BREXIT from the perspective of the EU citizen living in the UK

I went to sleep at 6am on 24^th of June devastated and in disbelief. It was the morning Brexit has happened. I don’t think I was ever so interested or involved in some political story. Brexit would have been a strong disappointment regardless for being so personal.

While most of my friends were Remain team one of them was strongly for Leave. One of the things he asked me in our debates is why I take it so personally because it’s nothing personal. If I am from the EU country and living in the UK and people who are voting leave because they want less immigration from the EU then it is personal. If I wouldn’t be in the UK in the first place if it wasn’t part of the EU because I wouldn’t be able financially then it is personal. If most of the Leave campaign is proclaiming beliefs such as opposite from mine like spreading xenophobia then it is personal. If the Leave supporters are against immigration and most of my friends including me are immigrants then it is personal. If it will affect my future prospects for finding a job and settling in the UK then it is personal.

Even if I lived on the Antarctica and was never in the EU or the UK and never intended to go if I am an informed individual who knows what Brexit implies I would be furious. It is a decision made mostly because of uninformed public, lenient young people who although are in favour of staying were to lazy to actually go out and vote in the referendum and elderly who was led by nationalism, emotions and ‘give us our good old days back’ way of thinking. Still the fact is the majority of young people realise how bad the decision of leaving the EU was and are deeply saddened by the outcome. According to polls even 1 million of people who were in favour of leaving are now regretting their choice after they heard certain lies and realised how misinformed they were. This referendum shows how flawed democracy can be. It also shows how propaganda and nationalism card still works.

I took this photo the day before Brexit, in Islington, an area of London that voted 75.2% in favour of remaining within the EU

Blaming immigrants for economic problems is always popular. Polarisation of the society and having us and them was a constant through human history. It is always easy to blame others. In Nazi Germany people were voting for Hitler because Jews were represented as the problem for poor economic situation, they were the others. Although I know it’s an extreme example, unfortunately the current situation in the whole Europe not just in the UK resembles a lot of those dark times of our history. Through the whole continent the right wing parties are getting into the power. In Spain, Sweden, Austria etc. Islamophobia is on the rise. Blaming others is the news agenda constantly. Us and them. Brexit just gave wings to xenophobic Europe. It just deepened problems on the already troubled continent. In the post Brexit week there were many cases of verbal abuse towards Polish immigrants who are the biggest minority of EU citizens living in the UK. And one of my best friends in London is Polish, so how it is not personal?

I am aware of the fact that I am maybe biased and I can see some of the sensible reasons that go in favour for Brexit, and I think there are many people whose Leave vote I can respect but I truly believe that looking into the larger picture that was a mistake. From economical point it destabilised the UK and the whole EU. It brought uncertainty and risk. From social point it has given the approval to racists. Status quo wasn’t perfect but nothing is. And status quo can only be changed by working on it not by running away from it.

Although I was always interested in politics I never felt such discomfort because of a political act. And I am coming from Croatia. The country that had a war 26 years ago. The country that was facing many political issues and still does. The country that is far from having a stable political situation. I suppose the reason why all of the chaos that was happening in Croatia never really touched me to this extent is because I was never a foreigner in Croatia. I am a Croatian citizen. And although I feel like home in England Brexit was the first time I realised that regardless of my feeling, on the paper and legally I am a foreigner. An immigrant. And in that position I feel so much more fragile in the post Brexit scenario than I would feel in any even worse political situation if I still lived in Croatia. But that doesn’t stop me from continue doing everything in my power to build my future in the city of my dreams. They say London will lose so much because of Brexit as it will not be the financial capital of Europe anymore, to be honest I don’t care that much about the financial side of it. For me London is what it is because of the feeling it gives me, because of the people I met there, and memories I created and there is no way anything can change that especially not something as trivial as the fact the city will lose a bit of its economical influence.

