I have never been to India, but India reminds me of the old values of life. It reminds me of my childhood and then I get nostalgic about home, about Macedonia.

Athira says my name reminds her of her childhood. There was one Ivana in her first grade and was her only friend back then. It makes her nostalgic.

I remember my first grade. It was a little bit boring, because I already knew how to read. After a while, I just got used to the fact that I have to repeat all the letters with the children in my class. I had many friends. And time after time I started to lose them one by one. It was no one’s fault. It just had to be that way.

Or maybe it was my fault. Because I was different. I still am.

I never wore the clothes they did. I never put make-up in the ways they did. I always wore bracelets with dream catchers and evil eyes and handmade jewellery, and they thought I was weird. But I didn’t care. I still don’t.

I was weird, but I was me. And I love the ME I was and the ME I am.

And yes, that left me with just a few friends, those true ones, that accept my weirdness and we are together cool. I found a man that is weird with me, and it feels amazing.

And what more can you expect in life? I have everything I need.

And I’m happy.