Good evening darling Readers,

how are you today? I am currently voluntarily self-isolating at home due to the fact that I met someone who met someone who now has corona. Technically I am not required to self-isolate but fortunately I have the ability to work from home and have the possibility to order my shopping online – so I’m happy to do my part in preventing the spread.

Today I took a quick stroll down memory lane. The trigger? A friend’s birthday.

My friend turned 32 today. Now 32 isn’t exactly an exciting age. It’s not a round or even a half decade however for me and a close group of women it marks a small milestone.

16 years ago a group of 6 girls were sitting together at Pizza Hut in Torquay town centre. We were celebrating our friend’s 16th birthday. It was an exciting time for us as we had just started year 11 (final year in uniform!) and were starting to plan our careers and future. University was a word which was starting to creep up in our minds. While we were discussing life, the universe etc one of the girls suggested that we meet up again in 16 years and see what we’d be doing.

She took out a red napkin and wrote our names down and we vowed to meet up again and to see what the girls 11J would be like….

16 years later and no…we unfortunately can’t physically meet up at Pizza hut due to A) Pizza Hut actually closed down and has now been replaced by a Starbucks (I think?) and B) Corona. I find this personally a real tragedy – I am craving a Deep Pan 4 Cheese Pizza with garlic bread!

So what has happened in the 16 years?

5 out of the 6 girls are married. (Guess which one isnt…)
3 out of the 6 are now mothers
1 lives in New Zealand and 1 lives in Switzerland (me btw..)
Then school girls we are now a: doctor, solicitor, teacher, pharmacist, curriculum supporter and category manager.

I wish I could remember what I thought I was going to be in 16 years.
I do remember that I always wanted to get married and have children. Have a house with a garden. Have fun family holidays at cheesy hotels or go caravaning.

Instead I am 32. Single. Child-Free (by choice). Living in an apartment near Basel in Switzerland.
I got my bachelors degree at the Open University. I discovered a passion for cooking and photography. I’ve been to Japan 3 times! (Once alone!). I have lived in 10 different apartments and most recently I have appeared in a Swiss Health and Safety magazine – an interview about Safety Shoes.

Do I regret any of the past decisions that got me to where I was?

No – not all of them…although I do regret one.

In 2011 I was offered a job to teach English in Japan. Instead I decided to “play it safe” and stayed in Germany to take up fixed employment in an office. I wonder what would have happened if I had taken that job and moved to Osaka as planned…

On that note I wish you a great evening,

As always thanks for reading,

Laura xoxoxoxo