The city in Europe that helped me find myself

See you soon, Leiden…

Just over a week ago, I moved to the other side of the country. For us Brazilians, that sounds very far. But just to give you some context: here, in about 120 km, you’ve already crossed three provinces and are in the east, near the German border.

Why did I move?

I’m here to study. I don’t know how it will be or whether I’ll like it… but we’ll never know unless we try.

Leaving Leiden was hard. I hadn’t felt such a strong sense of belonging in years. The city’s values — and those of its people — aligned with mine. My ideas resonated with the spirit of the place. Walking through Leiden made me happy.
Thank you, Leiden, for reigniting my passion for life.

There, I felt seen, inspired, and charmed at every corner. Beauty, education, and respect for nature are taken seriously. There’s real investment in sustainable ideas. Cars stop for you to cross, most public transport is electric, and every week city gardeners refresh the flowers in each neighbourhood. People gather in front of their homes or on boats to share a glass of wine in the afternoon and talk. The students fill the city with energy.

When I say that Leiden brought life back into me, I also mean growth and self-discovery. It was there that I recognised unexplored talents and came to understand more deeply what I want — and don’t want — for my life.
For the first time in 30 years, I was able to create a list of careers that made me smile. :)
Before that, I’d never managed to name more than three that truly made sense to me.
That was the turning point — when I started outlining strategies to bring myself closer, step by step, to my goals.

I discovered hobbies, interests, and above all: I reconnected with my essence.
I came to understand who I am, embraced myself, and accepted the multifaceted person I’ve always been.

The Larissa who left Leiden is a woman who feels admiration for herself — who recognises and is grateful for every step and every difficult decision she’s made in the past. All of them led her to the most important journey of all: the inner one.
And it was that journey that filled her with the courage to pursue, one by one, each of her dreams.