London may not remain in the EU but my home will remain in London. Maybe I am an immigrant legally speaking but my sense of belonging and my love for the place cannot be measured in legal terms. Maybe I am an idealist but I believe if I continue to work hard and if I continue to build myself professionally the best as I can every city will be happy to have me and every country, so I don’t think anybody will kick me out from my home.

PAINTING THE MODERN GARDEN

Spring came earlier to Royal Academy of Arts this year as its rooms are filled with flowers due to current exhibition Painting the Modern Garden: From Monet to Matisse. It is on until 20 April so don’t miss the opportunity to check out some of the most important Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Avant-Garde artists of the early twentieth century.

Through the paintings of great masters of impressionism we can see what kind of role the gardens were playing in art from 1860s until 1920s.

French impressionist Claude Monet was the most important painter of gardens in the art history. Journalist Maurice Guillemot after interviewing him in 1897 said about the painter: “He reads more catalogues and horticultural price lists than articles on aesthetics.” Monet himself once admitted that he owns his paintings to flowers.

Although the most recognized one, Monet was not the only painter of Modern Garden. This exhibition explores alongside his work also some significant work by Renoir, Cezanne, Pissarro, Manet, Sargent, Kandinsky, Van Gogh, Matisse, Klimt and Klee. For these artists painting garden was the new way of changing the world around them. It was part of the new movement in the art world.

The collection of work gathered for this exhibition is incredible. Monet’s Agapanthus Triptych is specially enduring. Three wonderful pieces are united especially for this exhibition and it makes a remarkable sight. Each of them individually is an outstanding piece of art but to see them together in the same room is even more impressive.

Except the fact that the exhibition collects so many great masterpieces and explores the art movement of the time the way it is curated is excellent. There are real gardens underneath the glass exhibited as an addition to the artwork. Also inside of one of the rooms in RA there is the whole new room built to make more space for the paintings.

It is also interesting to look at Monet’s horticultural books and journals and receipts that document his plant purchases that are also exhibited as a part of the exhibition. In the words of Gary Tinterow his dedication to gardens make him achieve by 1910 “a completely new, fluid, and somewhat audacious style of painting in which the water-lily pond became the point of departure for an almost abstract art.”

This exhibition shows innovation and drastic change in the approach to art. Colourful rooms of RA filled with Modern Gardens is a must see for every art lover and beyond. Visitors are not only enlightened by some of the biggest masterpieces of modern art but also provided with deeper understanding of how gardens served as source of inspiration for the painters.

REGENT’S CANAL WALK

Walk near the Regent’s Canal from Hoxton to Islington is one of my favourite Sunday morning routines. I’m usually going there to meet my friend for brunch. Last Sunday the day was grey and it made it even more magical and inspiring. Cold breeze didn’t stop me from taking my hands out of pockets to take photos.

I like how at first sight the vibe of the place is a bit rough. It’s not visually appealing in a conventional way as there are many council buildings alongside and graffiti that are not an actual representation of street art, more just random scrabbles.

There is also this other side of gentrification as many new modern properties are built in this mostly council estate area and that makes an interesting mixture. It is East London in a nutshell in a way.

While you are walking you often have to make space for cyclists. There is also a lot of people jogging. Families with children are spending their day off near the canal. Friends are brunching in trendy cafes that are also part of the scenery. The atmosphere is peaceful and cheerful.

There are many inhabited boats. I always wonder how these people must be interesting eccentrics as they decided to live on a boat in central London and what are their reasons. But I suppose it’s maybe just because it’s too expensive to rent a place on the ground. Even in those council looking buildings that preserved the primal sentiment of East London.

HOW HAS GAUDI TRANSFERRED BARCELONA FROM 19TH CENTURY INTO INFINITY?

I love Spain and all the cities I have visited so far in that amazing country (Madrid, Toledo and Bilbao) were inspiring but none of them I found as wonderful as Barcelona. The city was on my ‘must see’ list for a while and I’m happy to say I have finally had opportunity to visit it.

