Hi guys! Because I can see people still follow or go to this blog, you can go over to these to continue following my adventures in life.

- Wanderlust Soulmates
- Instagram
- Bloglovin

Hope to see you there!

GIRL MEETS WORLD IS MOVING TO WANDERLUST SOULMATES! SAY WHAAAT?

For a long while I have been doubting whether I wanted to stay at blogger or if I wanted to change to another blog host. And I have decided, after what seemed like forever. After trying out wordpress I found it easier to be used and wanting to get my own domain will be easier with another host. But do not be disappointed, because besides the name nothing will change! Girl meets world will become wanderlust soulmates! This name has been in my mind for about a year, and as you know as readers, most of my blogs go about all my traveling shenaningans, sometimes about life or little encouragement; so this seemed to fit for me. 

I started girl meets world 6 years ago, when I was about 17 or 18 years old and got to a stage in my life where I was exploring life. I was developing from teenager to adolescent, to an adult. And I was scared and the world was unknown to me. And secretly I am still scared, and the world is still partly hidden. I don't know yet anything, but that 17 year old girl has transitioned to an semi-adult (only when I really need to pretend I am an adult). I am not that young little girl battling social anxiety and severe depression. I am not scared anymore to go grocery shopping, or for another episode of depressive feelings. Me and you have come a long long way. My blog is a place to meet people around the world, and to share joy and tears. And I am so thankful for whoever has read even just a word of what I have written. 

And so this also feels a little bit of closure to the years behind me that sometimes feel like 'lost years'. I was surviving and trying to hold on. And thanks to you as well, I made it. The little encouragements on GMW, on tumblr and instagram meant the world to me. I know many come here via my tumblr blog, which I was a little more expressive of everything regarding my mental health, and thanks for taking the time to write to me. It means so so much! 

My heart is a little sad, because this girl has met the world, and my blog was my baby. And I'm still meeting the world day by day. And I sincerely hope that you will come along on my next journey in life. If you follow me on bloglovin, no worries I gotcha! If you follow just my website, please go to WANDERLUST SOULMATES and we'll continue from there. 

Much Love,
J

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Desert adventures

I have never chosen to travel to the Middle East, but when I received the invitation to go to Israel, I wholeheartedly took it. And with no regrets. More posts and pictures will follow, I have so many new experiences and memories to take with me on my journey through life. It is amazing what just one week can do to a person. The pictures here were taken in the desert, near and on top of Masada and the dead sea. We took a road trip and traveled through the westbank to float on top of some salt, and water of course! Having spent the past semester in Finland, the heat was sometimes a little too much, but we managed through it.  We stayed in Jerusalem, and what a beautiful (and big) city this is, on top of and surrounded by mountains. Certainly a place to go back to!

the best of the best

I regret not blogging more during my semester abroad. I regret it because I am afraid of losing any of the awesome memories I got to make while meeting the awesome people around me. And now it is too late. Or is it? Did any of you watch the notebook? And the scene where they are out on the water, and Noah is rowing the boat? I found myself in such a situation about a month ago. Except that Noah was replaced by two of my (girl) friends. And the water was in Finland. And it was really a big lake. And there was no rain. But we WERE in a rowing boat. And I had the best time. We went onto an island and build a fire (yes, us three girls. Or actually, my one friend who had been a girl scout). We roasted marshmallows and made smores. We hiked around the island, set near the fire, complained about our love life and totally had a photo shoot on the lake while rowing back to shore. And it was one of the best nights I had in Finland. It was a simple night. Just us and the boat, the fire and our little island to ourselves. And some baby ducks. 

