Just Another Millenial Travel Blog

Those blurry days in between years, when time does not seem to properly exist, are my space for reflection, and in case this might bore you, for some self-contemplation as well. Back in my nursery in Upper Franconia, the place where I read the Zeit-Studienführer at 14, planning to move abroad since primary school, studying for my A-levels and packing my bags to leave at age 19 for my Bachelor‘s degree in Bayreuth. I am currently recovering from a challenging year and escaping the madness of the world at the place where everything just begun: my partners house and in the forests of my childhood.

In a life with so much change, challenge and uncertainty (which I love most of the time) it is a blessing to have the most supportive family and the backbone of a down to earth upbringing. I am currently also taking an, urgently needed, break from Mandarin and will start again when I will go back to work. Discipline sometimes also means consciously not to do things, take a break and force yourself not to fulfil a task immediately (a lesson I am about to learn). Nonetheless I will remain an ambitious person who’s life, to some extent, will always remain a sail close to the wind – just not too hard.

Escaping the madness of the world in my childhoods forest:

Forever daddy’s girl, debating military history (Battle of Midway) and drinking whiskey (I am just slightly more passionate about hunting):

So as a results-oriented economist the fluffy part of this essay comes to an end and we switch to the hard facts: what is the result of 2025? I wouldn’t like to bore you with „achievements“ (whatever success means) – LinkedIn is the proper place to talk about those. The only true result of my 2025 is: I don’t know where I will go. Might sound trivial but for someone like me, who loves to be in control, the underlying constraints might be a bit more groundbreaking than it seems. I simply don’t know whether I will remain in Switzerland, leave Europe, become a dedicated huntress or anything I else I don’t know yet.

What became clear to me this year: that I somehow have two personality sides, that seem to be, at least at same time, incompatible. I do love internationalism, big cities (Shanghai, London, Singapore) moving, speaking English, learning Mandarin (occasionally!), being at airports and working across cultures. On the other hand side I am very European: I love history, classical music, living in the countryside, hunting, German forests, classic fashion, reading hardcopy books and sitting in a Kaffeehaus.

So maybe things will become better than expected maybe some major coincidences might derail my paths. Life is, to some extent, like going for a walk: in order to arrive anywhere you have to take steps. What I am always certain: I do have myself and my attitude towards life and work, my willpower and discipline. Success is, in the end always inner success, so it probably doesn’t matter that much where I will end up (isn’t it always a moving target?). Letting loose (hard for me) is probably, and having the audacity to try, the ultimate lesson of this year. So much is out of scope of my own control (Will I ever become fluent in Mandarin and master the tones? Will I receive the hunting licence from my friends from Jagdbehörde? Where will my path take me?).

Probably figuring everything out doesn’t matter as much as doing everything I am abled to influence with an all-in mentality, discipline and giving what I can. That might be the core of who I am: if I am in than I am fully in. So wherever life takes me I will be all in – whether is is the forests of Bavaria (probably not now, but you never know), foreign countries or Switzerland. Looking back to 31 years I am glad of what I was allowed to experience until today, and that I do have a toolbox for achievements, but I also had a lot of setbacks, difficult jobs, failed exams and heart break. The only promise I stick to is, to quote Churchill, who I admire (think of his situation in WW2, when you have a bad day!): I will never surrender.

It wouldn’t be me if I wouldn’t have too many books and too many plans:

In that sense to everyone who made it to this point: happy New Year – keep going. To a formidable 2026 (that hopefully doesn’t start too hangover)!