Tag: Dreams

Photo Diary: My New Home

Published on by LostViivi14 Comments

Hello everyone!

How are you? I hope you have had amazing adventures lately because I have only been exploring this new city I’m now living in. And I’m sorry if nothing in this post makes sense because I have currently fever and flu.

Today I’m going to share few photos from my new home town. So like usually there is photos and captions for them. In addition to those I will be talking about something else between the photos. (My blogs future… Almost serious stuff…) Now let’s begin!

 

I want to start with this train station photo. It starts to be too familiar building for me because when I want to go see my family and friends I need to take three hours long train journey. Tiring but fortunately I have traveller’s mind and can handle long transportation times.

I have been super busy lately and not only because of my new life as full time student. If you know the site Fiverr I just recently started to earn some extra money there. (Takes unexpectedly a lot of time!)  Like you may have realized there hasn’t been many post to this blog and I have been quite stressed to come up with some easy to write ideas.

Before I promised to publish new bucket list destination every Wanderlust Wednesday but now I have to eat my words and just promise to publish something interesting every Wanderlust Friday. (That doesn’t rhyme like with Wednesday… Maybe Fearless Travel Friday?)

Unfortunately this majestic place isn’t my home. But it is from hostel room I lived in my first week here in Kokkola. I recommend Villa Carleborg for everyone. 

So now you can expect new post every Friday. Next week I am going to finally publish that long waited Tallinn travel diary that has been waiting in my drafts folder for too long. I’m also planning a lot of weekend trips in the future so wait patiently for those travel diaries.

This photo is my closest bus stop. Oddly I haven’t seen any buses here in my first moth. Is there even any of them?

Another thing I wanted to talk about today is my YouTube channel. No, I don’t have one yet but if you have been following me long enough you may know that at one point I promised to start making videos when I get 1 000 readers.

Honestly I though it would take at least year to get so many readers but somehow it has only taken a few months. Thank you everyone who likes to read my blog! And especially the people commenting! It always makes my day when someone drops comment for my text.

This is Kokkola’s public living room or something like that. It’s full of art and you can leave your own piece there or just sit down and enjoy what others have done. 

Yeah, but now back to the YouTube subject. Is there any videos you would like to see? I have many ideas myself but I would love to get tips what you would like to watch me doing. Also I will probably make two channels.

One channel for travel videos I can then share here with my blog posts. And another one for random videos about literally anything. I will inform you more here in my blog when I get to the point where I have enough time to really make the channels. (Maybe next weekend?)

Local church in sunset.

 

I think this was everything I had to say today. Thanks for reading and I hope you liked the photos!

And by the way you can also follow me in Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. I try to be active there but I’m a lot better blogger than I am with social media.

And today’s photo diary is going to end in this photo of local street art. I totally love it and will take better photos of it for you later on. See you again next Friday!

 

With love,

Viivi Severina

 

 

Travel Rant: Insane Courage

Published on by LostViivi18 Comments

 

I’m addicted to getting lost.

Walking unknown paths, not having map, getting scared of unfamiliar streets.

Some people would say I am crazy. And maybe that is why I keep most of my lost adventures secret from my loved ones. Traveling alone as twenty something girl looking all lost in country you have never visited before. Crazy? For me not.

It’s living. Having the feeling of something. Finding new places you would have never seen if you hadn’t taken the step towards scary and uncertain. Meeting people you would have never believed to know and finding unexpected friendships.

I used to live safely and never take the risks. My life was miserable and I didn’t know what was wrong with me. One quote changed my life. A couple of sentences that I chant in my head if I feel like going back to my safe but grim life.

“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” -Benjamin Mee, We Bought a Zoo

It took me twenty seconds to book my first three months solo trip to Japan.It took me twenty seconds to say yes when I was asked to come and visit people I didn’t even know properly to France. Twenty seconds insane courage to talk with stranger in train. (Later on because of her I got to see the local side of Tokyo.)