What to remember from living abroad

Life in Finland was good. It was scary, new, very cold or warm, icy, different, quiet, lonely, busy and good. It was peaceful. It was all new to me, which made it scary at first, yet amazing once I got past that. It was a period to never forget, and to cherish forever. Right now I just got back a week ago, and writing this I am crying. I am sad. I am confused. My heart is broken right now. I want to go back. I want to go back to the people who made it feel like home. Who had a listening ear. Who, in times of need, where there for me. Who I could vent to. They went on adventures with me. We went fishing, build fires, went rowing, skiing, ice skating, and got to witness one of the most beautiful things in the world. we saw the northern lights. This was not my reality, and I wish it was. Was I not satisfied at first with my placement, I left with tears in my eyes. I left with a new understanding, and a new culture that had left a trail within me. Finland, you were amazing to me. You are beautiful beyond what I could have imagined. Frozen, snow covered lakes, forests beyond one could see and the most beautiful, peaceful scenery one could wish for. Forever in my heart you are, and I hope we meet again soon. 

If something seems scary at first, I am cheering for you to take that step. Because if something does not scare you, what challenge does it hold for you?

For more stalking on my adventures you can go to my INSTAGRAM

ADVENTURES IN LAPLAND

At the end of March and beginning of April I got to travel around Finland, and of course had to go up north to see the beauty of Lapland. And not alone, but my family flew across Europe to join me on this adventure. We kind of the did the things you'd expect to do up north. We went cross country skiing, went husky sledding, snow tubing and of course snowmobiling. That we enjoyed our time is quite the understatement. For more go to my instagram

What's going on

We have some serious catching up to do! So much has happened the past few weeks that I don't even know where to begin. Well I actually do, at the end of march my family visited me in beautiful Finland, which was amazing. Showing around where you have been living and the customs and culture you have gotten used to is so much fun. However, during this trip my grandpa passed away. As sad as this was, how blessed we were to be together to process this news. The weeks after this consisted of arranging a funeral, traveling home and a lot of grieving and missing. traveling back to Finland was really though, and the first two weeks I had troubles getting out of bed or doing anything with my life whatsoever. After those two weeks it got better, but it felt like a lot to process. Currently I am catching up with everything that I missed the past weeks, which is a lot. Hopefully it will all work out one way or another. I have some blog posts coming up with amazing pictures and stories of Lapland and my Finnish adventures, to stay tuned! In the meanwhile, I am pretty active on instagram if you want to stay in touch go here INSTAGRAM

INSTAWEEK

Another week has come and go, and to me time is moving by so fast. Before we know it we will be in April, Spring will arrive and we will move to summer. Three months of 2016 will have come and go, do you realize that means 1/4 of 2016 has passed? Seriously, where is the pause button at?
Anyway, here is another little sneak peak into my life, currently traveling in and around Finland. If you want you can follow me on instagram.

7 things to love about winter

WHAT? Things to love about winter? Yes! If there was anyone in this world that would not like the winter it would have always been me. Until two months ago. Until I went to Finland, and discovered real winter. With snow, ice and frozen and snow covered pine trees. Walking in a winter wonderland had never been so real until this January.

5 PLACES I WANT TO VISIT

There are few people I know that do not enjoy traveling, experiencing new things and expand their horizon. But I do know some who rather stay at home or in their own area than going ever abroad. Which is absolutely fine right, we are all different and enjoy different things. But this does not apply to me, not even close. Nothing makes me happier and feeds my soul more than traveling, experiencing and seeing new places and meeting local people. It amazes me everyday the beauty and variety this earth has to offer. 

INSTAWEEK

The past week it has gotten a little busy regarding studying, traveling, exploring and adventuring in Finland. Trying to make the most of my time has become a real challenge. Do you ever feel overwhelmed with everything that is thrown at you. I feel adjusted to another country and setting, but feel like it is a little much at times. Anyways, as I have seen on some other blogs they show random pictures of their week, and I thought that I can share my pics of instagram of the previous week(s), it might give a little overview of what I have been up to so far!

There is a first for everything!

There is a first for everything they say. And that is so true. Ever since I have been in Finland I feel like I got to experience so many new things for the first time. Every new experience is a blessing and a memory to cherish for the rest of my life. I feel like, for the first time in my life, I am really living. I am really experiencing. And I am really feeling. I know this sounds a little vague, but I now realize how I was never really living, or feeling alive. And here I do. Deep down inside I am already sad for the day I have to leave. I don't want to go back to my old life, of old habits. I have never felt so alive, and I want to keep feeling this way.

