Europa Park Paradise

Hello there lovelies!

Good weather+no work+a bit of money= theme park adventure.

Recently, my boyfriend told me about a very big theme park which I have never been to before and mentioned that when we both have time we should visit. As I am a rollercoaster lover, I obviously thought that it was a great idea and we should do it. The weather recently wasn't on our side however one day was made for a theme park adventure. It was sunny, my boyfriend had a day off and off we went!

Europa Park is located in Rust, Germany and is "the largest theme park in Germany and the second most popular theme park resort in Europe, following Disneyland Paris". I had no idea what to expect as I have never been to a big theme park like this before. I also haven't been on a rollercoaster for a long time so I was praying that I won't projectile vomit on everybody else around me. 

As you enter the park the first thing you see is a massive rollercoaster looking at you and inviting you to join. When i saw it, I thought to myself "right Joanna, this is the day you will die". However everything else around was so pretty and the details put into this park were absolutely A+, that I started forgetting about my soon-to-be-death. 

We started off with the more chill rides, like water rides that were slow and peaceful with bird singing music all around. 

The park itself is huge and to go on all the rides, I'd assume it would take a few days. We went on the most exciting rides and when we had time, we went on smaller rides to chill out. The lines at this time weren't as long as they would be when everyone would have their summer holidays. The line times varied from 20 minutes to 40 minutes and even though the queues were a nightmare, we survived and it was all so worth it. 

The park is an amazing opportunity to  just leave your problems behind and enjoy this one day of me time as the whole park looks like another city. The detail that is put into every single nook and crany of this place is just beyond imaginable. 

The food isn't super expensive, it's definitely on the affordable side. We didn't eat much as the thought of puking it all out on a rollercoaster didn't really sound like the best idea. However small snacks in between were the best way to go. 

The big rides were scary as hell. I am scared of heights so it felt like a nightmare to me. However when you're up there, about to do the drop, you feel the adrenaline rushing in and everything after that is just complete awesomness. The second I did my first big ride, I felt like a little child who was running around the park asking "what's next, what's next?". Everything was just so exciting and it mad the day that extra bit special.

Overall I would recommend this park 100%. I'm not going to obviously describe everything as you need to go and check it out yourself. It's an adventure that you'll never forget and it will stick with you forever. 

P.S. When you're in the queue with your boyfriend/girlfriend, don't start making out beside someone. It's just gross, nobody appreciates it and if you want to do PDA just go on a bench or something. 

Well, I hope you enjoyed this blog post and I'll see you in the next one! Ciao! xx

Thanks to my boyfriend for the pictures. Instagram: @xplosionmm

Retail Therapy.

When you're in a bad mood or just having a not so good day, retail therapy is the answer. 

Today was one of these days for me. As chocolate and earl grey tea wasn't helping anymore, I decided to make my bank account cry a little bit and go shopping. I have given myself a budget and decided to buy as many cool things that I can while staying in the budget. I think I have succeeded. I was mostly looking at sale sections and offers that were going around in stores. You can find some beautiful gems in the sale section if you look closely enough. 

Enough blabber, let's show you what I got today. 

This was the only purchase that was not on sale. I wanted to buy two single eyeshadows however that would cost me the same as the whole palette so I decided to buy this maybelline "The Nudes" palette. It's great, it has all the colours I always use and the pigmentation is great. I also needed a blending sponge so I got this cheap one in my local drugstore.

These beauties were a total bargain. I spotted them in New Yorker when I was browsing through their accessories section and found them for 9.95! The heel is not too big and they seem like they are a good quality shoe. I also tried them on and they were comfortable. Win win for all.

Let's talk about this beauty sent from heaven. I was looking for a new jacket as the jackets I have now suit a certain type of style. As I like to switch my styles around daily, I needed something to suit that. Again, when I was browsing New Yorker, I went to their jackets section and saw this. New Yorker doesn't really appeal to me often as most of their stuff has a material I don't particularly like but this was an exception. This jacket felt nice and heavy and the material looks and feels great. It's the type of jacket you would wear when it's sunny as it's not that heavy but also it's warm enough for when it starts to ger chilly in the evenings. Also it has tassless which make it that extra bit special. 

Also only for 14.95. For a jacket! Insane. 

