It has been 21 days since I entered the plane in Toronto to come here to travel Europe, and see what this continent has to offer. So far the adventure has been enjoyable, but also difficult. In Serbia I had my family to keep me company and visiting people kept me busy. Now in Vienna, I have realized that this trip will not be as easy as I thought it would be.
The emotional hurdles I have faced this week have been difficult to deal with. I am in a city where I do not know many people. Despite the fact that I am staying with my very good friend Nina, I still feel alone. Nothing is familiar here. There is a slight language barrier, and people here are not as friendly as you would think they are. I have even heard Austrians say that they do not like how cold Austrians are. The lack of friendliness here is hard to get used to.
I always thought that time zones were easier to adjust to, but I don’t feel that way anymore. Yes I go to bed at a normal time here and wake up at a normal time, but my body still has not adjusted to this new clock. I find myself so tired sometimes, and I feel that the time change has something to do with it. Additionally, the diet isn’t the same. I ate fruits and vegetables all the time in Toronto, it constituted a large portion of my diet. But here in Europe people don’t have the same mentality about food, and eating healthy isn’t a huge priority. I have started taking a multivitamin to get the vitamins that are lacking from my diet. Hopefully in a few weeks I will notice an improvement in the fatigue level.
Lastly, I miss my family and friends. I do talk to them on a regular basis but it isn’t the same as seeing their faces. Even if I had a travel companion, I would still miss all these people. Of course, the Austrian hospitality level does not help the situation much. I have high expectations that southern Europe will be very different. Italy, Spain, and Portugal are known for their openness and warm attitudes. My outlook on this trip can change drastically come Sunday. I will let you know how it goes.
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