Last weekend was another first for me. I went skiing for the very first time. Maybe I am not so old to try it for the first time, but it certainly felt that way when I entered the beginners slope. Little ones who just started walking were learning how to ski. I was literally the oldest and biggest person on the slope, surrounded by these cute kids all bundled up in their snow clothing. Anyways, I wasn't going to let them get the best of me, or feel distracetd. So my friend who went with me already knew how to ski, she was not a pro but she sure was able to approperiatly go down the slopes. I wish I could say the same thing. Actually it wasn't that bad. Yes, the first three attempts of going down the slope I did fall. But afterwards I picked up how to use my body and was able to make it down standing up. I was so proud of myself, learning a new thing pretty quickly. I guess also because I was a litle scared at first. Up on the slope it looks so high and I am only wondering how in the world I will make it down safely. However, somehow I managed to make it work and push myself to step outside my comfortzone. At the end of the day I was tired but feeling so accomplished. The aftermath was pretty bad though. The next four days, including today I had the worst pain in my neck. I read online that when you fall when skiing, the way your body tries to catch itself puts a certain strain and shock on your neck, peventing hitting your head on the hard slope. I guess that is better than hitting your head and having a concussion. Anyways, my body was pretty sore, and the worst were my shoulders and arms from the beginners lift. Now I know why that lift is for free;you just hold on to a rope that goes up, but you have to hold on tight and it gets quite uncomfortable. I must have gone up like 25 times, so no wonder. But it did make me feel like I had done some proper exercise. Although I found the ahrders part was more mentally, having to really concentrate how and what I do with my body because it does not come natural to me (yet). Anyway, I'm so happy I tried it and I already got a little addicted to it. Too bad it is quite an expensive sport, because of the rental costs as well as the lift pass.

Have you ever been skiing or snowboarding? Do you find it as addicting as I do?

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Forest adventures in Finland

If you are anything like me, nature is the best place to be. There is not a place that I can get more energy and peace besides being out in nature. The beach, mountains, or in this case a forest covered with snow, makes me so happy and energized. This morning when I woke up I was not feeling that well, just weak, tired and not in the mood to take on the day. After staying in bed too long and thinking this day was already wasted I got myself together, packed my camera and went out. I walked to my favorite forest, which I was happy to see was all covered with snow again. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my favorite places snowed in and the frozen look that winter gives them.

Ice Swimming

Have you ever been swimming in a cold sea, or an outside pool during the winter? Well, than you probably know how uncomfortable it is to swim in cold water. I thought that I knew what cold water is, until I swam in a frozen lake. All I can say is WOW, and that was so cold and uncomfortable. I am usually the crazy person to get into very cold water or the ocean. However, none compares to ice swimming, which is just something new to add to my list of new experiences. 

It is a combination of going into a sauna at around 120 degrees celsius, and then jumping in the cold water. I had some friends who went to their middle and walked right back up at the stairs, but I swam to the other side, touched the ice, before swimming. When I got out my hair that got wet would freeze and become stiff. 

BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE || AURORA BOREALIS

Well, I am not sure where to begin, or how I can even explain the beauty I got to witness the previous nights. Ever since I arrived in Finland I have kept track of the aurora activity, feeling the need to see it since I was an 8-year old girl. It has been on top of my bucket list and the desire grew so big the past years that I took this into consideration when choosing a place to study abroad. I have camped out for the past four nights, and was not disappointed. To give you a quick overview of the magical world of aurora hunting, it can be predicted to a certain extent, but might not always be reliable. The northern and southern parts of the world are divided into KP level numbers, with 1 being the most north, until level 9 that goes through France, Spain, Hungary, etc. There are websites and institutions that post these predictions up to three days the these numbers per couple of hours.