The city has wide streets, imposing buildings, lively atmosphere and warm climate. It has a beautiful old town, with an impressive Cathedral, the beating heart of the city, famous Las Ramblas is full of people at any time od the day and Barceloneta is a picturesque area with narrow streets and many nice fish restaurants. All that is already fulfilling the formula of a beautiful European city. So why is Barcelona still more impressive than most of the cities I have visited so far?

Antoni Gaudi is a wizard whose magic spell has created the city that is above the average Mediterranean metropolis due to breath taking pieces of architecture he has created. Seven of his works were declared World Heritage by UNESCO and majority is set in Barcelona. I had the chance to visit Park Guell with his sculptures, house called La Pedrera and famous church Sagrada Familia.

I wanted to visit Park Guell for a long time as the Doors were the most important band in my formative years. I always liked lizards in any form because they are the main motive of some of their most popular songs and Jim Morrison was often refereeing to himself as the ‘Lizard King’. Sculpture of lizard is the most impressive part in the park but the park as a whole is beautiful. A green oasis on the hill with a mesmerising view on Barcelona with Gaudi’s artwork certainly met my expectations.

La Pedrera is a modernist building and Gaudi’s last civil work that he built between 1906 and 1910. It is an innovative piece of architecture and it curvy lines on the outside imitate nature. Gaudi is often called the architect of nature, as nature within religion was the main source for his work. The roof of the building is particularly interesting because there are different sculptures that look like surrealistic soldiers and are made to hide the chimneys so he managed to combine practical and aesthetic value. I visited the house in the evening so I had the opportunity to see special night show of lights and music on the roof. Sculptures were illuminated with different motives from the nature and acoustics that were reproduced created an almost ‘out of space’ atmosphere.

Sagrada Familia is with no doubt the biggest masterpiece and probably the most impressive church I have ever seen. The way how it looks like from the outside is well known and although it was fantastic to finally see it live I was more impressed when I stepped inside the building. It looks like a step into the future. It reminded me of some films with futuristic script and surreal scenery like Avatar. Gigantic pillars in the shapes of the palm trees, vivid colours on the stained glass mirrors and beautiful vast area that looks so modern in 2015 makes it hard to believe that Gaudi became involved in building it in 1883. It is a never ending project not only because it’s an ambitious task to finish technically but also because Gaudi’s wish was that it has to be built only from the donations. It is estimated that it will be finished by 2030.

The emotion that went through me when I first saw it from the inside was similar to what I felt when I first saw Eiffel Tower, or when I landed in New York City after my first airplane ride ever or when I first visited my biggest love London. Travelling is my huge passion and in most of the places I visit I find something interesting and worth to see but rarely I feel such strong emotions as in those couple of occasions.

Gaudi was not only an architectural genius he was also a visionary. He said 120 years ago when tourism didn’t exist in the form as it is now and people weren’t travelling to Barcelona that Sagrada Familia belongs to people from all over the world and that people from all over the world will be visiting it. We can see today how he was right because it is a place of great interest for the people from all around the globe who are visiting it daily and by buying tickets helping Gaudi to finish his project in the way he wished – donations from everyone for the place for everyone.

Gaudi wasn’t before his time in the era he was living in, if he was alive today he would still be so much ahead. His genius did not only take Barcelona into the future with inventive ideas and unique architectural approach, it gave to the city the charm that made it so different than any other place I have seen so far and it created a pieces of universal value that will last forever.

SHOREDIFICATION OF ELEPHANT

Elephant and Castle is changing. A wider generation program has been introduced by Southwark Council to gentrify the whole area.

Similar thing was happening in Shoreditch 20 years ago. It is an area of London known for its change due to gentrification.

My friend Alice and me were exploring on the example of  Shoreditch what will potentially happen in Elephant after the redevelopment.

Check out our video about it:

ACRE TARN AT SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS

The electronic music duo Acre Tarn has brighten up the London evening for the second time in the first week of November with their wonderful performance at Servant Jazz Quarters. The small underground bar in Dalston was a great venue for this intimate gig.

