You feel alone – I know,
but please,
please
look at the colours
around you.
I finally decided it was time to share my poetry with anyone who might like to read it. It’s a big step for me and I hope you enjoy it. Poetry clears the soul.
This is only a little preview. The first poem is coming up on Sunday. Enjoy your week. Read and write!
Have a magical day,
by Elena Ktenopoulou
It’s time to get out, free our minds and enjoy the warmth of the sunlight. Who doesn’t want to do that? But what about those of us who are staying in their hometown or in the city for the summer? Some of us are lucky enough to live near the beach and be able to go swimming every other day or at least on the weekends but what about those who don’t?
It is important to find ways to relax and enjoy this season even if you are not going away this summer. So, to inspire you, I came up with a few things you can keep yourself in the holiday mood during the summer time.
First of all! Transforming your home! If you have a balcony, you can give it a beach vibe with one or two garden lounge chairs and a few plants all around, giving all that tropical vibe. That way, you can enjoy the sunlight in the morning while drinking your coffee and the night breeze for a glass of wine later on. You can also brighten the colours around you by using lighter bed sheets or cushions. Another brilliant way to bring the beach into your house is through posters and art. You can get magnificent posters with pictures of the sea or the beach sand.
Secondly, you could add a few new, summer pieces to your wardrobe. Well, that doesn’t mean spending a fortune in the new trends, just getting a couple of sundresses or cropped tops or linen trousers – whatever matches your style. Clothes will get you in the right mood for all the great summer activities.
Speaking of activities, fill your free time – which is usually more during the summer months – with new things to do. Summer is the season for new experiences and a little extra fun. Don’t forget to also do things that help you de-stress and get your mind off the busy winter you have ahead of you. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be productive, it only means you should slow down a little bit, so you’ll have more energy when you need it the most: in September!
Your refrigerator is also one spot in your house that can change for the summer! Well, think of all the delicious, fresh fruit you can eat during this time. Make fruit salads, smoothies and tarts! Also, you can make your own ice-cream. For a naughty night with friends, you could even make cocktails with fresh fruit juice!
Have the most brilliant summer and a magical day!
by Elena Ktenopoulou
I live in a small town. I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve always dreamt of running away. When I got into university I had to choose between staying in my home-town or going away to study. Guess what I wanted! I desired to run away as far as possible but if I wanted to have enough money to make my dream come true and do my MA course abroad… I had to stay here for another four years. So, the 18-year-old Elena made an important decision: to stay and study in the same town she’d grown up in, dreaming about the day she’d had the chance to fly away.
Four years later, the news is good! I worked hard to make sure my dream would come true and I am happy to announce I am leaving this place – hopefully for good! – in September. (Many posts will follow about life abroad, so let’s leave that for now). I wanted to go through the pros and the cons of studying in one’s hometown and hopefully help people who are struggling with making a decision, as I was four years ago.
To begin with, I encourage everyone who is financially able to support studying away from home to do so, because it is a huge chance to grow and gain your independence as an individual and find out a great deal about yourself. Don’t let your fear hold you back. But for those who cannot do that for financial or other reasons, here are the Upsides of studying in your home-town…
Upsides:
Downsides:
Of, course, as you know, I believe that there shouldn’t be a certain moment for everyone to do something and all of us should be able to choose when we are ready to make the next step in our lives, whether society approves or not. So, read this article but keep in mind that’s only my opinion. You get to decide when you’re ready to move away because everyone is different.
I will only repeat one thing that I already said previously and I think it’s the one you should keep: If fear is what’s holding you back, don’t let it. Student life is not only about gaining a degree, it’s also about finding out a great deal more about yourself, human relationships and the world in general!
have a lovely day,
by Elena Ktenopoulou
Bonjour, lovely ones! I don’t want to see any moody faces today! It’s the first day of May, which means, we can all start counting down for summer vacation – if you haven’t already. I just wanted to give you a post that will make you smile and just stop for a second, look around and appreciate the small things.
Each year in my hometown on the last day of April, a flower festival is being held. Everyone goes downtown for the music and a glimpse of the beautiful colours. Oh, the colours are endless… It’s like a wonderland of pastels!
So, what better to do when it’s so warm outside and you know everyone will be there than a date night, walking around the flowers. Under the starry sky, as it’s already 25 degrees in the evening here in Greece, just a spaghetti strap dress and a denim jacket is enough. What did I forget? Oh, that’s right! The more-than-necessary-for-the-night flower crown.
There’s certainly no better way to welcome May and all the amazing things she’ll bring… (well, May was always a female month in my head!)
Take in all the colours and smells and enjoy the last month of spring!
P.S. I know this one didn’t have any super interesting discussions but those flower pictures are a wonderful way to welcome May and I hope I got you in the mood to fill your house with colour end floral smells. More content coming up soon!
have a magical day,
by Elena Ktenopoulou
Every one of us is different, that’s what’s so brilliant about relationships, that’s what keeps them interesting. A lot of factors play a part in who we become: genetics, the place we grow up in, our friends, teachers and families, crucial life events, society and so much more. In my point of view, there is a way to understand a lot about a person from one particular preference: their interests.
Our interests define us in some way. They also shape us. Interests are what makes the basis of a friendship very often or what brings people together to take something to the next step. Usually, our interests play a big role in the outcomes of our lives, the people we chose to be in it, the career we want to pursue and also qualities of our personalities. When we make the right choices, interests balance the practical part of life and the fun one.