DAY 1

So on valentines day the level reached number 5, which was more than enough to see it. However the sky was so cloudy that we couldn't see anything of what we were hoping to see. We sat for three hours, risking our life to walk over the lake without seeing anything. Really nice those people who go ice fishing close to the coast and almost make me fall in at night. Anyways, we did end up seeing the green glow, but the clouds prevented us from seeing anything more.

DAY 2

On the second day I received a message from a friend at 1AM that she could see the northern lights. Freaking out that I was missing it, without thinking and hesitation I put on some warm clothes, grabbed my camera, put on boots and started the 30 minutes walk to the best place to watch. When I arrived people walked the other way I walked, either I had missed it or they just left. I felt a little dumb, like I missed the big happening. I held my head up high and continued to my destination. When I arrived I just saw clouds. I took out my camera and made some pics of the sky, and there it was. I stayed for around 2 hours and the light got stronger and stronger, but never started 'dancing'.

DAY 3

A day I will never forget (I hope). The activity level was through the roof. However, the numbers didn't care for me anymore. I stayed out for two nights in the cold, and did not get the expected results that I wanted to see. I guess I thought that its was only possible up in the north. However, seeing pictures from other people in the city made me realize I had missed out on something I was yearning to see. So again, without contemplating, I put on clothes ( I was already sleeping) and starting walking crazy fast. Met up with my friend, and when we got there we were a little disappointed. There the green light was, but faint and clouds came in. For 90 minutes in the cold we saw the clouds come and go, and we felt stupid for not going earlier. When my friend was kind of done, I was full of spirit to persevere. I'm strong headed, and if I want something I will go for it. While my friend was wondering I looked at the sky west to me and saw something that I still cannot comprehend. The green glow became really strong and started moving and dancing. It was so active and I cannot explain what my eyes were witnessing. I screamed to my friend 'its happening' and she came and we were both in tears.The beauty of this, so surreal and my heart was so happy. I was shaking and had difficulties taking pictures. This lasted for a maximum of 10 minutes, felt like 10 seconds and ended way too soon, and I felt so alive and lucky. After this storm of aurora activity it went away all together. I felt so blessed!

DAY 4

So after last nights adventures I was so excited that I wanted to go again, just because the numbers might not be the right prediction, although they were high enough for us to see the aurora. Which we did. We decided to go to another spot on the lake. However, being it so dark and we were alone was a little frightening. Furthermore, for a while the temperature has been around 0 degrees so we were not sure how strong the ice was. However, as there were many footsteps on the lake we thought we were good to go. After about an hour, all of a sudden a loud, low but hard grumbling came from the lake and we felt a shock. We stayed near the rocks so we climbed on them, being terrified and freaking out. My life flashed before my eyes and I wondered how the heck we would get back to the shore. We looked at the rocks but there was no way we could walk/climb over them. Besides, them being covered with snow and both having no gloves, we were freezing and I could not feel my fingers, they were so painful. We got enough courage, tried to unfreeze our fingers and being so done with this we walked back. We found a path by the lake and could obviously see the aurora, but it was not moving. When we got too cold we went back. I guess somehow successful and quite the adventure. Today is day 5, and the numbers are not too bad, but I am not sure if I am ready for another midnight adventure if it is not as successful as day 3. I have become quite the aurora hunter and am so dedicated to see more angels dancing in the sky.

For more traveling adventures and pictures

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Falling in love || Winter 2016

Hi guys! I think I am starting to fall in love with so many new things! It is amazing how we, ourselves, keep developing and learning new things. By the way, look at that cute little house. It is actually a cafe, so I hope to go there sometime this week, but on one of my night walks I came across it and love the Scandinavian feeling it has.

Photography

I love photography! Since I got a new camera I've been taking a lot of pictures, and learn new things everyday. I watch videos and read blogs, trying to find new tips and tricks, from ISO to the best angles. I enjoy it so much, and find myself always searching for a good spot to take a picture, and creating this image in my head of how I want it. When going for walks I always take my camera, just in case. And besides that I am always walking around thinking, this would be a good picture, this image says a lot, or creates a certain feeling. I love it, and it is the first time that I really have a hobby, well besides traveling. Why do I choose such expensive hobbies?

