Ready for take off
Excited, scared, enthusiastic, doubts, a bit nervous and tired, but more over emotional. Is it possible to feel all these emotions at the same time? Apparently yes! Strange to be standing a day before my departure and a lot of emotions are holding me back; what have I done? What are my expectations? What am I looking for?
This journey is a confrontation with myself, how do I shape and create my new life? Therefore I added the slogan on my camper where are you heading? Sometimes I don’t know. Just trying to do my best every new single day and remain positive and optimistic.
I can honestly say, from the bottom of my heart, that a grieving process is tough, it’s not only working on the entire administrational process after losing your partner, moreover working on yourself. I never thought that a grieving process would touch on every element of my life, emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally. You have to reinvent yourself, and that’s a huge challenge.
To do list
Preparing a journey requires a lot of preparation, and I wanted to leave a few weeks early, but then Covid hit me. At least I can take that off my to-do list :-)
Proud
The past weeks have been intense, I was selected as a semi finalist speaker for the Nordic Business Forum, by sharing my personal story online. I didn’t make it until the finals, but I was honored because this is already a huge achievement. Only 10% of all speakers get this far. I was a bit proud of myself!
Oh yes, and I was selected as one of the game changers of the meeting and event industry by Kongress Magazine. Fantastic to receive another great compliment for my work together with my team.
Poland, here I come
Despite all the doubts, I’m leaving of course. Not only do I have doubts, this is on a different level, also my surroundings who would call me ‘more or less’ insane to go now, on exactly this moment, to Poland. They even ask my father what he thinks of the planning of his daughter. And he says, it will be fine! Thanks dad for your support.
Well, I do know for the MICE industry it’s the perfect moment to go to Poland, to support the country to show it’s safe and moreover to support the suppliers of meeting and event industry with my knowledge and experience. I am grateful that I can do this and honestly, if I hear the stories from the locals, the country needs it.
My schedule
I will leave on Thursday, spending 2 nights in Germany at a friend's place, and heading directly towards my first destination, Poznan in Poland.
After? I don't know yet. besides that I will be in Wroclaw from 19 to 21 April and from 26 to 28 April in Warsaw. I am also planning to visit:
Gdansk
Lodz
Krakow
The rest is open …
Follow the journey on the blog and social media #mariskajourney. Send me messages and questions what would you like to know about my journey and Poland.
My best buddy
Of course, next to all my emotions, I am also looking forward to my journey. And I’m not traveling alone, I decided to take my best buddy since 11 years with me, Loekie. I couldn’t get over my heart to leave my cat alone, again, as I did when I moved abroad to the US. What does she think about her new adventure? The only way to get an answer is to start my journey!
Travel
The parts where I am looking forward to the most are seeing my (industry) friends and team back after such a long time. And next, despite the fact that I will work as usual… perhaps even more than I will do now… I still remain a busy bee…. I am looking forward to enjoying the weekends in a different environment. Due to the entire situation I haven’t been on a holiday for years, and looking forward to exploring and discovering a new area, strolling around in a city and going out for a walk, tasting different food, and enjoying being outside.
Giving back
And besides being busy with my preparation for my journey, and my business, the other projects continue in the back:
create an official association (patiëntenvereniging) for patients and their brain tumors
first steps to support the entrepreneurs with a kick start program
Both projects are close to my heart, and will take off this year. And I’m not alone, great to have the support of passionate people!
So yes, despite all the doubts, hesitations, uncertainties, and emotional moments, I still continue with my journey. And of course Christophe will join me in my heart, in every step of my new life.
See you in Poznan and Poland …