The following post was written by Global Gap Year Fellow, Rhenna Hatton.
A list of memories, things I’ve learned, or things I’m grateful for, or a combination of all three:
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Had breakfast at a bakery with my mom and brother before I left for the airport in September.
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Discovered that the botanical garden and four different grocery stores were within walking distance.
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Found graffiti art of an Amongus character dressed as Elon Musk, titled: Elon Susk.
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Learned that being surrounded by plants makes any location feel like home.
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Walked through two different parks every day to get to work.
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Sat on the rooftop every time the weather was nice.
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Participated in a cultural potluck with people from six different countries.
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Found that the sun looks good on everyone’s face.
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Learned that Laura will stop and pet every stray cat she finds.
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Went to a Baltic Drag King night at Möku.
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Discovered the joy of discovering a new place.
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Reached over 100 hours in my favorite video game.
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Found that you can learn so much about a person by going to the grocery store with them.
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Went to Riga and snuck out of two-hour walking tour.
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Said goodbye a lot.
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Went to Poland for a week with nine Ukranians, a German, a Czech, and a Moldovan.
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Kayaked 14 km along a river that runs through three different countries.
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Learned that Polish people love their cake.
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Learned that I love beetroots.
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Discovered that yellow roses suit Laura the best.
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Had the joy of finding so many cats in Estonian windows.
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Visited the only mountain in Estonia, made of oil shale ash.
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Touched the Baltic sea and sailed across it too.
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Found that the best way to learn a city is to just walk through it.
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Learned that cooking is always better than eating out unless it’s Indian food.
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Visited the most beautiful bird watching sanctuary in a park an hour outside of Helsinki.
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Tried and subsequently loved a fig and chocolate cake.
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Spent 80€ on transportation when I only needed to spend 40€.
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Discovered the prettiest cathedral ruins at the top of a hill.
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Made jewelry for the first time ever.
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Played more Just Dance than ever in my entire life.
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Felt like a little girl at a sleepover with her friends again.
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Learned how to make a cappuccino.
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Found a thrift store with four large poodles (not for sale).
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Got a septum piercing.
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Made curry for my friends.
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Found that Gijs sees the world most beautifully.
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Decorated a hostel for Halloween.
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Introduced Rocky Horror Picture show to a bunch of Estonians and a Latvian (they loved it).
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Led a webinar of over 100 people from over 18 different countries on biodiversity and renewable energy solutions.
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Learned that I have a pretty solid Australian accent (confirmed).
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Had sriracha eggs on toast that reminded me of home.
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Spent so many amazing days hanging out in the hostel with Sasha.
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Saw my first Christmas tree of the season on November 5.
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Wrote my first every published article.
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Participated in the initial organization of a 400k € EU funded youth climate anxieties project.
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Stayed in a 650 year-old hotel for free.
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Made a taco dinner for 10 of my friends with glögi and cake for dessert.
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Thrifted the cutest sweater.
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Saw snow!!
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Focused on my happiness and wellbeing.