So when I go and don’t look my map. When I don’t know where I am or where should I go. I count the twenty seconds and follow the first idea coming to my mind. And then I go. Maybe I open the door of closest shop or take the small dirty looking back alley. I may be stupid doing it. I may even end up being scared for my life and safety. But never do I regret those twenty seconds.

I hope you will remember this later on in your life. Some decisions don’t need thorough thinking but bravery. Now ask yourself what you want to do with your life. 20 seconds what comes to your mind? For me it’s to travel and if you are reading my blog I bet for you it’s too. So another 20 seconds, don’t think too much and make your life your own.

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I have been busy lately and got thrown to totally new environment without warning. So I thought this text was fitting one for me to publish now. It has been on my drafts folder for ages and I just haven’t found the right time for it to appear in my blog. No I needed reminder of that 20 seconds. It really helps.

With love,

Viivi Severina

Travel Rant: Being Scared

Published on by LostViivi26 Comments

Once upon a time social phobic, shy and scared of everything girl decided to go and travel the world. Everyone though she wouldn’t do it, even the girl herself. But now year later she is here writing for you and wanting to share one message she has leaned.

Never let your fears take over your want to live.

Everyone is scared of something but I have seen that usually the ones being scared of leaving are the ones needing it the most. At least that was the case with me…

Traveling may seem dangerous for someone never been outside of their comfort zone. You will always hear about the dangers on world. Robbers, rape and terrorists. Getting lost, conned or not fitting in. Everything familiar at home transforms scary when in new place. Going to see the world is like deadly affair with your dreams.

The reality is different from our scared imagination. On my travels I have met the most kind people. If I am lost someone is always helpful to walk me back to my hostel. If you use your common sense getting conned isn’t problem. There is always someone who will make you feel like in home.

Show the people who are not believing in you that everything is possible. Small town girl can survive alone in the big dangerous cities. Nothing can stop us if we just try our hardest.

So go and travel despite your fears. Trust me those who fear traveling the most should do it as soon as possible. It will open your eyes and heart. It will make you braver than you ever though you would become. 

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So this was “travel rant”. Me talking about random things concerning travels. Did you like it? Well, I will probably write more of them even if you don’t want so I’m sorry for that. I’m still asking: do you want more of these kind of writings or should I just stick with the travel stories?

With love,

Viivi Severina

30 Before 30

Published on by LostViivi40 Comments

As person who loves writing lists I did one to calm myself down. Let me introduce you 30 trips/things I want to do before turning 30. I have nine years left so hopefully enough time to do them all. I was going to put out my Sweden travel diary today but I have been too stressed out. (University exam results can come out at any moment.) I hope you enjoy this random travel list!

 

1.Return to Japan

If you have read more of my blog you know I went  to Japan for three months last year. I left part of my lost soul there and that’s why I should return. Just kidding. I felt like in home when in Kyoto and want to experience that again. Japan has so much more to offer and see for me.

2. Go to Caribbean cruise

3. Volunteer and help animals

I don’t know if I have mentioned this before but I have training as animal career. I wouldn’t do animal careering as job but am passionate about helping animals. As extra to that exotic country and new culture would be great.

4. Go to USA

5. Start Youtube channel

Wanna hear secret? Writing has always been my dream but making videos isn’t far behind from that. In fact I made promise for myself that if my blog ever gets thousand followers I will make this dream true. Well I did that promise when I though no one would read my writings… Now I have over 200 followers and the count is rising threateningly. (BTW welcome to all new followers!)

6. Interrail/around Europe trip

7. Road trip around Finland

Who wouldn’t like to drive around their home country?

8. Working Holiday in Australia or New Zealand

9. Long time travel with friends or family

I’m solo traveler by heart but being with friends and family is always something I hope to do as much as possible.

10. Inspire someone to travel

11. Extempore travel

Decide to go and leave without second thoughts. No planning, no time to stress, just buy the tickets and adventure.

12. Go to South Korea

13. Do guest post on someone’s blog

If someone ever finds me good enough writer to invite me to do guest blog post. It may take time but I have more than enough before 30.

