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I grew up in rural, country Victoria, amongst the red dirt and vast plains of Australia. Playing netball on the weekends and a total travel time of 10 minutes from one side of town to the other. I finished school in one of the countries busiest cities, walking to school in the shade of skyscrapers and the sound of pedestrian crossings. After graduation, I secured a well sort after job in one of only three ballet companies in the country, where days were filled with pointing and flexing muscles I’d been training my entire life. Weekends were spent exploring the nearby beaches of southern Queensland and feeling the sun and salt on my skin. So a leap into the unknown for me, started early. Always a big leap and always towards something that I had desperately wanted. A better education, that job and then the biggest leap of all, across the globe. Anyone you ever speak to about Australia will say, “It’s just so far away”. Whether you’ve been there or not, people know that 24 hours on a plane is going to be a test. Confined spaces with people you don’t know, having to sleep sitting up and the knowledge that jet lag will be your first acquaintance come landing, whether you want to see it or not. But for me, this hop, skip and a jump to a new life in Europe meant broadening my life experiences and growing as an artist that I had spent my lifetime developing. The pros far outweigh the cons and the answer was nothing but yes when offered a contract to work in an Opera House in central Germany. This leap into the unknown was set to put me outside my comfort zone, something which I had always thrived on. Awakening me to the challenge of forgiven languages and the daily cultural differences in the people from Europe compared to my fellow Aussies. Not to mention a whole new work environment and schedule. Never being one to sit still for very long, I knew that moving to Europe would open up endless travel opportunities. Growing up, my parents had taught me to save for the experiences because memories and travel stories will last a lifetime compared to anything material money could ever buy. So while this new job opportunity brought me to Europe, the idea of seeing the world enticed me the most. As a kid, being from somewhere so remote meant spending hours in a car before ever seeing populated areas or even small towns. A visit to see family for special occasions or going away on holidays meant hours on the road. Within Europe, the ability to travel only a few hours and cross borders into other countries will never get old to me. Spontaneously deciding to jump on a train, a plane or in a car, with friends or flying solo. The possibility for adventure was all encompassed within this leap. I have met and made friends all over the world and visited places I’ve always wanted to see. All while holding down a physically demanding job. But I think that is what life is, a leap into the unknown. People can tell you their experiences and how they’ve dealt with their roadblocks but no one can predict where your life will take you. The leap is having the confidence to trust yourself and the decisions you make towards propelling your life on your own path. To meet new people, see new cities and countries or taste the many cuisines of the world. Whether these decisions result for today, tomorrow or for your distant future self, it’s about believing in these decisions. Trusting that leap into the unknown will lead you somewhere truly special and worthwhile.