I’m ready to face reality: I’ve turned boring!
My adventure that is Greenland has turned into the humdrum of everyday life that is restricted by how far I can swim around in this fishbowl of a town. What do fish do? They wade through seaweed, they fight off other fish, they feed on food, and claim the waters around ‘their seaweed’ as their own. At least, I think that’s what they do – I don’t really know much about fish.
Nuuk is my Greenland, and most of what I know about the country. I have been lucky that I’ve travelled around and experienced more depth to the country, because this city is its own fortress island. Inadvertently, my own life is based on what this island community offers.
I know the city quite well, though there are parts I’ve never explored and probably never will. Within my fishbowl I have my own little corner of life. There are comforts to getting to know a place so intimately, however. I guess that’s why people have their favourite cafes, their local hangouts, their regular route around the park in their neighbourhood. Familiarity begets security, security inspires stability. Does stability suggest boring?
In one month I’m scheduled to give birth to a baby that is currently in my belly. I don’t know him or her yet, but I sure will come to get to know him when she arrives. I’m not ready, but I’m trying to prepare myself for this new start in life. Therefore, I have to convince myself that it’s ok to be ‘boring’, to enjoy the simplicities of living in a small city.
Which made me wonder, what do I enjoy about life in Nuuk right now? This is the quick list I came up with:
- Everything is reachable within 15 minutes by car, 20 minutes by public transport.
- I have friends who live within walking distance or in the block next door (I loooooooooove this!)
- I have a wonderful, diverse group of friends and support network
- There is a slow food and do-it-yourself culture in town
- The society is very family friendliness
- There is work-life balance
I didn’t even immediately think about the clean air and nature. Of course, there are many limitations to living in this fishbowl. Kids sometimes overrun the town and the bus and the swimming pool and no-one publicly asks them to consider other people; there is too much focus on life instead of work; it’s annoying that there are only four restaurants and cafes I go to now. I want more. But all in all, I think the most important thing is the high quality of life that is offered here. And I have to value this more.
So I don’t know how you’re feeling. Maybe you’re feeling stuck and bored of living your life. Maybe it means that you need to pack up your things and make a big change; maybe find another fishbowl to swim around in. Or perhaps it’s ok to feel this way, so that you can reflect upon the life that you have created for yourself, see what you love about it and focus on nurturing that sweet spot.
Either way, it’s always good to analyse your life once in awhile.
How’s your fishbowl going?
Filed under: Culture / Food in Greenland, Reflections Tagged: baby, Greenland, life, lifestyle, Nuuk, reflections