Liana Star, Grade 12
UWC Mostar
There is a channel on Youtube that focuses purely on minimalism and how to achieve this lifestyle both mentally and physically. The channel is known as Malam Life, run by a woman named Sophie. She makes videos detailing everything from how to get rid of the majority of your belongings, to moving across the globe. She encourages people to embrace a lifestyle that does not revolve around material objects. Her videos are filled with calming images and audios in order to engage with the viewer in a way that is almost meditative. I idolize Sophie and her channel so much because I am learning to let go of my attachment to material items. I recently learned that all of my belongings at UWC (that I left over the summer) had accidentally been thrown in the trash. Learning that many items I hold dear are now lost led me to seek out someone who was promoting and teaching how to live a minimalist lifestyle.
Me: So why did you do it? Why did you move halfway across the world?
Sophie: Why did you?
Me: Touché. Seriously though, why?
Sophie: I think the best answer to that is, why not?
Me: Elaborate please.
Sophie: I guess I just mean, my life felt like it was going in circles. I wasn’t happy with where I was at the time, and when you’re not happy obviously something needs to change. I honestly was just hoping that this was enough of a change to push me out of that unhappy period of time.
Me: Can you tell us more about the logistics of your move?
Sophie: Yeah sure, I moved from Hawaii to Portugal, nearly eight thousand miles. There was really no rhyme or reason as to why I chose Portugal. This sounds ignorant, but honestly it just sounded fun. I’d never been before so I kinda figured, why not explore a new country?
Me: You mention in some of your videos that you only traveled with five bags, how did you manage to make that possible? I know it was you and your husband moving together.
Sophie: Haha sometimes I’m still amazed at how easily we managed to make it work. It did take a lot of planning and preparing though. The main struggle I think was things like paperwork, books, etcetera. Just packing all of our insurance paperwork would’ve taken its own carry-on, so it took a lot of effort to go through all of it and determine what was absolutely necessary, and what we could sacrifice to the recycling bin. I was also very sentimental towards a large portion of my books, so having to say goodbye felt like heartbreak. It took a couple weeks of mentally preparing myself to take them to a free little library in my old neighborhood.
Me: Did you find it difficult to say goodbye to everything and everyone you’d ever known?
Sophie: Yes and no. On one hand it was extremely difficult to come to terms with the fact that life wasn’t going to be “easy” and comfortable anymore, but at the same time, I wasn’t scared. Most people say to me, when they find out what I did, “oh I’m sure you were terrified.” But…I just wasn’t. I knew what I wanted to do and I went for it. As simple as that. It’s definitely not something everyone can process as smoothly as I did, but I know everyone is just doing their best.
Me: What advice would you give to someone considering a move like this?
Sophie: Don’t take it too seriously. As stupid as that sounds, don’t think about it too much, don’t sress, just go for it. The worst that can happen is pretty bad: heartbreak, debt, complete rock bottom… but it’s so worth the risk. The bad pales in comparison to the good, and its the chance of a lifetime.
Works Cited
Google.com, 2022, www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjs15rQxKn5AhW1AjQIHRH9CecQFnoECBsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fc%2FMalamaLife&usg=AOvVaw3RV6znp440vMrUmN69LgLz. Accessed 3 Aug. 2022.
Me: So why did you do it? Why did you move halfway across the world?
Sophie: Why did you?
Me: Touché. Seriously though, why?
Sophie: I think the best answer to that is, why not?
Me: Elaborate please.
Sophie: I guess I just mean, my life felt like it was going in circles. I wasn’t happy with where I was at the time, and when you’re not happy obviously something needs to change. I honestly was just hoping that this was enough of a change to push me out of that unhappy period of time.
Me: Can you tell us more about the logistics of your move?
Sophie: Yeah sure, I moved from Hawaii to Portugal, nearly eight thousand miles. There was really no rhyme or reason as to why I chose Portugal. This sounds ignorant, but honestly it just sounded fun. I’d never been before so I kinda figured, why not explore a new country?
Me: You mention in some of your videos that you only traveled with five bags, how did you manage to make that possible? I know it was you and your husband moving together.
Sophie: Haha sometimes I’m still amazed at how easily we managed to make it work. It did take a lot of planning and preparing though. The main struggle I think was things like paperwork, books, etcetera. Just packing all of our insurance paperwork would’ve taken its own carry-on, so it took a lot of effort to go through all of it and determine what was absolutely necessary, and what we could sacrifice to the recycling bin. I was also very sentimental towards a large portion of my books, so having to say goodbye felt like heartbreak. It took a couple weeks of mentally preparing myself to take them to a free little library in my old neighborhood.
Me: Did you find it difficult to say goodbye to everything and everyone you’d ever known?
Sophie: Yes and no. On one hand it was extremely difficult to come to terms with the fact that life wasn’t going to be “easy” and comfortable anymore, but at the same time, I wasn’t scared. Most people say to me, when they find out what I did, “oh I’m sure you were terrified.” But…I just wasn’t. I knew what I wanted to do and I went for it. As simple as that. It’s definitely not something everyone can process as smoothly as I did, but I know everyone is just doing their best.
Me: What advice would you give to someone considering a move like this?
Sophie: Don’t take it too seriously. As stupid as that sounds, don’t think about it too much, don’t sress, just go for it. The worst that can happen is pretty bad: heartbreak, debt, complete rock bottom… but it’s so worth the risk. The bad pales in comparison to the good, and its the chance of a lifetime.
Works Cited
Google.com, 2022, www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjs15rQxKn5AhW1AjQIHRH9CecQFnoECBsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fc%2FMalamaLife&usg=AOvVaw3RV6znp440vMrUmN69LgLz. Accessed 3 Aug. 2022.
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