The Power of: Saying Yes (when you feel like saying no)

If you can preface a travel post by saying "I'll never forget that moment when..." then you know you're doing something right.

I've had these photos saved in a draft blog post since I first blogged about Switzerland in early 2017, but I knew that this profound personal experience deserved something more than just a visual diary. 

As you may recall, my first stop after arriving in Europe was Zurich, something that was not on the top of my bucket list. On the second day of being in the city, we visited my friend's friend who had relocated there for of her husband's job. I still remember that anxiety and discomfort of going to a stranger's home and meeting someone new for the first time. If only I was better at saying no, I thought. Given that we were only there for a few days, I could've explored the city on my own instead of tagging along to my friend's catch up. I kept this internal turmoil to myself (as always) and tried my best to socialise. 

The next day, my friend said she was planning to meet up with her friend and her three kids again to go swimming. The discomfort of meeting someone new has slightly faded after the first encounter, but I still felt like an outsider tagging along (and the thought of having to be in my swimwear gave me the sweats). I imagined myself going all the way to Zurich to swim in a YMCA pool. But again, I decided to say yes and went along. 

As you can see from these photos, saying yes gave me an experience that I never expected to have.

We all ended up hopping into the car and drove to Walensee, located about an hour outside of Zurich. When we got there, we took a cable car up the mountain. 

Holy freaking moly. It was one of the best views of nature that I've ever seen. 

Once we got off the cable car, we walked along a few paths until we reached a picnic area. Insane greenery and mountain views greeted us at every turn - I couldn't believe that this place was so easily accessible to the people who lived there. We spent the afternoon drinking fresh glacier water and picking (and eating) wild blueberries. 

By the time we went back down the mountain, I had won over the three kids and we were playing together on the play equipment (which just casually had an expansive view of the Swiss countryside) and swimming in the glacial lake. By saying "yes", I got to venture to a part of Switzerland that I didn't know about and experience what the locals get to enjoy.

From that moment on and all throughout my exchange, I decided to say yes more often (even when I really felt like saying no). Once I started consciously saying yes, I became more aware of how often I felt like saying no. This most often occurred in social events when I didn't know anyone well (like birthday parties), or when I just didn't feel like going out. Despite the fact that I am an introvert, I realised that this fear (that turns into a 'NO') had been stopping me from unique and enjoyable experiences. 

So here's to saying YES (assertively in capital letters) more often, even when you feel like saying no. Learn to be mindful of when the irrational fear wants to take over and stop you from having a good time. Say to it, "thanks, but I'm just going to feel the fear and do it anyway", and enjoy every unique experience.

Botanical Garden at the University of Zurich

As I edit these images shot way back when I was in Zurich, I'm trying to articulate my love of botanical gardens. 

This was my first European botanical garden (the second was in Madrid). Botanical gardens are easy for me to blog about because I don't want to do too much to the images - no over-editing or post-editing; just let the images speak for themselves. The details of every different species of leaves and flowers faithfully captured by my Olympus. I think what I find attractive is that a botanical garden is a highly organised and planned collective human ode to nature. A thousand species are gathered from all over the world and carefully cultivated in one space, living in harmony via measured and precise living conditions. Greenhouse domes are built to allow maximum European sun whilst the plants thrive in an artificial humidity. The patterns that plants make are intoxicating to stare at. At every corner I find a new surprise of species unknown. How amazing it is to stand in a microcosm of what the natural world has to offer.

Address: Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zurich (entry is free)
For more information, visit here.

In the city of Zurich

On the 21st August, I hopped on a plane in Sydney to embark on a five and a half month study abroad journey that would...you know it...change my life. 

After landing in London, my first stop on the 22nd August was Zurich. Zurich was originally not on my list of places to see. Like every wide-eyed tourist on their first trip to Europe, I was thinking Iceland! Amsterdam! Italy! I barely knew anything about Zurich except that it was a small city of Swiss watches and chocolates. In the end, I decided to tag along with my friend, thinking it was better to explore a place with someone than to not travel at all.

Zurich turned out to be a charming city (where everyone was very, very attractive). To be honest, the food was expensive and nothing special (although I did try my first beef tartare there), but the stunning blue views and clear water more than made up for it. Even in summer, snow-capped alps dot the Swiss skyline. We spent a lot of time eating and walking along the water, watching a curious mix of business expats and attractive locals going about their daily lives. 

How surreal it was to suddenly be in a whole new country so far away from home!