Unlike most of my friends, who enjoyed the stability of living in respectable suburbs, I spent my teenage years on the move. My parents traveled a lot on business, being a choreographer and a doctor with a famous theatrical ballet company, and I had to face the choice of either traveling with them, or living with my grandparents. I chose the first option, which meant that I would have to study in different schools, sometimes just with a private teacher or using the Internet technology, sending and receiving e-mails with home assignments and stay with parents for several months during the end of the school year to take my exams and prove that I had acquired the necessary level.
If compared to the life of my friends, my experience was very different. They went to one school all the time, whereas I changed three or four places during the year. It is true that both my friends and I studied hard, but I was supposed to be more independent and responsible. I had to plan my weekly schedule to make up for those classes I missed.
Neither my friends, nor I could feel bored, but the reason for our excitement was quite different. I was fascinated by the new cities I saw every three months and they were excited because they could go out with their friends or have a picnic. My traveling experience also taught me to be very flexible, outgoing and sociable, while many of my friends tend to be quite stubborn and reserved.
So, the lifestyle of my parents and the fact that I traveled with them made my teenage years truly extraordinary. I feel extremely lucky that instead of sitting at a desk for many years, I saw different places of the world. However, sometimes I miss the peace and quiet of my grandparents’ place.