Neither Here Nor There.

I was blessed with a great childhood that showcased more than one culture, and country. I was born in the hometown of both my parents and where all of my family lived, in a close knit English community. When I was 9, dad's work took us to Portugal for 3 years where I attended an amazing school, met friends from around the world and began to have a much greater knowledge of the world than I ever could have had I not moved. Once we moved back to England, my parents decided their dreams of moving to another country after retiring should be done sooner rather than later, and applied to move to Australia.

I moved to Melbourne when I was 13 and then onto Perth at 14. In some ways I've grown up in Australia, along with successfully settling into school and becoming Head Girl and then onto university. I love the Australian lifestyle, the people and the friendliness. Though there will always be a part of me that will have a strong connection to the British; their ways, their ways of conducting life and especially their sense of humour.

After traveling around Europe last year, I made a few decisions. One was that while I adore my hometown in regards to visiting, and loved seeing my family and friends I've never lost contact with and still got along with amazingly well, I doubt I'd ever live there again. Perhaps because I haven't grown up there through my teenage years I feel as though there will always be a panel of glass disconnecting me from my attachment to it.

What I also learned was that I without a doubt adore London. I visited when I was 13, but when returning last year I didn't want to leave. It has a rudeness to it that strikes me as embracing; there is no judgment on you for the city that has already seen it all. There is an anonymity like no where else, and a sense of boundless places to go and things to do. I quickly made the decision to move there.

I've now come to the point that my talking and planning that sometime this year I'll move there have been pinpointed to a date. I woke up the other day feeling determined that I'd feel more motivated if I did so. I've booked my leaving party, started to save more money and make plans to sell my car and book my flights.

In some ways, going to one of the largest capitals of the world to live is an intense thought, but I feel I owe my adult self the equivalent life and experiences that my parents provided me as a child. I was lucky to go to where I have been, and I want to carry on that ability to travel, adapt and embrace my surroundings. London may not be a permanent move (to my parents and best friend's hope), but it's something I feel I need to do now, while I'm young and while I can.

I'm excited to be young, be daring and lead a crazy exciting life while I can.