Hey Facebook, I saw your "your year on Facebook" thingy and it's crap. Cause memories are so much more than just a bunch of images you steal off our profiles. So I decided to do my own thing. Here goes. 2018 has been an unbelievable roller-coaster of a year for me personally. It really is extraordinary to see where I started the year, the people I got to see along the way, the places I got to visit, the incredible journey I made (both figuratively and literally), and where I find myself at the end of it. I got to make the most of the foundations I laid in 2017, but in doing so I had the rude awakening that there was more work that needed to be done in order to reach the final goal. It wasn't all "sugar and rainbows" either, as this year helped me mature in ways that I didn't think were necessary.
The dawn of the new year found me in the Emirates for what I assume will be the last time. Looking at those spectacular fireworks at the Galleria Mall (Shopping Center) in Abu Dhabi, I still remember how long they went on for and the great show they put on. Those Emiratis really like to go all the way in everything that they do. I enjoyed my time in the country, I got to visit the Louvre and get a better feel for cultural heritage. Seriously, the amount of historical findings from several different time periods worldwide that were gathered in that single place was astounding if you were to think about it. I singled out the Japanese Meiji era samurai outfits (of course) but also the exhibition they had on the French Renaissance. I also got to visit Dubai again. I haven't made it to Tokyo or New York just yet, but I think Dubai will always have a special place in my heart. The malls, the skyscrapers, the metro that is above ground and lets you see the whole city, the beaches, the Burj Khalifa that reaches for the sky and the Burj Al-Arab, the Palm and just the luxury that this city exudes. I could've easily lived there, in a small apartment on the 48th floor with a killer view. I would like to return there some day.
February found me returning to Athens to tie up loose ends. And even though people tell me otherwise, I knew inside that this was the last time I was going to be there. For those two months that I was there, I wanted nothing more than to get out. I finally got my driver's license in my hands (a procedure that I had started since September of 2017 and even though my "instructor" tried to get more money out of me). The only way I can think of to describe that city is as a black hole that squeezes the life out of anyone unfortunate enough to get tangled up in it.
I stayed till mid-March. That's when the day I had been planning for since the middle of August 2017 finally arrived. I jumped on the plane (for the third time in the year already!) and headed down to Australia. A journey that I dreamed of making for the last, I dunno, 20 years or so, was actually happening. I still remember not knowing what to do with myself during those long hours on the plane, trying to stay calm but being all excited and hoping that the people sitting next to me don't think I'm some sort of a weirdo that needs to be escorted outside. Music helped a lot during those hours cause there was no internet.
Along the way, I had the fortunate opportunity to stop at the Changi airport in Singapore. And oh my word, what an experience that was! There is a true reason why they call it the best airport in the world. I have been in shopping centers that would feel embarrassed to call themselves that if they saw this place. I feel like I will repeat many of the words I said about Dubai earlier, but it was so huge, so glamorous, it had so many shops, all the luxuries you could want, it even had four terminals connected via driver-less train! I have been to some nice airports (the one in Qatar really stood out) but this one was through the roof. I remember it had a food court and right across the hall there was this huge TV screen with comfortable couches showing Premier League games. Or, in other words, football heaven! There were also these machines that would massage your legs all around the place, free of charge! When I say through the roof, I mean it!
Eventually, I reached Melbourne. Initially not as good as I imagined but the city has started to grow on me as I find more and more things I like about it. I really like the areas around the central business district. The place I stay in is great. Big, comfortable, nice neighbors (had some troublesome ones at first but that's all in the past).
There were a few problems when I first arrived of course. But I got through every hurdle on my own. I learned that being self-reliant is necessary when living in Australia as life moves in a much quicker pace than it does in Greece (since people actually have jobs here) and there's very little free time. I had to learn a few survival skills that I didn't have; cooking, laundry, etc. Thankfully though they weren't many cause I had been taught well. Also, it was during these times that I was surprisingly thankful for my unsuccessful attempt to go and make a living in London a few years back. I may not have made it, but it did teach me a few things that come in handy today!
I was also extremely lucky when it came to the job hunt, as a fortunate encounter led me to the door of one of the most well-known Greek community newspapers, where I still am till today. It's really funny how things work out. I knew I was going to reach out to this industry at some stage, that was my goal in coming to Australia, I just didn't think it would happen so quickly. They have opened up a whole world for me and honestly I'm just grateful for the opportunity to work there. While it may be a little frustrating to have pointed out to you on a daily basis that it turns that the one thing you thought you were really good at, you're not that good at it, I don't let it get me down and I strive to become better all the time.
