I've been in London a couple of years now. I finished university in 2012 and migrated to the big smoke, following every other graduate, or so it seemed. I've been lucky enough to surround myself with brilliant and inspiring people at a marketing agency in central London, only now am I getting slightly itchy feet thinking I need to go and make something of myself, in a place outside of here.
London is mad, fast paced and full of incredible little places but I often feel like the adventurous side of me gets sucked up whilst living here. It's so easy to stick in a job I'm so comfortable with, but not doing something I truly love and am passionate about. I'm desperate to travel the world working for an NGO, and completely take me out of my comfort zone. Going to Kenya as a volunteer in 2009, has undoubtedly been the best decision I've ever made - I urge you, implore you even, to jump at any opportunity to go there. The people are just wonderful, and it will get under your skin in the way it has done mine.
So here's hoping that during 2015 I can cross of some of the list below. If any of you thousands of people all around the world find yourselves in London, get in touch! It's a big old world out there.
(I've only ticked off 12 of the 30 so far, 5 years left...)
And of course, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
1. Do something good, once a year, for a total stranger
2. Live in Africa for 6 months
3. Write a poem
4. Learn an instrument
5. Make a short film
6. Learn a language (or at least try to)
7. Go to an olympics
8. Run a marathon
9. Do a triathlon
10. Fall in love
11. Get married
12. Write and perform a speech
13. Start a charity
14. Sell a painting
15. Sleep out under the stars
16. Take a massive job risk
17. Get something published
18. Start a blog about something I love
19. Go to Glastonbury
20. Get a wild haircut
21. Stand on the equator
22. Volunteer at an old peoples home
23. Go interrailing
24. Travel somewhere new every year
25. Start yoga
26. Climb a mountain
27. Get over my fear of fish
28. Donate blood/an organ
29. See the northern lights
30. Leave a mark on the world
Rachel Owen
[email protected]
London