The becoming years were messy, exciting, and full of turning points. It was a time of trying new things — and, of course, making mistakes.

Moving from the Western Suburbs to the Sutherland Shire brought culture shock at its finest. Suddenly I felt the need to fake tan and bleach my hair blonde. High school later became a time when I embraced my inner nerd. I joined choirs, musical groups, drama clubs, writing clubs and the debating team, learned to play the piano, and read far too much horror fiction. Around this time my cousin Izabela was born, and spending time with her brought so many joyful, childlike moments into my life.

Later, I completed my first degree in Linguistics at Macquarie University. I will never forget the day my dad walked me in, or the proud look on his face when he watched me graduate. During this time, I met some of my closest friends and enjoyed Sydney’s night life. I swapped Stephen King for pretentious Penguin Classics, studied Hebrew, worked in art galleries and museums, and spent most of my money travelling, which truly opened my eyes to the world.

From visiting the motherland with my mum — where we had the most wonderful time and I felt I met her again as an adult — to exploring countries like Israel, Russia, Italy, and Norway, I began to see the magic and mystery that exists just beyond the veil of everyday life.

Yet these years were not without pain. Losing my father left a deep wound that nearly broke me, and the isolation of the Covid years, along with the breakdown of relationships, challenged everything I thought I knew about life. During this time, I leaned heavily on the grace and strength of God.

Through the highs and lows, the adventures and the heartaches, I slowly began to discover a sense of self that would carry me into the next chapter of my life.