Thanks to them, I got the chance to meet with Real Madrid former right back Alvaro Arbeloa at their museum opening. I have also attended many other events and quickly picked up on how things operate regarding football in Australia (extremely disappointed, I must say). I was also at the 60th anniversary event for the newspaper. So many things, so quickly. My head just goes spinning at times.
Last July, I made my way back to Sydney. I got to see all the cousins and aunties and uncles that I hadn't seen since I was 12 years old. I got to visit my childhood home, my yiayia's house. I visited yiayia's grave too. Those moments were too great for me to realize that I was actually there, I had actually made it home. I tried to take it all in but I just thought that, no matter what I did, it would all just sink in later. As it has. When I got the chance to finally meet up with my other five younger cousins, we had so much fun and for that one night that we went out I was so happy, but at the same time it made me so incredibly frustrated for all those times we've missed and for how much time I wasted in stupid Greece when we all could've just been hanging out like this. I got so angry with myself and I still do when I think about it because it's too late now. We're old.
I also had the chance to go to many events of my own personal interest since I've been to Melbourne. The Madman Anime Festival, the "A New World" Final Fantasy concert at the Melbourne Recital Center (or whatever it's called), many great soccer matches, but I think, above all else stood PAX Australia. It was such a huge gathering of people with a common interest, the whole area was buzzing with positive energy and excitement, so many great games of course, not to mention the place was huge. I mean the Melbourne Exhibition Center is no joke! My legs got tired just walking around the place and I can go on for miles.
Speaking of games, at some stage in August I realized that I just needed to go back to basics and bought myself a freaking PlayStation. The experiences this year has offered were through the roof. God Of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, Detroit Become Human, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, even Shadow Of The Tomb Raider was great! And I even missed out on some. I really wanna try out Dragon Quest XI. 2018 was a milestone for game development and design and I had so much fun playing all of them. But of course, with Kingdom Hearts 3 coming out at the start of 2019, everything else just gets cancelled out.
It has also been an experience for my taste buds coming to Melbourne, and a bit of an interesting one, I must say. Even though I've been to many places across Europe and the Emirates and tried many different dishes, there was something... unique about the food I ate at some of the places I happened to visit in this city. I realized that I'm not much of an "explorer" when it comes to food and I like to stick to what I know. After all, if I like it, there must be a good reason for it. I especially won't forget the Mexican tuna-tacos (it was meant to be chicken) and the soup that tasted like soap, I think it was Thai, I don't remember. But I also got to have ramen finally! And, as I imagined, I bloody loved the stuff! So, with that in mind, I think I need to try to be more accepting and more open to new experiences. After all, you only live once.
Reading this, someone would think the year was all fun and (video) games, but there were also plenty of hardships, lots of lonely times as well. I mean, coming to a new country and a new city, it's to be expected that you don't know anyone, don't know where to go and you need to learn to cope on your own. And it's at these moments that your character is truly tested. It was a scarier process than I expected it to be and for a long time, I was disoriented. In this sort of situation, you try to latch on to anything that gives you even a small sense of familiarity. But, eventually, if you set your sights on what you want, focus on it and leave out everything else, then you make it through. At least, that's what happened in my case.
All in all, it was a milestone year for me, one that I will never forget and honestly I think it was the most important one of my life. It had its ups and downs, the bad with the good and some things went right while others went so wrong that they can't be fixed and will be kept as a reminder for similar situation in the future. But overall, this year was significant and that's the most important thing to take out of it. Looking back on this year's events only fills me with the confidence to move towards even greater things in 2019. It's funny to think that all of this, this entire year happened all because one night in August 2017 something clicked in my mind and I thought "that's it! I'm going to Australia". So weird...
(In closing, I'd just like to say this: people might read this or some other things that I write or post on my social media profiles and say or think that maybe I should keep things to myself. While this is in part true, it's not in my capacity to be silent. Never was, never will be. I believe that the right function for all these is for to allow ourselves to look back on our past and see things we may want to correct, change or even just to see how we were 'back then' and have a laugh about it. A diary of sorts, if you will. A second purpose for me writing this and putting it online is that, maybe someone out there is having a crappy day and they happen to stumble upon it. And reading this might help them come to the realization that there are others out there struggling just as much as they are, yet they keep moving forward, instead of doing something dramatic like all that stuff we see online almost on a daily basis. A bit hopeful, I know, but if I get that reaction from even a single person, then that would be more than enough. Anyway. Bring on 2019!!!)