The last thing I purchased was this lovely, starry blanket. I wanted a blanket for my bed to make it a bit more homey and also to wrap around me when I sit ont he couch in the evening and I feel a bit cold. It was around 4.95 in a german shop called Xenos. It looks cute and feels warm so everything is great. 

That was all I purchased within my budget and I am pretty happy with the things I managed to find. I always try to find cheaper alternatives instead of buying one expensive thing. I hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you in the next one! xx

Everyday Makeup Essentials.

Hello there lovelies!

I am very aware that I haven't written here for a long time now. Too long if you ask me. I have recently lost all of my creative juices and have no idea where they went. I will update you all when I find them. 

However for today I have prepared for you a list of all the products that I use for my everyday makeup. I will also give you a little review if you want to try any of them out. 

Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

I find this foundation really good for my skin. It smells nice, it goes on very easily however it brings up the dry patches on my skin a tiny bit. It looks very natural and glowy and is a medium coverage.

           Contouring: Catrice Allround Contouring Palette

This is one of the cheaper brands that are around. It is a cream contouring palette and holy moly it's great. I mostly use the darkest contouring shade and it goes on very nicely and blends in with my skin perfectly. I love when I find cheap makeup that is amazing.

Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection 

I have jumped on the bandwagon with this one, heard great reviews about it and honestly I wasn't too pleased. It has great coverage and stays on very long however it brings up some of my dry patches a lot. Wouldn't recommend for a dry skin. 

Blush: Avon (don't know the name of it)  

I don't really use many Avon cosmetics anymore however this one has stayed in my makeup collection as it's a very great product. The pigmentation is amazing and the colour payoff is what I want in a blush. You can see that I love it as I have hit the pan on it.

                    Eyeshadow: Catrice Absolut Matt Eyeshadow Palette

I have purchased this little eyeshadow palette as I needed a new one and it was cheap. I wouldn't recommend it at all as it has no pigmentation whatsoever and the light colours are not visible on my eyes at all. 

Eyeliner: L'oreal Super Liner Superstar   

Eyeliner is a very important part of my everyday look so I always try to find the best one. This little number is absolutely perfect. It's very easy to apply, the colour is as black as black can be and stays on for the whole day. If you want to try anything from this blogpost I would definitely pick this one over anything else. 

Mascara: L'oreal Volume Million Lashes 

Great mascara. Seperates lashes very well, doesn't make them clumpy. Doesn't do much for volume but overall I'm very happy with it. 

Eyebrows: Sleek Eyebrow Stylist

Everyone wants their brows on fleek. This eyebrow stylist helps me do exactly that. It has a brow brush which helps you put them in place and the crayon bit has a triangular shape which helps you get your brows to be perfect. 

I hope you enjoyed this little beauty post and I will see you all on the next one xx

When sun's out, I'm out.

Here are some pictures from a lovely spent day with my boyfriend. The sun decided to peak through the clouds so we decided to have a little trip. 

B

Top: H&M

Jeans: Zara    

Shoes: Vans    

Sunglasses: Primark        

                         Lipstick: Anastasia Beverly Hills

Bag: Zara

 Hope you enjoyed my little post and I'll see you in the next one. 

Thanks to my boyfriend for these lovely pictures @xplosionmm

Hello Germany!

I have finally entered the German land! After a long wait and some struggles with packing, my mom drove me to Shannon airport and off I went! I am extremely happy and grateful that I can be here and can have such a big adventure.

My day started with me waking up at 6am. I felt suuuper sick and felt like I was going to throw up any second. I was hungry and nervous and my body couldn't handle it. I didn't throw up though so that's an achievement! 
I got ready, said goodbye to my pets and jumped into our van so I could go to Shannon Airport. At the airport I checked in my bags, which thank god, were the right weight so I didn't have to worry about re-packing. I spent some time with my mom, talking about everything and then it was time to say goodbye. "I won't cry because you're not dying, you're just going to Germany"- classic mom. 

I went through security and didn't beep! I am always so scared when going through security even though I don't have anything illegal in my bags or on me. Airports in general are scary and serious. Then I went on to buy a drink for the plane and I was greeted with the most creepy man ever at the till. He was literally undressing me with his eyes and making me super uncomfortable. I grabbed my drink, cringed and ran away.

