Hello from Canada!

Long time no see chat! Hope you’re having a beautiful summer and enjoying every moment of it 🌥️

I just came back from Canada, and wow, that was something. It’s fascinating how things and places change as you change. I used to live in Ottawa when I was in college. It seemed really boring to me because there wasn't much to do. 10 years later—and I’m enjoying being in Ottawa. Who would’ve thought?

Over the past 2 years, I’ve changed a lot: I started running, I started cycling, I started living a more active life. And guess what? This time I saw Ottawa from a completely new perspective: there are so many places to cycle and run that I had noticed before but wasn’t interested at the time.

This summer, I tried SUPing (stand-up paddleboarding) for the first time. Turns out, it's really fun yet challenging. The water in the lake was soooo nice and warm, a pleasant contrast to the ocean in Portugal.

I truly enjoy discovering things that challenge me. Who knows, maybe I’ll try surfing this year (I’m still a bit hesitant about the cold ocean 🥶).

I’ve spent most of my time exploring (or rather re-exploring) Ottawa. The weather wasn't great, but I still enjoyed the time I spent with my friends: we walked, we cooked, we laughed—we did a lot of things. I haven’t felt like this in a long time: content, calm, and at peace. This trip was exactly what I needed this summer.

I realized that happiness is sharing those little ordinary moments with loved ones, whether it’s a bike date with your best friend or discovering a new band together. Speaking of the latter, here’s the song I’ve been listening to lately. Hope you like it as much as I do!

So, how have you been? Have you done anything interesting or new this summer? We still have a month left, let’s make it count!

Talk to you soon,

Yulia