Anna Louisa Ethernigton is the founder of the project and the lead singer and songwriter, originally from Lake District and her style reminds of another musicians from north of England – Ladytron. The vibe and the beats have similarities in its experimental pop approach.

Etherington’s vocal skills are impressive and she passes the almost spiritual energy of her art to the audience with the moves, gestures and dancing. The audience was dived into her outstanding performance and the whole atmosphere was fantastic.

She has performed some of her most famous tracks such as Vampire that is an unusual experiment of the sounds and lyrics, then Wishing Bone and Lanterns as the typical examples of her work with the powerful beats and fresh sounds. Skeleton Key was especially mesmerising with its long instrumental intro and interesting chorus.

Etherington introduced her new single Dawn Faces that was more explosive and louder than her previous tracks. She is also suggesting how she has grown and progressed in her music with the line “Raise our arms outstretched, we are not children anymore.”

The melodies of Acre Tarn songs are dreamy and light yet powerful and loud. It attracts the listener with this contrast of beats and sounds. It also relaxes the audience, as its appeal is tender and whimsical.

With this gig Acre Tarn created an atmosphere where it was hard to stay indifferent. The overall emotion that was coming through their songs immersed the audience deeply into their wonderful soundscape.

WHITE BALLOONS IN COVENT GARDEN

French artist Charles Pétillon filled Covent Garden Market with 100,000 white balloons. The installation will be held from 27th August until 27th September. The Heartbeat installation is his latest in Invasions series in which he uses white balloons to fill spaces.

Pétillon said:”Each balloon has its own dimensions and yet is part of a giant but fragile composition that creates a floating cloud above the energy of the market below. This fragility is represented by contrasting materials and also the whiteness of the balloons that move and pulse appearing as alive and vibrant as the area itself.”

Although Covent Garden is always lively this installation made place even more energetic than usual. White balloons are nice refreshment and decoration for 19th century Market building. The place is full of people taking selfies with the   installation and lots of street performers are roaming around. In spite of the autumn on our doorstep, today’s atmosphere in Covent Garden resembled more of a spring season with all the noises, freshness of the place and sunshine that was surrounding the building.

SHOREDITCH ART SCENE

Shoreditch is an area in the East End of London and its growing popularity does not seem to stop. It is the creative part of London, full of street art, trendy bars and art galleries with unusual exhibitions. But it was not always like that. An artist and upcoming actor originally from Belfast but based in London, in his mid twenties, Alex Peter says: “It’s incredibly trendy. It is cool, there’s a lot of little jobs around, there’s good fashion, people focus on fashion…But 5 years ago, this was like – no one ever came here…”

Shoreditch is without any doubt an interesting and exciting place to be, especially for young people engaged in creativity. There are a lot of opportunities for people who want to show their talent. Art galleries are an important part of Shoreditch and one that is definitely worth a visit is Hoxton Art Gallery. It always hosts interesting exhibitions and the current one shows artworks that were through history promoting famous spirit brand Campari. We can see some of the first examples of modern advertising in the gallery as Alex Peter explained. He was hired from the gallery to talk about the artworks at the night of the opening of the exhibition. Marcello Dudovich’s (1878-1962) Bitter Campari Ad that shows a man and a woman kissing to sell a brand is in his opinion the most remarkable piece at the exhibition and an invention for its time(1921). Peter says: “It is pretty much the back bone of modern advertising.” Dudovich was an Italian painter and illustrator and his work is significant part of the exhibition.

It is impossible not to notice colourful walls while walking the streets of Shoreditch and that is another important part of its scene. There is a lot of work by anonymous artists but also the world’s most famous graffiti painters brushed their skill alongside some of the busiest streets like Great Eastern Street and Shoreditch High Street. Amara Por Dios is a prominent Swedish artist based in London and we can see many of her interesting work alongside Great Eastern Street.

