A Diary of a Nomad

Once upon a time... No, wait, this is too cliché to start an article. But what exactly is cliché? By definition, it is “an idea that has lost originality and impact by long overuse”. Sometimes we all are cliché, mainly because we want to create something original that is not seen before, not knowing that just being ordinary is the most extraordinary thing to do. By being ordinary, all your creativity and originality are expressed in the brightest light.

My motivation for this article came a few months ago, and I was patiently waiting to gather material and assemble this mosaic. I left Skopje at the end of July. My lust for wandering, traveling, and moving around was overwhelming, and I decided to leave my hometown and explore Europe. Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam and proclaimer of the Qur’an, said that: “In nature of every human being is to move”. By moving, one becomes richer, their soul grows, and their life becomes more authentic because of the new experiences and meetings with new cultures, new people, their way of thinking, and their surroundings. We call those people nomads. I have always seen myself as a nomad from the very childhood. And as I grow older, I realize this is the path that I need to walk. The majority of people dream of travelling, but very few of them do it. It’s primarily because of some bad excuses like “there is not enough money”, but the truth is that we all are afraid of changes. Just a little courage can change the direction of our lives.

My plan was to move to Spain, Barcelona, but the situation in Spain is horrible. Covid-19 has closed almost every opportunity for good income. At least that’s what they are saying on the media... Anyway, I chose Germany as the beginning point of my journey. I landed in Furth and started my construction job there. I worked there a few weeks and gathered just enough money to continue my road to the center of the World, Berlin. I took the first bus, and BOOOM, I’m here. Perfectly ordered, clean and busy city – were my first impressions of the capital of the strongest country in Europe. I took my suitcase with one broken wheel and just went walking around. Hipsters, people with strange clothes, seemed to be not interested in anything around them, just doing their thing. I knew that I arrived at the right place. After three hours of walking, I got tired of dragging this handicapped suitcase, and I entered the first hostel I found on the map. I passed my first night here, and in the morning, I went outside to feel the spirit and the streets of this big city. I met many people on the way; I found salsa and bachata parties, ate good food, drank good beer, tasted good wine, and realized how much soul this city has. Many cultures and nations here that gave me the impression that Berlin is more part of the world and less part of Germany. Many nights without sleeping, I was just partying and raving around. I spent 15 days in Berlin. It was time for me to relax and plan my next travel. So my desire to move brought me to Amsterdam, the city of freedom, rivers, bicycles, happy faces, beautiful buildings, flowers, and many more. Here everyone gets what they’re looking for, if you know what I mean. I stayed in the hostel close to the city center, and my first day here started with bread and butter. The best butter that I have ever tried. I walked around, and I met a few interesting people, visited some bars, and had a good time. Here I spent three days. It was not enough, of course, to feel the city’s vibe, but my time was limited, and I needed to continue my road to another beautiful place - the City of Love and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. You are guessing right. I was in Paris. A place with a vast history, liberté views of the world, and the arrogance of the Parisians were my next pit-stop. I arrived on one cloudy and rainy day, but that was not a reason good enough not to go outside, breath the French air and take some photos. With my second-hand umbrella with flowers that I bought in Berlin, I went to feel the city. Walking, seeing, and smelling all around that has just left me speechless. The city’s beauty has many sides, from poor and dangerous neighbourhoods to rich and fancy restaurants. Everyone experiences Paris depending on the depth of their pocket. I need to mention the good wine and excellent humour of the people I met here. Parisians are wellknown artists, and during my stay here, Arc de Triomphe was wrapped in fabric as a tribute to the late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. I stayed here for three days. Again it was not enough, but the road continued, and we kept moving. My short escape in Amsterdam and Paris came to an end. I returned to Berlin to work a bit, earn few more euros, and plan my next trip. Where will it be? No one knows where the wind will blow.

Enes Smailagić