Late night walks

At home I don't enjoy (night) walks at all, at least I wouldn't think so. But here it is almost a daily routine. Probably 5 out of 7 nights I will wander around at night, and not just for 15 minutes, more like 2 hours. And sometimes I realize I probably shouldn't do this. When it is 12 AM and I am walking through the dark forest alone (and the bears and wolves) I sometimes think to myself, why are you doing this? You know there are probably more safe places to go to, but I love it. It is dark, some snow and no one around, complete darkness and silence surround me. It is a great way to think and evaluate about your day; what did I do and accomplish, what did I like about my day, what do I want to do differently?

Finland

I am starting to fall in love with Finland. All the things that make it unique, I love learning about this culture. You know there are always positives and negatives in a situation, but you can change the negatives into 'different'. Not one place is the same, and that is what makes everything unique, which makes life amazing and daring. How boring would it be if everything is the same. So what I complain about the coffee? It makes you appreciate what you do have. Have I mentioned how well-mannered the Finns are, and also the men. I love it when men are raised to be a gentleman. Everything seems to be well organized, and people seem to live a happy and healthy life. It is a pretty good life here, peeps! 

This week I will experience some new things. On Thursday i will be going to a Finnish sauna for the first time. This means that you jump in the frozen lake and then sit in a 85 degree celsius room, wow. I guess you need to try everything once in your life. Furthermore, I will try skiing for the first time in my life! Oops! We will see if I make it out alive.

Have an amazing week!

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What I've learnt from living in Finland

So I've been in Finland for 3 weeks now, and I feel like I have already gotten to know (well, duh) about the country and its citizens. Of course, they are more assumptions and I can write a better post about it once I leave, but for now I'd think it would be fun to share what I have already discovered so far. 

Just want to say that I don't want to offend anyone, these are just my observations over a short period of time ;)

COFFEE

Finnish people like to drink! And no I don't mean the alcoholic beverage (although..), but I mean coffee. In every restaurant or cafe you step foot in, next to the cashier there is a warming element with 2 pots of black coffee on it. It is completely normal to go to such a place and get coffee from the pot with usually a free refill. And the black coffee from the pot is relatively cheap, but dang I am either spoilt or the Finnish do not know how to make good coffee. I am not sure what kind of beans they use, which coffee machine and how long the coffee has been (over) burning on that element, but give me a cappuccino over everything. In my apartment at home I have one of the best (if I can say so) coffee makers, I have fresh coffee beans, preferably from Guatemala or Colombia, and not to forget about steaming my milk. Unfortunately, the Finnish do not have discovered the joy of cappuccino. Well they have it, in fast food restaurants from a machine and in a cafe they steam the milk, but the Finnish only drink the black coffee. And that makes the cappuccino for that one foreign chick very expensive.

SHY

This one I'm still kind of confused about. Should I call them shy, stand-offish or quiet. Or emotionless at first sight...I'm not sure but this one accounts for pretty much all Finnish people I've met so far. And I know I should not make any stereotypes, or judge people too quickly, but I was shocked at this. People were not enthusiastic or happy, and immediately, it made me feel it was me they were annoyed with. Coming from a country were people are so open and direct to you, this was something I had to adjust to, and not feel offended by.

COLD VS. FINLAND COLD

Lets get this straight. I knew beforehand that it would be cold. And yes, I had cold winters. But temperatures here are insane! I don't understand how people here survive, or want to go out of their homes when you stop feeling your legs when walking outside. It is just not funny. Yes, the sights with so much snow and frozen-ness are beautiful but is it worth freezing your fingers off? I am not so sure. The first day I arrived here I had to walk 20 minutes from my taxi drop-off to the hostel, and my hat and gloves were in one of my suitcases, that were jam packed. I had these very thin white gloves that are gloves for 'warm' weather and I literally could not feel my fingers, just every once in a while the pain. And then my legs became senseless. Literally! The next day my legs were completely blue and covered with bruises. What happened? I couldn't feel my legs anymore and both my suitcases kept bumping into the back of my legs,  only took two weeks to heal ;). 