There are also some examples of famous Banksy’s work around this vibrant area. Although work by these famous artists is remarkable there is a lot of anonymous’ pieces that is hard not to notice with the equal interest. Artwork of an unknown artist Let’s adore and endure each other in the combination with trains above that are not in use anymore, is so typically Shoreditch – edgy and creative in its nature.

Some people say that there is a lot of fake art and many people pretending to be artists, that Shoreditch tries too hard to be different and that its trendiness will last only for a short period of time, and some of it might be true. But it does not apply only to Shoreditch, fake art can be found anywhere and in spite of the fact that not everything is genuine most of the area is cool, amusing, art galleries host great exhibitions, it is the leading area considering street art and a great place to be if you are a young professional interested in creative businesses.

Interview with Alex Peter about his perspective on Shoreditch and some insights about the current exhibition at Hoxton Art Gallery:

WANDERLUST

I have always felt that the term wanderlust describes my personality very good. It is defined as a strong desire to travel and explore the world.

I have always been curious about the world. I love reading about different countries and the ones that most often take my attention are some far away, unknown places with beautiful nature and exotic culture.

“Travelling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” That famous quote is something I truly tend to live by. I think that to spend money to go to some interesting destination is the money best spent. It fulfils you more than anything, it changes you and it educates you. Knowledge that you gain from it is something no one can ever take away from you as opposed to any material good.

I like to take notes and photos of my travels to remember them afterwards more vividly. Although I love photography and it is a great way to keep your memories photo can never evoke the true feeling of the place. Its senses, its colours, its atmosphere, these are the things that can only be experienced if you are physically present there. That is one of the main reasons why travelling is so important. Because documentaries on TV about foreign countries, articles in the magazines and beautiful photos can be interesting but they will never let you to fully experience the beautiful feeling of being actually there.

In the words of Mark Twain: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” Travel is definitely essential for broadening the horizons of the individual. A lot of times people have very stereotypical and narrow minded views of certain countries and when they visit them for the first time they completely change their mind and see how wrong they were. It lets us to meet the cultures much better then listening about them on the news etc.

I think meeting people is in general good way of meeting a culture so it is important when travelling not to do it in a typical touristic way and only sightseeing the famous buildings and museums but also to talk with local people, be interested in their lifestyle and points of view. That is the only way to truly meet and experience the country and its costumes.

Of course that lack of money and time can be an inevitable problem but there are cheap ways of travelling. It is possible to find plane tickets with low cost companies and to stay in affordable hostels and if you put travelling as one of the priorities in your life you will always find a spare time, at least a week in a year. The world we are living in is full of amazing nature, beautiful architecture, art and beauty in many forms and it is a pity not to explore it as much as possible.

INTERVIEW WITH TINKA

I am very pleased that I had the opportunity to interview lovely Tinka Kalajzic, a passionate traveller who comes from the same town as me.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself – how old are you, where have you grow up, what consists your formal education (universities you attended etc.) My name is Tinka and I’m a 27 year old girl born in Rijeka, Croatia. I have a bachelor degree in Cultural Studies, and a master degree in Communication science. I also had a chance to finish music high school where I was playing piano.

When have you started to feel “travel bug”? Have you travelled as a child, as a student or you’ve started in more mature age? I wasn’t traveling so often when I was a kid… We would sometimes go to shorter trips, but most of them were in Croatia. Five years ago I started travelling around Europe quite often with my friends from the college. And three years ago I started traveling by myself.

How many countries have you visited so far? I had a chance to visit 32 countries so far. Even though that number maybe sounds exciting, it is just a 15% of all the world countries. So… I guess I still have a lot of places to travel to!

What possessions do you always have with you while travelling? I try to pack as light as I can… But I always do have my camera, laptop, a little bit of clothes, toothbrush, some cash and, apparently, passport with me.

What inspired you to have first solo travel and where was it? Do you have a family member or a friend who travelled a lot and you were inspired by her/his stories – do you have any kind of role model or external inspiration to start travelling or is it all coming from inside you and your personality? At one point I realised I really wanted to try it out by myself. When you overcome all you fears, and realise you can take care of yourself, that amazing feeling of liberation and freedom is not possible to describe with words. My first solo adventure was my trip to South-East Asia; Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. I follow some stories of people in Croatia who are traveling a lot, but I wouldn’t consider them my role models. The do inspire me with their photos and stories for sure.