(Just a few of the places and the people that I spent time with in 2018...)
The dawn of the new year found me in the Emirates for what I assume will be the last time. Looking at those spectacular fireworks at the Galleria Mall (Shopping Center) in Abu Dhabi, I still remember how long they went on for and the great show they put on. Those Emiratis really like to go all the way in everything that they do. I enjoyed my time in the country, I got to visit the Louvre and get a better feel for cultural heritage. Seriously, the amount of historical findings from several different time periods worldwide that were gathered in that single place was astounding if you were to think about it. I singled out the Japanese Meiji era samurai outfits (of course) but also the exhibition they had on the French Renaissance. I also got to visit Dubai again. I haven't made it to Tokyo or New York just yet, but I think Dubai will always have a special place in my heart. The malls, the skyscrapers, the metro that is above ground and lets you see the whole city, the beaches, the Burj Khalifa that reaches for the sky and the Burj Al-Arab, the Palm and just the luxury that this city exudes. I could've easily lived there, in a small apartment on the 48th floor with a killer view. I would like to return there some day.
February found me returning to Athens to tie up loose ends. And even though people tell me otherwise, I knew inside that this was the last time I was going to be there. For those two months that I was there, I wanted nothing more than to get out. I finally got my driver's license in my hands (a procedure that I had started since September of 2017 and even though my "instructor" tried to get more money out of me). The only way I can think of to describe that city is as a black hole that squeezes the life out of anyone unfortunate enough to get tangled up in it.
I stayed till mid-March. That's when the day I had been planning for since the middle of August 2017 finally arrived. I jumped on the plane (for the third time in the year already!) and headed down to Australia. A journey that I dreamed of making for the last, I dunno, 20 years or so, was actually happening. I still remember not knowing what to do with myself during those long hours on the plane, trying to stay calm but being all excited and hoping that the people sitting next to me don't think I'm some sort of a weirdo that needs to be escorted outside. Music helped a lot during those hours cause there was no internet.
Along the way, I had the fortunate opportunity to stop at the Changi airport in Singapore. And oh my word, what an experience that was! There is a true reason why they call it the best airport in the world. I have been in shopping centers that would feel embarrassed to call themselves that if they saw this place. I feel like I will repeat many of the words I said about Dubai earlier, but it was so huge, so glamorous, it had so many shops, all the luxuries you could want, it even had four terminals connected via driver-less train! I have been to some nice airports (the one in Qatar really stood out) but this one was through the roof. I remember it had a food court and right across the hall there was this huge TV screen with comfortable couches showing Premier League games. Or, in other words, football heaven! There were also these machines that would massage your legs all around the place, free of charge! When I say through the roof, I mean it!
Eventually, I reached Melbourne. Initially not as good as I imagined but the city has started to grow on me as I find more and more things I like about it. I really like the areas around the central business district. The place I stay in is great. Big, comfortable, nice neighbors (had some troublesome ones at first but that's all in the past).
There were a few problems when I first arrived of course. But I got through every hurdle on my own. I learned that being self-reliant is necessary when living in Australia as life moves in a much quicker pace than it does in Greece (since people actually have jobs here) and there's very little free time. I had to learn a few survival skills that I didn't have; cooking, laundry, etc. Thankfully though they weren't many cause I had been taught well. Also, it was during these times that I was surprisingly thankful for my unsuccessful attempt to go and make a living in London a few years back. I may not have made it, but it did teach me a few things that come in handy today!
I was also extremely lucky when it came to the job hunt, as a fortunate encounter led me to the door of one of the most well-known Greek community newspapers, where I still am till today. It's really funny how things work out. I knew I was going to reach out to this industry at some stage, that was my goal in coming to Australia, I just didn't think it would happen so quickly. They have opened up a whole world for me and honestly I'm just grateful for the opportunity to work there. While it may be a little frustrating to have pointed out to you on a daily basis that it turns that the one thing you thought you were really good at, you're not that good at it, I don't let it get me down and I strive to become better all the time.
