Friends Are The Family You Choose

I am currently enjoying my own company, jumping between airport cafes,trying to wake myself up with cups of ginseng green tea, cheese and tomato panini’s and flapjack, so that my four hour wait for my flight home doesn’t seem to drag on any more than necessary. So, I figured this would be the perfect time for me to do some serious catch up blogging! 

I have been so incredibly busy (as per!) these last few months, and have been super excited about this much needed little coffee date with you all. So, I recommend grabbing a cuppa (accompanied maybe by a couple of biscuits? or a sliver of cheeky cake, if that’s what floats your boat), getting comfy and preparing for a long one! 

…

I can’t believe that it has already been a year since I started blogging! Time really has flown by, and quite frankly, it scares me a little. I have had such an incredible year, and I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing (when I’ve had enough time to spare!) all the many precious moments that I am so very grateful to have had. 

It’s been a year full of ups and downs, quite an emotional roller coaster if I’m being totally honest. But hey, without darkness, we wouldn’t see the stars, right? This year has been plentiful…balanced… with both upset and joy. I have allowed myself to be vulnerable, and consequently have allowed a handful of wonderful people into my life, wholly. Those with whom I now have the ultimate privilege of calling my best friends… or as I otherwise refer to them; my second family. I have learnt so much this year, and one of the most valuable lessons I will now, always, carry with me is that if you suppress one feeling you are ultimately suppressing them all. Allowing yourself to accept what you are feeling in a nonjudgmental manner is the crucial ingredient to internal happiness. Furthermore, allowing external others to help you in doing so, makes the internal process all the more fulfilling! The book I am currently indulged in (The Art of Happiness), written by psychiatrist Howard Cutler, and inspired by the enlightened teachings of the Dalai Lama himself, so elegantly expresses the essence of this; ‘ While at times suffering can serve to toughen us, to strengthen us, at other times it can have value by functioning in the opposite manner- to soften us, to make us more sensitive and gentle. The vulnerability we experience in the midst of our suffering can open us and deepen our connection with others’. This year I have felt myself ‘let go’ , and through intimacy and trust, have been able to experience the purest of friendships, ones in which I will, genuinely, treasure forever. 

It’s incredible how much can change in just one year. This summer is a whole n’other story to last. I returned home last summer feeling like I had only really made one potential life long friend throughout my first year of university, this year I feel like I’ve gained a whole family. Difference is? I opened up. I let people inside my complicated little head, shared with them my most troubled thoughts and fears… and consequently, they’ve secured their own little places in my heart, rightly so.

Although I am incredibly happy to be going back home to Spain, to spend some quality time with my family, and to be receive some much needed cuddles from my puppies (eep!), I am feeling rather lost knowing that I will be spending four months away from my new found second family. Which is why I wanted my first returning post to be dedicated to them, to show my appreciation for all they have done for me, and been to me this past year, and to thank them for being the best friends I could have asked for, during not only the the good days, and the bad, but also the damn right ugly times too!

Emma,

You were that one friend, that last summer I believed could potentially be a life-long one. This summer, without a shadow of a doubt, I know you’re a keeper, and I would do anything to ensure a ‘forever friendship’ with you. I trusted you instantly, that it was pretty much instinctual. When I referred to those ‘damn right ugly times’, I was referring to those times I came to you… flood gates open, body anxiety ridden, overwhelmed and fearful. Thank you for the all too many times you’ve crawled out of bed, turned your bedroom light back on, and opened your door for me at god awful hours in the morning just to listen to me when I needed an ear or a shoulder to cry on. Thank you, for encouraging me to trust my feelings, but in also making sure that they didn’t incorrectly cloud my judgement. On a lighter note, thank you for being my partner in crime whilst intoxicated, nights out wouldn’t be nearly as fun without my hyperactive buddy by my side! Thank you for all our many laughs, in particular, the inappropriate, uncontrollable laughter in the silence of the library that made my abs sore and jaw ache. 

