LAST CHRISTMAS | THE LITTLE SHEPHERD GIRL pt. 1

​Last Christmas I was on a beach, this Christmas, I’m on a couch...

Last Christmas, was a calm celebration on a warm and sunny island, of the amazing year
I’d had. 2017 had been my best year ever.

Livin my best life last Christmas, 2017

​This year I'm sitting on my couch, in my home, and I feel very happy and content, just being at home.

It’s another celebration of the amazing and totally surreal year
I’ve had, as 2018 has been my best year ever.

​Especially since events of 2018, ultimately showed me that Shanghai is without a doubt my home -for now at least. ​

Shanghai chillin in my BagLady Basics Pleated Neck Jersey dress

You guys may remember the questions and doubts that I’d previously had earlier this year, about whether it was time to move on from this city. So I tested that desire with the help of a little book I was reading called “The Alchemist”.

I must admit that I make a lot of seemingly rash, crazy and random decisions, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that, it’s just how I live and learn. So once again, in 2018, I let my curiosity carry me where the Universe led, and I lived and learned.
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So how did I live, and what did I learn?
Well…

Berlin in May, some days were cold, but my BagLady Basics Sweater dress kept me warm

​I went to Berlin in May for a few days, and totally fell in love with the city. I’d had an obsession with visiting for almost 3 years, so it came as no surprise that I’d feel that way during my trip.

The love for the city, led me back there on a 1-way ticket in August.

1-way tickets! Yes I love those! It makes me feel so free and flexible with my trips, and ultimately my life.

Always wear black to see art. Wearing my BagLady Basics Wide-legged pants

​I was totally convinced that I should just go and see what happened, I’d already previously left my job and given up my apartment, so I figured, why the hell not, I really didn’t have anything to lose, except money! ha!

I expressed my desire to a few of my friends in Berlin, and one of them suggested that I read The Alchemist.

I heeded his advice, as I was frankly confused as fuck, as to what to do, so I read the book.

Rocking my BagLady Basics Drop Waist Jersey dress at Bread & Butter in Berlin

​In summary the book is about a shepherd boy who had a vision of a treasure, and was convinced that he had to follow the signs that led him to this treasure. He also had to exercise blind faith in the Universe. He did just so and learned a lot about himself along the way.

I was totally into the book until I got to the end. I was anticipating that he’d finally find his treasure at the end of his journey, and live happily ever after! 
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I was hoping for such an ending as encouragement to buy a ticket and just head off to Berlin, trusting the omens and having faith in the Universe!

Happy in the Hai in my BagLady Basics Raglan Sleeve Sweater dress

In the end, this shepherd boy discovered that his treasure was right where he started- at home.

What.the.fuck.

Yes, it’s exactly what I thought to myself. But the omens still showed me that I should have bought the ticket-so I did.

​There were so many signs pointing me to Berlin, to the point where sometimes I’d get so overwhelmed and start randomly crying in the street.

​The decision was made- I had to go to Berlin, like a little shepherd girl.

One of my favourite things about my Summer in Berlin, the lakes!

So I bought my ticket- which was no easy task- thanks to a malfunctioning website. Long story short, I ended up getting a full refund on my ticket to Berlin, and was still allowed to use the one I’d booked!

THANK YOU UNIVERSE!!

ANYWAY, I got to Berlin, with a VERY flexible non-plan. First, do a month long intensive German language course (so that I’d feel productive), and then decide if I wanted to stay longer.

That was my “plan”!
​
Luckily for me, Berlin experienced an unusually long Summer and great weather. The weather was for me, provided by the Universe! Or so I kept saying.
​
Little shepherd girl was in Berlin, having an amazing time, learning a new language, meeting new people. exploring different neighbourhoods, and just living her best life!

Maybe I ate too much of this Berlin staple. Good thing my BagLady Basics pants has a partial elastic waist ;)

​Needless to say, that as time went by, three months to be exact, I realised that even though I’d really, really, reallyyyyy loved Berlin, I also really, really missed my life in Shanghai.

I missed my friends, the comfort, the brunch (haha yes Shanghai has better brunch spots than Berlin), easily being able to work on BagLady Basics…

It came to the point where I missed it so much, that I just ended up dropping the process that would allow me to stay in Berlin, and buying a one-way ticket back to Asia.

Rolling around with my bike like a true Berliner

So if you guys were wondering w.t.f is this girl doing in Berlin for all this time. Well there you go, I was just living, following my curiosity, and having faith in the Universe.
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For the entire time I was in Berlin, I kept asking myself “why am I here”. I asked this question every day, sometimes out loud, sometimes to my friends. It all just seemed crazy to me.

This Christmas i know why. I went to Berlin in search of my treasure, and I had an amazing, memorable and life changing journey.

The biggest change being that I found out that my treasure was right at home, and I now can be at peace with that realization- with thoughts of “what if”, no longer keeping me up at night.

That’s what I learnt.

Feeling at home in my BagLady Basics Dress, at HOME

I am now at home, and I feel at home. On my couch in cold and gloomy Shanghai, feeling as warm as I did last Christmas on the sunny islands of El Nido.

My heart is warm, and filled with joy, gratefulness and enlightenment. The little shepherd girl has found her home.

Till Next Time!
Shanya

Happy Holidays! XX