A Brit abroad

One thing I've learned this year is that friendship certainly is a weird and wonderful thing. 

It comes in all shapes and sizes, is often found in the most unexpected places and is sometimes not at all what it seems. Since I've started to take blogging seriously (in the sense that I now make sure I don't go months without posting) I've found that the unexpected surprise of a comment on a blog post is a welcome bonus and they've often led me to other like minded people, or blogging friends as I call them, usually with fascinating blogs to discover. 

One of these people is Mimi Finerty.

All images by Mimi Finerty

Now to tell the truth, Mimi and I went to university together in Southampton a few years back but we never knew each other that well. Sure, we were polite when we bumped into each other and may even have gossiped in a corner on occasion (usually at the expensive of our long suffering Fashion History lecturer) but we didn't have each other numbers and, had it not been for blogging, our friendship might have ended right there and then, as the drudgery of everyday life led our worlds in different directions.

Since we finished university Mimi returned briefly to her family home in London before making the brave step of upping sticks and moving to Cyprus with her long term boyfriend to start a new life in a warmer climate.

All images by Mimi Finerty

Two years have passed and I must say I love reading about how things are going for Mimi, her Boy and their gorgeous four legged friend. 

If anything it makes me a tad jealous. As I write this whilst on the bus, sat in traffic (as usual) in the London drizzle it does make me consider how different things could be on foreign shores. Mimi certainly looks to be having a fantastic time.

All images by Mimi Finerty

I look forward not only to a new blog post from Mimi on her inspirational blog, but even a comment from Mimi on one of my own posts puts a smile on my face. Even my Dad (my blogs number one fan) knows all about Mimi and is always keen to hear how she's getting on, after he spotted her kind words on my blog. "Who's Mimi?" he said, and I went on to explain that she's my part-blogger, part-real-life friend who's on her own adventure the other side of the sea.

Mimi is taking part in the Expats Blog Writing Competition October 2012 - if you fancy supporting Mimi, then check out her entry "Life on a Sunshine Island" here.