For example, I took a gap year in Ireland when I was 20, right after dropping out of college, and I was talking about it to a Swedish girl met there. I was acting like my life was basically over because of it, and she told me that in Sweden, it was almost weirder to be in college that young, because gap years to travel or do any kind of life experiences before going back to school is very encouraged, and it’s totally normal to only start studying around like 25 and above. It made the drama queen that I was relativize my situation.
Anything similar?
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Might not be the kind of answer you’re looking for, but anyway.
I was talking to a Ukrainian refugee. She speaks Russian as a first language so I asked her, do her parents speak Russian or what was the deal. She misunderstood my question and told me that her mum had died a year ago, and her dad was “in the occupied zone, I haven’t heard from him in five days”. All I could do was stand there like an idiot and say “I’m sorry, I really don’t know what to say”.
I had tears in my eyes for a few minutes afterwards. It just shocked me. I had been reading about the war for months like anyone else, but it suddenly hit me that this was actually happening. Like, my dad is there at home, safe and sound, and her’s is miles away, she doesn’t even exactly know where, fighting the Russian army. Add that to actually losing her mother only a year ago.
And there I am complaining about the high prices. Sure, we have problems in Ireland, but life is pretty fucking good compared to a lot of places. It suddenly shook me into realising how lucky I am.