HEALTHY

What would a person do when its freezing and all roads and paths are covered with ice? Indeed, take a bus or stay in. What do the Finnish do? They cycle and go running. On ice! While I am shuffling and gliding like a penguin over the road, runners are going by, and people on bikes are smiling and going to work. What? I don't understand how I am trying with my life to not fall and they are continuing with their everyday life like nothings going on. And I was so proud of the fact that I only fell down once (damn you uggs with no profile). But it doesn't matter how much snow or ice is covering the landscape, how cold it is or how far the gym is, the Finnish people keep exercising, literally no excuse. And they eat healthy. They really do inspire me to exercise myself, and eat healthy. So thank you Finland, because I have lost almost 10 pounds in 3 weeks.

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Favorite quotes || Winter 2016

Good morning all!
Lately I have been wasting spending way too much of my time on tumblr, like ridiculous amounts of hours. If you don't have one, be careful cause I find it very addicting. I go through phases, of not spending any time to spending all my time reblogging too many pictures. 
Anyway, I've found myself searching for quotes that could help me get through stuff that I am experiencing right now, it somehow like a little therapy, and it helps me to relate. So I thought why not share some of my favorite quotes from the past months? I have done this before, at random times, but if you like it I can do it perhaps seasonally?

''HAPPINESS IS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED''

''SUNSHINE ALL THE TIME MAKES A DESERT''

''NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST''

''FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH: IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHOEVER YOU WANT TO BE. I HOPE YOU LIVE A LIFE THAT YOU'RE PROUD OF, AND IF YOU FIND THAT YOU'RE NOT, I HOPE YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH TO START OVER''

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Gloomy

I guess somewhere along the way we picked up that happiness, or being happy, is what we should aim for. If you are not happy you should do something different. But how realistic, or close to real life is being happy all the time. Is it possible to be happy at all times throughout a year. I would say no, and might think that it is almost not healthy to be always happy. Or at least, perhaps are mood swings, every once in a while good. They make us feel alive, and enable us to get in touch with our emotions. 

Sunshine all the time makes a desert

Feeling a little down is totally acceptable, right? The past week that is what I've been feeling. Why am I not happy? I am studying abroad in Finland, get to travel and experience so many new things. I almost feel guilty of my own feelings. Until I realized we cannot and don't always have to be happy and feeling content. sometimes we just don't, and that is alright. 

Confused feelings

Two weeks ago today, I said goodbye to my family and friends. Two weeks ago I had no idea what was in store for me, or any expectations that I should have, except for the cold. Now two weeks further I am confused, and not sure what to feel. Reality has set in just a little more, and I am just unsure how and what to feel. I don't feel very happy, yet not very sad either. Somewhere in the middle, I would say just confused. But I guess that is normal when adapting to a new culture and country. Secretly, I would not mind to go home. I would not call myself homesick, but I sure do feel lost. The day before yesterday was really tough. I had just moved from the hostel I was staying in to my little room in the flat where all international students are living. I have yet to meet them, I have been outside or locking myself up in my room. During the evenings and nights they wander drunk around the hallways, screaming and yelling for one another. Do I want to be a part of that, I am unsure. I feel anxious and a little terrified of how they will respond to my presence. I admit I feel scared. But I am unsure of what? Are my expectations met?

Confusing feelings and loneliness. That is what is going on in my little mind. Unsure how to deal with everything that has been coming to me. 

“If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.” 

I found this piece of text and it is somehow relating to my own feelings. Life is no picknick, it is real and sometimes you are just lost. As long as you get back on track, feeling lost is no shame. I hope your Sunday is a little better than mine. 

<3 

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