The flight was quick and easy, with some turbulence which made me a bit nervous but I survived. When I landed I was greeted with my boyfriend waiting for me and it was the best thing ever. Finally seeing him after such a long time was perfect :)

I had to run some errands in Ikea and in the supermarket but me and my boyfriend were so tired that we went around the shops like zombies and didn't know what to get at all. However, we managed.

I finally got to my apartment and it's just so beautiful and everything I ever wanted. I got nicely greeted with a box of chocolates, a giraffe and a welcome post-it note :)

I am super happy to be here and can't wait for what life brings for me next. I'll update you guys when I will have more done here but for now I hope you're having a great day! 

See you later lovelies xx

Moving to a new country.

Moving to a new country might seem scary for some of you. It is definitely very scary for me. However, it is doable. No matter how scary, no matter how expensive it is doable.

 For me the journey started when I have gotten sick of being in a long-distance relationship and decided to make the relationship within distance. At first when I was planning to move, I didn't really think it was going to work as I'm not a good money saver and was really scared of moving somewhere I have never seen. It all changed when I went to visit my boyfriend in Germany. I saw the country, I met the people, I felt the culture. That's when I got very motivated and excited for a possibility of living there someday. I told myself that I need to start being responsible with my money if I want to be happy. 

Here are a few tips (from my experience) to know before moving to a new country.

• Money, money, money: In life, money is vital (unfortunately). No matter where you go or what you do you always need money. It's time to get your saving on and your spending off. My 'secret' to saving is to cut yourself a bit of slack. Don't save every single cent for moving as you'll eventually break and also break the bank. From every wages you get, have a set amount for yourself that you can spend that week. For example if you know you're going out for dinner with your friend, make sure you put that away from your wages for the week. Don't stress yourself as eventually you'll get the amount you're trying to get to.

• Research: Make sure that before you move, you research your destination. See what language they speak, what culture they have, how to act and how not to act. Make sure you research the laws about insurance, registering etc. To do that simply just go on google or try to find videos on youtube from people who moced to that country. I have found this wonderful girl on youtube that gave me some tips for moving to Germany. Her name is Emily Bland and she's a lovely girl who moved from England to Germany. If you want to check her out her channel is Emily Bland.

•  Have your living situation under control: As I am moving first for a few months, I needed to find an apartment for that time only. Many people were only renting for 6-12 months and that was too long for me to committ. You can't give up and just keep looking and messaging! When I have found my future landlady I talked to her and when I visited Germany I actually went to view the apartment and it was beautiful. She was super nice as well and we got on. You need to find someone who you get on with and if you have an opportunity to view the place, do it!

• Join forums on the country of your choice,make friends and get some tips from them as they will have loads of knowledge about all the aspects. 

• Currency: research the countrys currency and what is the exchange rate. Keep track of it so you can exchange your currency at the highest rate. 

• Jobs: if you're planning to work in this country, before you move, research jobs online and apply to them even before you arrive. That gives you time to see what jobs are available and also you might get an interview straight when you arrive. If you don't get one that's okay, just keep looking and everything will turn out fine. Make sure you tweak your CV to that countrys standards. 

• Entertainment: check out things you can do in your free time to not sit at home all day like cinemas, cool restaurants or museums. 

That's all the tips I can think of from my experience. I hope that helped you in some way if you're planning to move or even thinking about doing that in the future. Just don't stress it and you'll be fine!

Until next time lovelies,

Airport Outfit

Flying in style and comfort

I don't really mind flying. However, airports annoy me very much. You have to go through a million checkpoints and fiddle with your passport and your online check-in every 5 seconds. Want to buy a drink? Oh sorry I need your online check-in. Want to get to a security check? Oh sorry I need your passport and your online-check in. 

For all this stress and waiting time, I keep my airport outfit pretty casual and comfortable. I don't want any tight and uncomfortable clothing digging into me while I'm asleep in a very weird position on a plane. That's why I have created an outfit that will make sure I'm super comfy but also let me look a lil' bit stylish. 

When you think comfy outfit, you think- baggy t-shirt. Well that's what  I think anyway. I have this basic t-shirt from h&m which is suuuper soft and a little bit baggy for that extra comfort. 

