I tell myself it’s possible all the time, about all kinds of things. Other people have managed, why not me!

I have always wanted to travel, but our family didn’t travel. I didn’t even know anyone who travelled. I remember tracking down a school mate that I heard had gone to Europe. I stopped by his locker to hear all about it. He was the first person I knew who had gone overseas.

When I was 15, I found out about exchange programs. I conducted research, brought home brochures. I came really close to applying for one. Then my father said he just couldn’t bear the idea of my leaving home for so long. You will be gone quickly enough he said. These are our last years together.

Let me tell you what happened next. Within a few months, my father was promoted and seemingly out of the blue he was offered a position based in Athens, Greece. We were gone within weeks and my life of travel began. I went from living in a boring (to a teenager at least) suburb of Montreal to living in an exciting capital. From our home we had a view of the acropolis. I have never stopped travelling since and have lived in two other foreign countries.

This showed me that in life, everything is possible. It may not come like you expected, or look like your dreams, but the essence of it may come to you.

I tell myself it is possible all the time, no matter what the odds are, no matter if I have no idea how something can come to be.