Did your first solo travel affected your upcoming trips and changed you in the terms that you maybe found it better to travel by yourself and can you describe how different do you find it – being on your own in a new country vs. being in a group of friends or a friend for example? After landing in Bangkok alone for the first time I’ve experienced my first panic attack. And there was no one to say: “Hey, keep calm! Everything is going to be ok…” … So, I guess you just have to find a way to deal with all the problems and don’t expect someone else is going to take care of it… But, on the other hand – no more compromises, no more fights, no more situations where you have to be in a certain place just because the group you are travelling with is there, even though you would much rather be somewhere else… It all has its pros and cons.

You probably meet a lot of new people and you form new friendships with people on your travels. Have you met someone who had a great influence on you and with whom you’ll stay friend for life although you went on different paths at some point on your trips? I have met so many inspiring people, and luckily – thanks to the virtual world and technology – I stay in touch with them on regular basis. They all influenced my life, some of them more, some of them less… But I feel super grateful to have friends all over the world, and I cannot wait to visit some of them again soon.

I saw from your blog that you worked in Canada? How have you found that experience? Would you advise young people from your country to go there in an attempt for better life in economical terms as we know situation in Croatia is not the best considering employment? Yes, I would suggest working holiday visas to everyone. It is a great experience, and I believe that anyone could learn a lot from it. In some moments it could be a little bit demotivating, since you come to a new country with a certain level of education. The main mistake people do in those kinds of situations is “having expectations”. No! That is completely wrong. You have to be super humble, and ignore in a way the fact you spent years and years studying something… I guess you have to be aware of your “immigrant status” and consider starting something from the zero. If you are patient enough, you will find your way to work it out in a direction you want it. How do you finance your travels? I work like crazy for couple of months. No private life, 19h work days, no spending money, focusing only on work… After that I’m free and relaxed for at least a year.

Do you use couch surfing? Are you staying in hostels? Unfortunately, the fact that I am a girl who is travelling alone limits me in using some services like couch surfing for example… I’ve regretted not being born as a man a lot of times, but there is not much I could do regarding that. I try to be careful as much as I can be. Most of the times I’m staying in hostels what I find amusing. I often meet a lot of travellers that way. Super inspiring people that come up with some new, crazy plans… So I often change my route after meeting some people that I click with.

I saw on your blog that you lived in Costa Rica in an old bus that you decorated and I personally found that amazing – really inspiring and cool. Can you describe that experience and how did you come out with that idea? And for how long have you lived there? Also, I’ve noticed that you’re very fond of Costa Rica – what exactly do you like so much about that country? Yes, one of my life dreams came true and I was living in a bus from 1974 called Karina. Converting a bus into a tiny living space to me always sounded so much fun. You can customise everything just the way you want. In small spaces you can change a lot with a very small amount of effort and if you have a creative idea, it doesn’t take much to make it happen. Matt, the owner of the bus, did pretty much everything; cleaned up, removed the rust, painted the inside white, built a nice and cozy bed, built a locker, made a little kitchen with propane tank, built shelves and a table, hangers for the clothes, lights and roof over it. I was just doing the touch ups, gifting Karina some colour + flower power & making her look warmer and cosier. I remember hanging out in my underwear all day long, looking like a crazy hippie; covered in paint and having messy hair 7 days in a row. But it was magical! I spent a month and a half there, but than I had to move on… It was really hard for me to leave Karina and Costa Rica. That is a country I connected with the most. It is beautiful! Jungle + sea + beaches + mangos + iguanas + monkeys + coconuts + yoga + surfing… I felt true happiness there that came out of living such a simple life with not a lot of materialistic things. Good energy and sunshine can make miracles.