I have paired it with my leather jacket because in time of need, it will keep me super warm (airplanes have air-con which makes me freezing for most of the flight).

I think I talk about these too much. But since I got them, I just fall in love them more and more each day. Vans slip-ons are perfect for a flight as they are super comfy and wont hurt your feet when you walk around the airport and stand in line for a while.

I have re-discovered these pants from Missguided but when I put them on they seemed a bit too long and made me look twice my size. I really like the fabric of them so I did a little bit of a diy and cut the ends of them off. Now they are great for the summer time and suit me more.

I hope you enjoyed my quick post and I hope this could inspire you to create your own comfy airport outfit :).

Until next time,

Planning your big move: Packing edition.

Packing for moving to another country.

Here we are. Two weeks until I will enter the German land and start my life all over again. I am both excited and nervous, however now that I have everything booked and there is no going back I have to start planning! 

First of all comes packing. I actually enjoy packing very much :) I am the type of person that the second I get a travel date, I start packing straight away. It doesn't really matter if it's 1 week before or 1 month before my date.

Obviously the first thing I did is go on a shopping spree. I went and bought the essentials to help me pack and fit my whole life inside two suitcases. First of all I have ordered packing cubes. I have heard about those from Ingrid Nilsens video about packing. When I saw them first I thought they were pointless until I actually bought them myself. They are life changing! You can fit and squeeze so many things in them and they are nicely and neatly organized in your suitcase later. 

These are the packing cubes I bought. You can buy more expensive and sturdier packing cubes like this, but I didn't want to overpay so I bought these pretty cheap ones from ebay* :)

*Here's the link if you're considering buying them

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/121699075673?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The second thing I have purchased for my trip is a suitcase. I already had one at home but I needed a second one that was bigger. I bought one of these plastic suitcases that when you open them they have compartments on both sides so you can stuff more things in it. I bought mine from primark as it was cheap and I won't lie, the colour got me pretty hooked on it too. These types of suitcases are great if you want to get the most room out of your suitcase. 

The most difficult part was to figure out what to pack. I definitely have too many clothes and shoes and I still have to bring some other things like my cameras and my laptop. First, I started with clothing. As I am moving in May, when I arrive it should be pretty warm so I packed all my summer clothes that I had stored in my wardrobe so that was pretty easy. I had to say goodbye to a few things as I can only bring the essentials and things that I know I will wear 100%. I took mostly t-shirts, some shorts, dresses and then layers like jackets, coats etc. I also took most of my jeans and some more funky and dressy pants as well if an occasion popps up. 

I still have to pack some of my long sleeve tops but I need to wait with that as I am using them now. 

*Tip- pack for the season that is at the moment and also for the next one.

I packed a few pairs of shoes. I have tons and tons of shoes so I needed to pick out the ones I wear the most and would go with most of my outfits. I took some trainers, flat shoes and 2 pairs of dressy shoes just in case. I usually have trainers most of my days that I go out so I took more of those. 

When clothes and shoes are sorted, it is time for miscellaneous things. Here's a list of what I packed:

• Cables for various things
• Laptop
• USB stick
• Plug adapter
• Extention chord
• Decorative pieces (such as frames, fake plants etc)
• Notebooks
• Cameras 
• E-reader

I probably missed some things so forgive me.

The last thing I had to pack was my bags. I love handbags so so so so much so leaving some of them in Ireland is a massive struggle. I had to narrow them down to 6 bags. 

1. Big handbag- this is the handbag I will use if I am out all day or go to school and need to carry my big stuff in.
2. Backpack- this will be for days when I am more active and don't want to carry everything on my shoulder. Also great for trips.
3. Clutch- this bag will be for when I go out in the evening or just have to run to the shop for a few minutes.
4. Small shoulder bag- this will be for when I just go shopping and don't need to carry a ton of stuff with me.
5. Medium bag- for when I need to carry more stuff but not too many.
6. Gym bag- Even though I am not planning on joining the gym I will still use this bag if I am going somewhere overnight.

I think this is it. Obviously there are some things I might have missed and still have to pack but these are the general stuff that I will pack. 

If you are planning to move to another country, I hope this helps with your packing situation.

Thank you for reading, until next time!