Thanks to them, I got the chance to meet with Real Madrid former right back Alvaro Arbeloa at their museum opening. I have also attended many other events and quickly picked up on how things operate regarding football in Australia (extremely disappointed, I must say). I was also at the 60th anniversary event for the newspaper. So many things, so quickly. My head just goes spinning at times.
Last July, I made my way back to Sydney. I got to see all the cousins and aunties and uncles that I hadn't seen since I was 12 years old. I got to visit my childhood home, my yiayia's house. I visited yiayia's grave too. Those moments were too great for me to realize that I was actually there, I had actually made it home. I tried to take it all in but I just thought that, no matter what I did, it would all just sink in later. As it has. When I got the chance to finally meet up with my other five younger cousins, we had so much fun and for that one night that we went out I was so happy, but at the same time it made me so incredibly frustrated for all those times we've missed and for how much time I wasted in stupid Greece when we all could've just been hanging out like this. I got so angry with myself and I still do when I think about it because it's too late now. We're old.
I also had the chance to go to many events of my own personal interest since I've been to Melbourne. The Madman Anime Festival, the "A New World" Final Fantasy concert at the Melbourne Recital Center (or whatever it's called), many great soccer matches, but I think, above all else stood PAX Australia. It was such a huge gathering of people with a common interest, the whole area was buzzing with positive energy and excitement, so many great games of course, not to mention the place was huge. I mean the Melbourne Exhibition Center is no joke! My legs got tired just walking around the place and I can go on for miles.
Speaking of games, at some stage in August I realized that I just needed to go back to basics and bought myself a freaking PlayStation. The experiences this year has offered were through the roof. God Of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, Detroit Become Human, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, even Shadow Of The Tomb Raider was great! And I even missed out on some. I really wanna try out Dragon Quest XI. 2018 was a milestone for game development and design and I had so much fun playing all of them. But of course, with Kingdom Hearts 3 coming out at the start of 2019, everything else just gets cancelled out.
It has also been an experience for my taste buds coming to Melbourne, and a bit of an interesting one, I must say. Even though I've been to many places across Europe and the Emirates and tried many different dishes, there was something... unique about the food I ate at some of the places I happened to visit in this city. I realized that I'm not much of an "explorer" when it comes to food and I like to stick to what I know. After all, if I like it, there must be a good reason for it. I especially won't forget the Mexican tuna-tacos (it was meant to be chicken) and the soup that tasted like soap, I think it was Thai, I don't remember. But I also got to have ramen finally! And, as I imagined, I bloody loved the stuff! So, with that in mind, I think I need to try to be more accepting and more open to new experiences. After all, you only live once.
Reading this, someone would think the year was all fun and (video) games, but there were also plenty of hardships, lots of lonely times as well. I mean, coming to a new country and a new city, it's to be expected that you don't know anyone, don't know where to go and you need to learn to cope on your own. And it's at these moments that your character is truly tested. It was a scarier process than I expected it to be and for a long time, I was disoriented. In this sort of situation, you try to latch on to anything that gives you even a small sense of familiarity. But, eventually, if you set your sights on what you want, focus on it and leave out everything else, then you make it through. At least, that's what happened in my case.
All in all, it was a milestone year for me, one that I will never forget and honestly I think it was the most important one of my life. It had its ups and downs, the bad with the good and some things went right while others went so wrong that they can't be fixed and will be kept as a reminder for similar situation in the future. But overall, this year was significant and that's the most important thing to take out of it. Looking back on this year's events only fills me with the confidence to move towards even greater things in 2019. It's funny to think that all of this, this entire year happened all because one night in August 2017 something clicked in my mind and I thought "that's it! I'm going to Australia". So weird...
(In closing, I'd just like to say this: people might read this or some other things that I write or post on my social media profiles and say or think that maybe I should keep things to myself. While this is in part true, it's not in my capacity to be silent. Never was, never will be. I believe that the right function for all these is for to allow ourselves to look back on our past and see things we may want to correct, change or even just to see how we were 'back then' and have a laugh about it. A diary of sorts, if you will. A second purpose for me writing this and putting it online is that, maybe someone out there is having a crappy day and they happen to stumble upon it. And reading this might help them come to the realization that there are others out there struggling just as much as they are, yet they keep moving forward, instead of doing something dramatic like all that stuff we see online almost on a daily basis. A bit hopeful, I know, but if I get that reaction from even a single person, then that would be more than enough. Anyway. Bring on 2019!!!)
(Just a few of the places and the people that I spent time with in 2018...)
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