Do you have your favourite place on earth and why if you do? Not really sure if I found one yet, but Santa Teresa in Costa Rica is definitely close… A magical place! I have to go back for sure! How long have you travelled through Central America and can you describe the general vibe of those countries? Some of them are known as dangerous – have you personally experienced something unpleasant there? I spent around eight months there. It was one of my favourite travels so far… Guatemala is the most colourful country I have ever been. I love it! Nicaragua is fun, but not super safe… Mexico is pretty dangerous as well, but really interesting. This is the first time I was close to experiencing some pretty dangerous situations, but luckily, I would get away with them in the last second.

While travelling, what kind of food do you prefer to eat? Do you like to try local tastes and what country has in your opinion the best cuisine that you tried? Even though most of the times every one will advise you not to eat street food. “It is not safe, you will get food poisoning!” … I do not agree with that. I tried some of the best food on the streets of Thailand. Yuuum! I believe they have the best cuisine I tried so far

It is said that people are different around the world, yet the same – do you find that true? Have you found significant differences in people from different cultures and if you have what would it be? Where have you found the most friendly people? Well, I guess that is true… Although, I would say people in Europe for example are more focused on material possessions and they are chasing certain things to rich the feeling of success… On the other side, people living in the villages of Laos are super happy not owning a lot. Their definition of success and happiness is completely opposite than the one that people in more developed societies have. But, you cannot really generalise on that level. From my opinion, Icelandic people are really friendly!

Do you hang out a lot with locals and what languages are you speaking? Have you learned new languages thanks to exploring the world? I love hanging out with locals, and I believe that is the best way of learning a language. Since I was living in USA and Canada, I improved my English vocabulary. I had opportunity to learn Italian in the school, so I did not have a lot of problem with learning Spanish. French is a language I would like to improve for sure, and Icelandic was a really tough one since you cannot really compare it to anything else. Right now I am in a phase of learning Hindi.

I’ve noticed that you also attend and work on a lot of music festivals? Do you have a favourite festival and what is your main work there? Yes, I love music festivals. They are so colourful, exuberant, vibrant and happy! Canada has a lot of good ones; Shambhala, Bass Coast, Astral Harvest, Luminosity… I guess my favourite is Burning Man that happens every year in Nevada. It is totally crazy and amazing!

Your next trip is India. How come that you have chosen it as your next destination? I was thinking about India for couple of years already! I’ve heard so many interesting stories and a lot of people told me they have a feeling I will enjoy it a lot. How long will you stay there and what do you expect from a new adventure? I have a 6 months visa, so I think I should have enough time to explore certain things there. I expect learning, evolving and capturing many colourful moments.

Which parts of India are you planning to visit and will you also go to some surrounding countries, for example Nepal? I will start with Mumbai. Head down South and visit Goa for a bit. Continue South and reach Kerala at one point. Than, when it gots warmer I’ll slowly start going North. I wanna visit Rajasthan… The sacred cities Varanasi and Rishikesh sound like amazing places. I am really excited about all that!  Nepal and Sri Lanka also sound interesting, but I’ll see how my Indian story will develop. India is a pretty big country, so I’ll focus on that for the beginning.

And for the end, 2 cliche questions that I assumed a lot of people already asked you – do you plan to settle in one place one day or you see yourself as a traveller for life? And do you have suggestions for people who would like to see the world but don’t know how? I believe that I’ll have problems with getting rid of my travel bug… And I don’t see myself living in the same place for a longer time. My curiosity about the rest of the world is too strong, and I guess I am going to continue exploring as long as I can. I would like to try explaining people that it is not so complicated to live that kind of lifestyle. Once you get rid of the fears and start organising your financial situation, everything will start working out. The ones who really want to go out there and experience the world – they can find the way… They’ll save up the money somehow even though that would require of them to stop smoking, spending money on booze every weekend, buying new clothes or eating in restaurants. There is always a way if you want something bad enough. And life is to short to spend it living the life you are not really enjoying, and waiting for some better time to do something that would really fulfil you!