2016 in words & pictures

Sitting in kitchen, drinking tea and having nothing special to do i’ve decided to sit down and write this - reflections on 2016.

I would like to start by saying ‚thank you‘ for all the unforgettable moments I could experience this year. Thank you for all people I could meet and become friends with, thank you for the opportunity to travel and to see so many extraordinary places. Thank you for being better then a year before.

It is cliche to say, but every year is special and brings a lot good and sad moments as well. This year has been a funny and great one for me and it has changed my life in so many ways forever. It had started in a good way of having more than one month of holidays in January, enjoying Imagine Dragons tour in Bratislava, continued with quite fast but funny moments while summer semester since February till May. I passed all exams with flying colours and got four months of holidays. I decided to travel and work abroad again so till mid September I lived and worked in GB. I've met some truly wonderful people whom I hope will stay in my life for a long time.

ID concert, January

Cambiar la Música prom - Hippies, February

Vienna trip, April

Tour de bar, May

Henley on Thames, June

Brighton, July

Mary - one of my friends I've made abroad and would like to stay in touch as long as possible

London, July

Windsor, July

Oxford, July (Veronika, I couldn't find any selfie of us, but you know who you are) ;)

Bournemouth, September

we popped for coffee at Turl Street, Oxford, September

London, September

flying home, 12th of September

Coming home in middle of September I hardly could rest whereas winter semester was about to start one week after my arrival. Autumn was pretty busy with courses at school. Moreover, I experienced one of the best time with the choir – Cambiar la Música while having tour with super cool group from Slovakia – Korben Dallas. I kind of neglected writing letters, some of my friends and my own life, but I do not regret anything.

best roommates I could ever had

Cambiar la Música + Korben Dallas tour (next three pics are taken by Valentína Nídelová)

cosy family time, December

2016 has been very edifying. I’ve made a lot of mistakes that have learnt me to not to believe everyone but to believe myself. It has taught me that if I want something, I really have to go for it. 2016 hasn’t been easy. I remember those silent, lonely and hard times while travelling when I missed everybody.

2016 has been unique. It has given me a lot. While solo travel, I learnt a lot about myself, I made new friends from different countries. I enjoyed being me. I was happy to live and cherish present. I’ve gained new perspective and new way of life maybe. I found freedom and learnt to trust my intuition. I stopped being xenophobic and I realised that home can be anywhere. 2016 certainly opened my eyes a lot more than any other year before.

I am a naturally emotional person, but in 2016 I have grown stronger. I’ve realised that if I love anyone I am loving him with all my heart. Some people were the worst that could happen to me but mostly the best lesson ever. Some situations taught me what am I willing to do for the person I love. On the other hand, it has taught me something I would never do to anyone else again. I found out that falling in love isn't that super magical thing offered by romantic comedies. It's a choice...

I’m gonna miss this year. If I ever look back, I know that 2016 hasn't been wasted. It’s been a year full of important, sometimes pretty hard decisions, but anyway, it’s been a good and an extraordinary year!

2017 – I am ready! I don’t know what to expect. I believe that you’re again gonna be better than a year before. I wanna see places, make new friends, try something different. I wanna have holidays, I wanna dye my hairs, I wanna fall in love, I want to travel a lot. I wanna be more conscious of the foods I am putting into my body. I want more smiles, less tears. I want stronger friendships. I want to spend less time on my phone and focus on the people in front of me and not those behind a screen. I want to make others happy. I want to be happy. I want to enjoy being me. But I'm not asking anything. I don't expect anything ... I just want you to not to take anyone from my loveliest away.

2017 - I am ready to write new, pure and pretty crazy story of my life. I hope that you bring us peace, health and joy wherever in the world we are.

Lots of love,

Karina