Going abroad felt exciting at first, like stepping into a completely new version of my life. Being in Tenerife for an Erasmus exchange, surrounded by sunshine, new places, and a different routine, should have felt like everything I wanted. And in many ways, it is. But what I didn’t expect was how much I would start to miss the people who made my everyday life feel normal back in Slovenia. My friends were never something I thought about losing, because they were always just there. We have been together since the very first year of high school, growing up side by side without ever really being apart. So this distance feels unfamiliar and honestly a little weird.

Now we are on calls every day, trying to keep that same energy alive through our screens. It helps, but it also reminds me that things are not the same. We still talk about everything and nothing, just like before, but I feel the difference when the call ends and everything goes quiet again. I did not realize how much I depended on those small, everyday moments with them until they were gone. Being away, even just for a month, has made me understand how important those friendships really are.

At the same time, living here is teaching me independence and pushing me out of my comfort zone. I am learning how to balance missing home while still enjoying this experience in Tenerife. My friends and I are always making plans for when I get back to Slovenia, talking about where we will go and what we will do like no time has passed. Those plans keep me going and give me something to look forward to.

Even though this distance is temporary, it still feels heavy sometimes. But it has made me appreciate my friendships more than ever. Maybe that is what this experience is really about. Not just discovering a new place, but realizing how much the people back home truly mean to me. Maybe we needed that! ( Asinia, Mia, Lovro, Taja, Julija, Zarja 🥰🤍)