvia and just recently (yesterday) transitioned to Finland as I’m graciously following my amazing other half – whose career led us abroad. Though I’m only a quarter of the way into this eight month adventure, my time has already made immense personal impact.
Whatever proverbial “fears” I left America with seem to have dissipated as my flight touched down on Latvian soil. Perhaps my innate naivety played tricks on me, allowing me to feel as though my 29 years living in a free, modernized country with access to everything I so desire would lead me astray and awry in a city so foreign. And yet, while everything is very different, life really is still so much the same. And no… Riga is far from foreign. Anywho, a few years ago I stumbled upon an article from Marc Chernoff and to this day, one of his paragraphs will forever resonate. At this time in my life, especially:
“When you get to know people with different ethnic backgrounds, from different cities and countries, who live at various socioeconomic levels, you begin to realize that everyone basically wants the same things. They want validation, love, happiness, fulfillment and hopes for a better future. The way they pursue these desires is where things branch off, but the fundamentals are the same. You can relate to almost everyone everywhere if you look past the superficial facades that divide us.”
It’s really quite simple, isn’t it.
Elävä | Ollessa 