My first solo trip

I was just an eighteen-year-old kid, and I went on my first solo trip to this amazing Balearic island. Yes, of all places. Ten months earlier, I had finished secondary school during the coronavirus pandemic and then started working full-time as an operational and administrative assistant. The work was fine, my colleagues were friendly, and the ski trip to Gerlos was a highlight. I was having a great time on the slopes and singing my heart out in the Chin Chin, where I was unfortunately kicked out after fifteen minutes. Didn't want to spoil the fun! Two months later, I packed my suitcase and boarded the plane, really looking forward to it. After months of saving and working, I was really eager to go away on my own for the first time. Two years earlier, I had watched the series “White Lines” on Netflix for the first time and was completely captivated by the Carpe Diem vibe that surrounded it. And it was set in Ibiza! That's where the idea of going there myself was born. 

During this trip, I found friendship, adventure, and insights that gave my life a completely different direction. This trip came at the perfect moment. I had just gotten out of my first relationship, and although my heart was a little broken, this trip felt like divine timing.

Learning Spanish and living in the city

Before my trip, I signed up for a language programme. You'd think that would be ideal for learning Spanish, right? Well... the school was nice, the teachers were even nicer, but after three weeks (with two to three hours of lessons per day), I still mainly knew how to say “vamos a la playa”. I have to say that I don't think there's a better or more enjoyable way to learn a language than in the country itself (duh). Because even though Ibiza may be very trendy, the locals and the local cafés couldn't really understand me when I asked them for a ‘coffee with oat milk, please’. I would get an awkward smile in return with a look that made me think the barman thought I had fallen on my head. The Spanish language programme also included a shared flat, and I was lucky enough to live in the centre of Ibiza Town. 

I was really lucky with my flatmates. It could have been anyone: a Swede, an Italian, a Frenchman or a Portuguese, but no! I ended up sharing the flat with a blonde girl from Nieuwkoop. We shared a small balcony with a view over the city. In the weeks that followed, we made good use of it, enjoying cosy dinners, glasses of wine at sunrise or just chatting. We clicked instantly and enjoyed going out together. She is still a good friend of mine to this day. We experienced so many wonderful things there. 

iPhone adventure

One of the strangest travel stories I can tell people is how I lost my iPhone and miraculously found it again on the other side of the island. My iPhone saw more of Ibiza than I did during that trip. First, I lost it somewhere in Platja d'en Bossa, probably because I was trying to multitask a little too enthusiastically, taking off my heels on the street, drinking sangria and carrying my bag. But believe it or not, it ended up at the police station in San Jose, as if it had gone on its own mini road trip. I think it was also searching for its inner peace. I was lucky, my housemate's parents came to Ibiza to visit her. My father brought my old phone to them to take to Ibiza. At least I had something. After three days without a phone, I was reachable again. And believe it or not, I checked “Find My Devices” and sure enough... there it was!

Well, that same phone was eventually swallowed up by the sea in Indonesia, but it's still a funny story.

Ibiza magic

When I was sixteen, I read “The Untethered Soul” and “Becoming Supernatural”, and I can tell you that my life was turned upside down. I had entered a whole new world. A world that felt familiar but that I had never read about on paper. In Ibiza, I was given the space to explore this new wisdom. Ibiza is interpreted in different ways by different people. Some think it's party hardy glitter glamour, while others think it's the island where all the hippies gather and dance around a campfire. Nothing could be further from the truth, because Ibiza has (in my opinion) many faces. Best of both worlds, you might say. For me, Ibiza was much more than partying or yoga on the beach. It was a place where I discovered how nice it is to step out of your comfort zone and meet new people. Don't get me wrong, during those weeks I did take a chance and go wild in Ushuaia and spend too much money in the fancy beach clubs. 

I’m just a girl.

What the island means to me

I think this is definitely where the seed was planted for my desire to live here someday for longer than the month I spent here. I still couldn't speak Spanish, but I enjoyed my lovely teachers and my pleasant daily walk to school. The smell of the sea and the f*cking delicious food hung in the air as I strolled through the narrow streets of Dalt Villa. Everywhere I went, I heard the cheerful buzz of locals and tourists. I still smile when I think about it. After three weeks, it was over and I moved on to my second destination: Tenerife. 

I left for Ibiza with a heavy heart, a lot of enthusiasm and a head full of doubts. I came back with new friendships, special memories and a deep desire to return one day. But perhaps even more importantly, my time in Ibiza awakened my heart's desire to broaden my horizons and discover more of the world.

And maybe that’s what travel is meant to do. It reminds us that change often begins the moment we dare to go — not when we have it all figured out, but when we decide to take the leap anyway. It teaches you that courage isn’t loud or dramatic; sometimes it’s simply booking the ticket, showing up, and allowing life to surprise you.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that every place we visit reflects something back to us — a part of who we are, or who we’re becoming. So if your heart ever whispers go, don’t wait until it makes perfect sense. Just go. The rest will unfold the moment your feet touch new ground.

-Nina