14. Learn new language

German or Korean?

15. Befriend fellow traveler

And travel with them to place both of you haven’t been before

16. Couchsurfing

17. See pyramids

No need to do this before 30 but before this heritage disappears.

18. Backpack in Asia

19. Go to somewhere abandoned

Done this already but second time would be nice.

20. Keep blogging about your travels

I have history of starting blogs and ending them before the first year is over. This time I want to keep writing until the end of my life.

21. Travel to another country to see band

What other reason would you need to travel than to see your favorite band?

22. Live in hostels

23. Visit Star Wars film locations

The way to show of my inner nerd. I may or may not state Star Wars movies as my favorite ones. And the locations are cool even if you haven’t seen the films. So this is win-win situation for me.

24. Visit Venice

25. Do Pilgrim or long hike

26. Earn money by writing to travel

Even better if the earning is by writing my own book. However any writing (blog, freelancer, etc.) is okay. Use that money to travel.

27. Learn to dive

This is probably the one I will not get done. I am scared of deep waters but love the colors under sea. (But it’s hard to come up with 30 ideas so I can try to do this.)

28. Write a book

29. Fly in the business class

30. Find Happiness

Learn to be happy. I care too much about others’ opinions. Live my life for myself and find the way I want to spend the rest of it.

 

(If you liked my list, share this image in Pinterest!)

So do you have some traveling destinations you want to visit or experience before certain age? I have had this “years are running too fast” -crisis lately because the uncertain future. And so I am back to my question… What to do with my life?

Oh and I almost forget that the Sweden diary will be out at Sunday. It’s almost ready but I should pick out some photos, write about the last day and proofread it. And if you want to know how it goes with my university thing I will tell the results right away in my personal blog. Sorry about this random post and see you (hopefully?) at Sunday!

With Love,

Viivi Severina

“Beautiful” word from stranger

Published on by LostViivi23 Comments

I have met kind people around the world. I have got new friends I will never meet again and memories staying with me forever. I wanted to share this story about the woman who impacted me greatly. I’m thankful to her and will be probably until the end of my life.

“Beautiful” How can one word change person?

It was my first week volunteering in Kyoto. I lived in small hostel free for working three hours day and it had taken only a couple of days for me to feel like in home. At daytime I explored the city and the nights I spend writing in the hostel’s common room. In one of those nights I met her.

She was older lady and I never really get to know what she did in the hostel. The language barrier between us was huge. I didn’t know Japanese and she didn’t speak English. However she kept talking to me and I tried to understand.

Soon I get to know that she knew one word in English. Beautiful. She told me just that. You beautiful. No one has ever called me beautiful. I have never felt particularly pretty. When I went to school people used to call me ugly and it has always stayed with me.

Beautiful. That one word and her kind eyes changed me. Nowadays when I feel ugly or worthless I recall that moment and feel better. That one moment and stranger impacted me for the rest of my life.

I didn’t see her the night after and come to the conclusion she had stayed only one night. I hoped I would have talked more with her. But like a magic and destiny I get to meet her once again. After two months and my last week in Japan we met like old friends.

I spend the night in common room like always and she came in. She put her things next to met and while she cooked we tried to talk like the last time. This time too she kept calling me beautiful and I even got to thank her. She was like angel with her bright smile.

Then she put plate in front of me and surprised me once again. She had cooked a miso soup for me. Even if I tried to say she shouldn’t or would she take some of my food as returning favor she didn’t take any of it. It was the perfect last week for my Japan trip.

I know I am probably not going to meet that woman again. I wil remember her. The kindness and the one word he was able to say in English. Beautiful. You just can’t forgot person like her.

 

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I didn’t have time to write anything long today (trying to back for my Sweden trip) so I came up with this memory. I have been thinking about writing “story times” or my memories once in while but I don’t know would those be interesting.

Have you met kind strangers? I think this world is full of kind people and I hope I will meet more of them while traveling. Maybe in the future I will write about all the people I have met on my travels.

With love and wanderlust,

Viivi Severina