Lucy,

My baby girl, I love you so much. I have spent the majority of my year with your pretty little face, and I wouldn’t change a single one of those moments with you. Thank you for trusting me, and giving me all the reason in the world to trust you. You’re my go to girl when I need a cuddle, a chat or just some girly fun, and I know I can count on you with anything. Our personalities and ambitions go hand in hand, and knowing that you just get me on several levels that no-one else ever really has before makes you all the more special to me. I love our ‘alone time’ together, whether it be our sisterly sleepovers, our volunteering experiences or even our gym sessions, because it’s my individual bonding time with you. You’re such a beautiful person Lou, inside and out, and you continue to inspire me on a daily basis. Your positivity and ‘can do’ attitude is so refreshing and it really does just fill my life with exuberance. You’ve become like a sister to me, and I can’t wait to spend another year with you!

Alex,

I know I have renamed you not the most pleasant of things (Aleepoo), but you know what they say.. the sillier the nickname, the closer the bond? Bet you’re thinking, that’s not a saying Alycat… and that’s cause it wasn’t, till now! Muahaha. No, seriously you have definitely earned that awful name, because you’ve seriously been one of my main men this year. You’ve made me laugh an uncountable number of times, and I thank you for keeping a smile on my face even when I was drowning in self-pity and not wanting one there. I’m a difficult book to read, but you acknowledge when something is bothering me, and let me know that you have, so thank you for paying close attention, and understanding that I often need a prod in the right direction to speak my mind. Thank you for being concerned at the right times, for asking me if I am in need of an ear, and then being willing to listen when I do. Thank you for trusting me, I know that it takes a lot…I feel immensely privileged. Oh, and I almost forgot… thank you for being my security guard and carer when I’ve had a bit too much to drink… carrying me home, making me toast, and ensuring my head doesn’t go too far down the toilet!

Brian,

Brainy, another main man of mine! You.Crack.Me.Up.Boy. Your snapchats never fail to put the cheekiest grin on my face, and your unintentional insults just keep getting better I swear. You’re such a cheeky little rascal, that there’s never a boring moment when being your friend. Thank you for making me laugh, and for making me take a step back from ‘serious Alyssa mode’ and helping to remind me that life is short and sweet, and it doesn’t have to be as complicated as I often think it to be. I don’t know if you realise, but you’re very much a man of the present, you live in the now, and it’s honestly one of the most lovely, refreshing things for me to be around, so thank you for making things seem a little lighter, and a little brighter. P.S. Thank you for learning so many songs on the guitar for me, you know how much I appreciate that.

Beth,

My beautiful B, you get more and more beautiful each and every day, I swear. You’re such a stunning person both inside and out, and your greatest priority of keeping those around you happy is only one of your many incredibly gorgeous traits. I feel so privileged to be friends with someone as caring and genuine as you. You’re so down to earth, and your bubbly-ness is seriously contagious. Your happy go lucky vibes, and your natural ability to let those that you love know that they are loved is such a beautiful thing to both witness and experience. I am so excited to spend another year with you, because I know our friendship will continue to grow, and I can’t help but want to get to know you as much as humanely possible. Thank you, for just being your loving little self!

Sarah,

Although we haven’t spent as much time together this year as I would have liked, I understand that you have been preoccupied with other pressing matters, and can only hope that you have an incredible year next year, and that I can be a big part of making that happen! You’re a gorgeous girl Sarah, and I wish you could see that ALL of the time. Thank you for always trying to boost my confidence by complimenting me on things that I often struggle to believe in about myself. I know that you’re quite a closed person, but I hope that you never forget my door is always open if you ever need to talk.

Rob,

Toni, Erin, Sebastian, whatever it is these days that you’re being called… you’re certainly one of a kind ^^ I’ve honestly never met anybody quite as mysterious as you, and to be honest, I absolutely love it! You’re such a closed person, and I wish I could just get inside your head for a day and see what is going on up in there, but, I guess that would ruin the intrigue of Berto, so I guess I’ll have to put my curious self aside and just let you be a mystery, and enjoy our friendship in that way! Thank you for giving my life a bit of mystery, honestly, I always need a bit of mystery in my life, so I really do appreciate the fact that I have a ‘mystery man’ around. I’m so glad I’ve had the privilege of living with you this year, to get to know you little by little, and to discover your awesome sense of humour. Bring on our second year of living together! P.S. as soon as the girls and Erin have been reunited in September, Erin’s putting on her heels and makeup, and heading to revive to do some twerking, maybe even flaunt her hip thrusting on that pole??