People who are passionate about their interests are usually considered more charming, especially if they have a way to communicate what fascinates them and make other people feel how they feel about a particular subject.
In our age more than any other one before, someone can enjoy what they are passionate about easily. The internet provides us with information, courses and chances to engage in conversations around pretty much anything. So, whether you are an Astronomy enthusiast who goes crazy over the study of the universe and its galaxies or you are a 50’s music fanatic and you like to research the story behind every album released at the time… you can do so from the comfort of your own sofa.
The downside of it all is that at the same time, since there is so much free information waiting for us to explore, sometimes, even our own interests can seem a little bit chaotic, so instead of actually taking the time to get more into what we love, we chose to numb our minds from the pressures of everyday life while doing something that requires the least possible amount of energy – such as watching a show that even us ourselves consider stupid. That’s great… if it doesn’t take over someone’s life and make them forget what they were truly passionate about from the beginning.
People who have the opportunity to turn their interests into a job are lucky but they are also the people who usually succeed. That is because they are passionate about what they do and they also care enough to engage and try to take what they love a step further. For example, if you are very passionate about physics, you will probably try to contribute to what already exists. You want to experiment with new theories and test your instincts.
Even if you cannot turn your passion into an everyday job, you can always have it as a hobby, which sometimes can be even better because a job sometimes becomes an obligation but a hobby rarely does. It doesn’t mean that you cannot be as great at anything if you are not a pro.
Either way, make sure to have interests. They define you, they give your personality elements, they bring you closer to other people and they make your life more productive and fun. Try not to seat in front of a screen watching passively 100% of your free time. Do it – we all do! – but also… don’t forget your interests. Get up and devote some time to them, it will pay off, I promise.
have a magical day,
by Elena Ktenopoulou
Today, it started to get warm. I put on my denim jacket instead of my coat. It was enough to keep me from getting cold. The rest of my clothes were all white and there is sunshine all over. Spring is here.
Spring was never my favourite season. I always found it boring. While Autumn and Winter are full of new beginnings and choices, spring always looked empty in my eyes. I live in a place where Spring is way rainier than Winter for the most part and also… I kind of always had a feeling that nothing exciting ever happens during it. Although, this year, I had a change of heart!
This spring has been completely different than any other in my life so far. So many new things are happening, this leads me to look at it with different eyes. So, I may have not known it before but spring really is the season of rebirth. Not only in terms of nature but also for ourselves.
Usually, spring finds you either very happy with what you’ve accomplished or disappointed because the Winter months of hard work haven’t paid off for some reason. We’ve all been there. And as the warm months begin and your head is already up in the clouds and you can’t wait for the evening to come with the breeze and walk by the beach, it’s not yet the time for the summer holidays so you still have a lot of things to do. I know! It’s impossible to prioritize when it’s hot out!
So, as everything begins to get all colourful around you, you find the inspiration you needed and usually, even if the months that passed have been difficult and unfair, the surroundings itself gives you the willpower to start fresh as everything around you does. It’s the right time to set goals (who says we must only do it on New – Years?)
It is always a good time to start fresh! Even more so when everything around you does. So, let the sunshine in and don’t be afraid to leave the grey past behind you. It’s time for colour.
have a magical day,
by Elena Ktenopoulou
We fall in love with people, we fall in love with books and films and flavors of ice-cream that we want to have all the time but sometimes we fall in love with places and that is one strong feeling, my friend. This week we are talking about the bond a between a person and a place.
Who doesn’t love to travel? I mean, come on! It’s 2018 and flying from one side of the planet to another is easier than ever. How can anyone be satisfied with what their little spot on the map can offer them? We want to see everything, every little street in the tiniest village somewhere far. Since I was little I dreamt of seeing the whole world. I didn’t manage to achieve it so – since it is a plan that needs time! – but I have seen a few places around Europe and I am very happy with that.
Actually, our first love tends to be the place we grew up in. Even if it’s nothing special or we get bored of it, it’s still home and it is usually filled with memories and a sense of familiarity, which is nice. There’s something special about knowing every corner of a neighborhood, the shortcuts, the people, the shops…
But I am not a person who believes in spending your life in one place. I like to travel, I like to explore and make memories in different places, speaking different languages. So, let’s talk about love at first sight, which I do not believe in when it comes to people but, I totally do when it comes to places. London was my very first love. It was instant. The busy streets, the fast rhythm of living, the beautiful buildings… that amazing combination of modern and classic…. I can’t even begin to describe how I felt the first time I walked in Covent Garden. It was a cold – but surprisingly not rainy – November evening and I was only sixteen. We had dinner and we listened to those fantastic street musicians. Then and there I knew: there would come a day I would live only a few subway rides away from that spot and I made that promise to my self and to the first city I ever loved.
I could go on for days talking about the places I love
-if you would like to see that I have two more articles related to the subject! One about Prague and one about Paris. Take a look!-
…but that is not the point of today’s post. The point is that every place you visit gives you the chance to discover a new version of yourself and it makes who you are clearer. Each place offers a different culture and a different way to look at life. Take advantage of that, see everything and find out which suits you the most. Don’t settle for what you know, go further!
Do it because to fall in love with places is to know more versions of you.
have a magical day,
by Elena Ktenopoulou
