Why settle for a single Home when you can have the entire World?

Hey my lovely readers, today's post will be the last one about New York City... at least until I go back again ;-) With these pictures taken in Brooklyn last year in spring I wanna share some thoughts about traveling with you...
So many times have I asked myself where exactly I live... Is it Germany, where I study and where I come from, is it New York, where I spent more than two incredible years, or is it Mallorca, where I live part-time now, where I have my boyfriend and friends, where I find peace...
I'm actually on Mallorca this week, took a break from university, so you can expect some more photos from my favorite island ;-)
Let me clear my situation: I was born in Germany, I went to school there, I have my family there and now I'm going to university and have my own apartment there. From 2010 until the beginning of 2013 I have lived in New York City. And by now I travel to Mallorca, a wonderful Spanish island, almost every month or every second one to see my boyfriend, part of my family and my friends.
So where exactly do I feel home?
It's strange, I have always felt more home anywhere else than in Germany. Home is indefinable... I feel home when I'm with my parents and sisters - my family. But I also feel home when I'm on Mallorca with my boyfriend, at the beach, in the mountains, I surely do feel home there. When I went back to New York City this September I also felt home there. I visited my former host family who I lived with for two years. I always feel home when I'm with them, in our house in the Bronx, and also in Manhattan or Brooklyn.  
Home, home, home - is it really where the heart is? I feel like I have lost my heart in so many places that I can't decide which one I should call home. The quote "Why settle for a single Home when you can have the entire World?" fits me much better!
A lot of people travel nowadays, A LOT! Bloggers cruising around the world, young adventurous students chilling in Thailand, au pairs starting a new life in the States or elsewhere... Traveling became so easy, so accessible to all of us. But traveling itself is not my problem - the problem is: I have LIVED in so many places! Well, so many, three :-D But I settled in three countries - Germany, the USA and Spain - I have friends, family and a life there! So how can I decide where I feel home most?
The reason why I'm writing this post is because after I traveled back and forth between all three countries this summer, I felt kinda lost. I was not only exhausted from traveling but also disoriented. I didn't wanna go back to Germany to study because I spent so much time in New York and on Mallorca that I felt like I don't belong there and it made me depressive somehow.
Maybe I don't wanna have the entire world as a home, it's nice to know where you belong. For example my boyfriend, he loves his island and he wouldn't wanna live anywhere else. On the other hand, isn't it really exciting to live in so many places?
I guess I'm just a young, confused globe trotter girl who's trying to find her place in this world. Every country has its advantages and disadvantages but I'm sure that some day I will find the right place for me... or more than one? And you know what just came to my mind? In my case it's not "Home is where the heart is" but maybe it's more "Home is where your story begins"...

PS: If you wanna let me know what you think about this post, or if you have similar feelings and thoughts about traveling or your home, feel free to leave a comment or your questions and share your thoughts ;-)

Hello there, Manhattan!

Hey guys, hope you all had a marvelous Monday! Are you planning a NYC trip in the near future or some day in your life? Today I'll tell you all about the best spots to admire the skyline - Hello there, Manhattan!

1. Staten Island Ferry: I took the first photos you can see in this post on the ferry. It provides you with a perfect view of Lower Manhattan, the Freedom Tower and the Statue of Liberty! Plus, the ride from Manhattan to Staten Island and back is free, woohoo!
2. Brooklyn Bridge Park: This park is surely one of my favorite New Yorker spots, not only because they have romantic movie nights in summer ;-) If you cross the Brooklyn Bridge walking (which we did here), you will already have a great view from there. Once you get to Brooklyn Bridge Park you will be rewarded with a stunning view of the skyline and some relaxing lawns. You can see the park and the wonderful view in these last few photos. Note: It's even more breathtaking at night!
3. The Piers in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) and Long Island City (Queens): Hipster hoods and relaxing spots with a great view, can you ask for more?
4. Roosevelt Island: One of my favorite islands around Manhattan and the best thing about it is... you can get there with the Roosevelt Island tram that takes you over the East River! So you don't just get an amazing view of the skyline but also of the Manhattan streets from above! (Check out my posts about Roosevelt Island by clicking here)
5. Hoboken (New Jersey): A lovely place in Jersey, quiet and peaceful, just perfect to admire the skyline! You can easily get there with the PATH train. Note: I celebrated the Fourth of July there, which was incredible! The views of Manhattan's skyline with the fireworks are just unbeatable! (See the pictures here)

I hope you'll all get to enjoy one of these places at least once! If you have any questions regarding traveling to New York or non-tourist spots, feel free to ask me ;-) Enjoy the photos!

Summer Insta Update

Hey guys! I just had a quick stop in Germany, last Sunday I got back from NYC and I'm already relaxing on Mallorca again. Since I didn't have much time to prepare some new posts, I'm gonna give you a quick update with the help of my latest Instagram snapshots of Mallorca and New York City - as colorful as always! Feel free to check out my Insta account and follow me there to stay tuned - @laurahlp! Have a relaxing week, besos!  

Off to New York City <3