Ben,

Two years living together now! And, I am so glad that we’ll be having a third! I’ve got to know you so much more this year, and we always have such a good time when you join us on nights out (get out those sourz shots! ^^). You always have intellectual, scientific answers to all my questions, and you’re the go to man if I need an accurate answer about something! Thank you Thank you Thank you (!) for looking after me when I sprained my ankle, you were so good (!), without you I would have had a serious panic! I’m so glad that we’ll be sharing our third year of university together! Oh, and by the way, you, Emma and I are totally the masters of the house at pre-drink shots!

Seriously, all of you, I love you so much. I know this was an incredibly cheesy post, but I wanted the whole wide w.o.r.l.d to know how amazing you all are! I hope you all have an incredible summer, because you all deserve it! I’ve only just left, but I’m already anticipating returning to you all in September!

Lots and lots of love, always,

-Alyssa xo

Our Day in Marbella

I've been looking forward to writing this post all day. 

I've been hibernating in my bedroom for what feels like an eternity (okay.. it's been two days, but still!) ... studying (two more exams to go!) my little brain away, missing Logan and in dire need of a reassuring cuddle. 

I can now finally lay all snuggled up in my cosy bed, with a flask of hot decaffeinated green tea at hand, and blog away to my hearts content. One reason why I love blogging so much is that it takes me to some place else, it takes me back to the moments that I write about, any beautiful memory of my chose. 

Right now, I want to delve into the memory of my day trip to Marbella with Logan and my family. 

I have been to Marbella a few times as a child, and with fond memories of the city, I have been wanting to go back ever since my parents moved permanently into our house in Spain last December. My good friend Olivia lives in Marbella so I actually stayed with her one night during the summer after a lovely afternoon spent lapping up the sun on the beach (I blogged about it here). But we never ventured into Puerto Banús, which is the place where I longed to go back, nor the old Marbella town which I had never visited before. 

I was so excited to go back to Puerto Banús, and to experience another side of Marbella which I had never seen before, and I was the even more so excited that I could take Logan!

Puerto Banús is a marina located to the southwest of Marbella on the Costa del Sol. One of my favourite things about Banús is being able to marvel at the beautiful boats that are docked there. I love reading the names of the boats and imagining all of the magnificent locations they would have travelled to and from.

I was so happy when I found a boat that was named after one of my favourite sayings: La Dolce Vita.. the sweet life. 

Although it was a rather cloudy day, the scenery certainly wasn't disrupted....

                                

Not only does Puerto Banús have a luxurious marina to park your boat, it's also a notorious hot spot for entertainment, expensive boutiques (you name it... bvlgari, versace, dolce & gabbana, gucci, louis vuitton... you get the gist) and fine dining. 

After gawping at all the beautiful window designs, and before heading to Marbella old town, we stopped off for some tapas (oh how I already miss you tapas..)

After, what somehow became a meal full of fried food... we headed into Marbella old town! And my golly gosh, it was gorgeous. I'm an ultimate sucker for quaint, traditional places. They just have such charm and character that it's virtually impossible for my heart not to fall in love.

                      

                        

                       

Okay, so this restaurant right here... it doesn't look like anything special in this photo, however it had this  impressive atmosphere that intriguingly seemed to ooze out onto the street and cause us to be so mesmerized that we felt the urgency to take a little sneaky peak inside.

We didn't manage to get any decent photos to really show this little treasure off to the world, because well frankly we thought it was a little awkward and rude for us to take photos without ordering any food! This is the best shot we got, it really doesn't do it any justice! It's so beautiful inside! The rooms draped with multicolored balloons, the inside areas lit with the perfect intensity of light, and the glass extension area flooded with natural light. I really want to return here one day and have the pleasure of enjoying a meal in such a stunning environment and comfortable atmosphere.

After our little unexpected detour, we continued through the graceful little streets of Marbella...

                        

                        

And we ventured into another church. This church was b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l. As i've mentioned before, I love places of worship, whether they be churches, temples, mosques, etc. Two of my favourite places in the entire world is the buddhist temple in China town in Singapore, and the Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong! I could sit in a place of worship all day long, and just enjoy it's tranquility, and beauty. 

