Dear reader,

birds chirping on the trees, water rippling down the mountain, the wind is brushing through the trees and you feel the warmness of the sun shining on your face. Spring is starting and with it a new Voices edition full of inspiration and ideas.

Spring for me is a time to reconnect with nature and being outside, but also a time full of inspiration, reflection and surprises. Thoughts, fantasies and feelings are especially strong or more clear in nature – because you are connecting with yourself as well as your surroundings, your mind is free and you don’t have to live up to too many expectations.

Coming to Macedonia I didn’t really have much expectations or things set that I wanted to do. For once, I wanted to surprise myself and not put too much pressure on me. Maybe I was lying to myself a bit, because obviously I wanted to make new experiences, enjoy my time and grow. However, as an often overthinking person I think this was a good mindset to start this time with. My plan was to just go with the flow and see where it takes me. I definitely did not expect the place where I am now, but it most certainly is a beautiful place with its own positive and negative sides and an amazing journey here.

Going with the flow is also a way of trusting yourself and sometimes others, because you believe wherever you end up, you will be fine. Imagine yourself sitting in a boat. Of course, sometimes you have to take the paddle in the hand – either to slightly adjust the direction or take a 90 degrees turn. However, sometimes when something is good, it can also be good to see where the stream is taking you and it just might even take you to a nice and unexpected place. So, get on board and trust the boat or use the paddle – however you want, it’s up to you!

Maike Seuffert