After our stroll through Marbella old town and before bundling back into the car to head home, we came up with the marvelous idea to sit and enjoy some churros in a cute little cafe. Obviously, we made the right decision and ended the day perfectly... you can never, I repeat never (!) go wrong with churros!

Our day trip to Marbella was so wonderful, and it makes me so incredibly happy knowing that I can immerse myself in the memory of that day any time I need a little pick me up!

-Alyssa xo

Casares With My Love

The only constant thing that Logan and I ever seem to have these days are the all too familiar sights of planes, trains and automobiles, that transport us to and from our (seemingly) never settled homes. 

Although I complain quite a bit ( a bit too much) about never feeling settled, between (what feels like) my three homes (Singapore, Spain and Wales), really (deep down inside) I relish the fact that I have many homes rather than just one. Although it's never a nice feeling saying goodbye to your loved ones at the airport departure gates (with the sharing of tight hugs, and consequently... tear filled eyes), closing a door only leaves excitement for reopening it. 

I've had such a lovely time these past few weeks... in Spain with both my family and Logan, and back in Bangor (this past week) spending quality time with Logan. Logan left for the airport a few hours ago, and saying goodbye was just as hard as it always is. Even though I already feel lost and lonely without him here by my side, and although I already miss his cuddles and his laugh, more importantly I'm just grateful for yet another amazing holiday we had the chance to spend together.

A thousand more memories were made these past few weeks between Logan and I, and whilst Logan is up 30,000 feet in the sky above me, on his way across the pacific ocean, I can't think of anything more suited for me to do then to spend these first few hours of raw emotion and reminiscent state looking back on the time that we spent together, and what better way to do that then by blogging about it!

 Top on my 'to blog list'... our day trip to the beautiful Spanish village: Casares!

Casares is by far one of the most beautifully scenic places Logan and I have been to together. The view overlooking the traditional Spanish white village is gorgeous, these photos really don't do it justice!

It was quite impossible for Logan and I not to have a whale of a time in Casares with our cameras, there was just so much worth capturing.

Casares doesn't only look pretty from the outside, no sir-ee, it's incredibly charming within the village walls as well.

I can only imagine how even more beautiful this little village is at night time, when all the lamps and decorations are glistening and lighting up the quaint narrow streets that are surrounded by traditionally white, rustic Spanish walls.

We were attracted by the abstract art work of charming artist David España who had his fine work hung in a gallery in the heart of Casares. All of his work was done onto glass, which gave the art such a lovely nice touch. The paintings were all really cool, and the style was certainly very unique. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie bought a painting from this exact spot a few months back! Dad bought a painting home, and it now hangs nicely on our living room wall! 

You know what one of my favourite things to take photos of in Casares was?... Doors!... Yes that's right! Their colours and antique looks made them oh so photogenic!

We ventured up lots of stairs and hills until we finally made it to the castle ruins that overlooked it's lush surroundings.

I mean just look at that view!

Another beautiful little Spanish church. 

Once we felt we had explored Casares as best as we could, and before we jumped back in the car and headed home, we took the opportunity to have some delicious Spanish food for lunch whilst enjoying a rather spectacular view of the densely green mountains.

We had such a lovely day in Casares, and it makes me so happy thinking back to it. It's literally taken me the entire day to write this post because i've been on and off crying like a little baby since the moment I woke up this morning knowing that once Logan and I had said our goodbyes, I wouldn't be seeing him again until the summer. But now that I've finally reached the end of this post, and have been able to openly express my extremely emotional reminiscent state, by sharing with you a day that was so full of fun and happiness for both Logan and I, I feel a lot less alone. It's always the hardest part... saying goodbye, and then the hours which follow where I can't speak to Logan because he's flying away from me... it always makes me feel so lonely. I know I probably sound like a drama queen right now, but it's difficult.. being with the person you love every second of every day (literally) for almost a month, and then being forced apart knowing you won't see the other again for months to come, and you don't even know how many months it will be until you're together again.. it could be four, it could be seven. Long distance relationships are hard, but mine is so totally worth it <3

-Alyssa xo