It is important to switch off. It is important to take time out from our daily routines. It is also important to detach ourselves from news and leave our “social media life” behind. Holidays should be an important part of our lives.

This year, it was lovely to travel back to Croatia, my wife’s native country, where we had an opportunity to spend 2.5 weeks. It was an important time for our family, as my eldest daughter completed her 18th birthday while we were away. A huge milestone. For the first time in a very long time, I decided not to take any of my work/ Council laptops with me. I wanted to find a bit of “me” time and to look after myself, for a change. Did I manage? Not entirely as access to news and media is so easy today and some of the stuff couldn’t be simply ignored.

Speaking a few foreign languages, when you travel, makes a massive difference. The coffee tastes the same, however an opportunity for a proper “intercultural experience” is never the same. The topic of Brexit has still come up a lot. It is incredible that 8 years after the EU Referendum, people still ask about its consequences and reasons for leaving the EU, in particular in relation to the economy. It was very hard to read and watch the news about the riots. Many of our friends asked what has been the main cause of these community tensions. It is difficult to give a simple answer; blaming someone else for my problems, looking for a scapegoat or “visible targets” e.g. migrants, general misinformation, recent financial hardship, impact of social media. Our ethnic, demographic mosaic is complex and fast changing. How easy it is to jump into false (?) conclusions.

Croatia is changing. Zagreb is more diverse than ever before and the capital city’s workforce is reflecting it. The Asian population has increased significantly; bars, restaurants, Uber drivers come from all sorts of ethnic backgrounds. The “migration phenomenon” continues and I don’t think that we can stop it. We truly do need to learn to live alongside each other. The income inequality, present across Europe for a very long time, is fading away. Although the high inflation and interest rates affected the whole global economy, it feels like Britain has stagnated whilst other countries are quickly catching up.

Life in Croatia is simpler, in particular in the Eastern part of the country, which was heavily affected by the war. The suffering is palatable. Financially people might have still a bit less, however they seem to be happier. The streets are safer, there is a good “community spirit”. It feels like residents can breathe deeper and for a bit longer. I wondered whether we lost our ways a bit. We are constantly chasing “stuff”. We try to make ends meet, which becomes almost an impossible task. Can this trend be stopped?

While celebrating my daughter’s 18th birthday, we also had a number of conversations with friends about her next steps. In terms of results, she did really well and we are proud of her. We tried not to push her too much but allow her to carefully consider her next steps. The cost of higher education in England is, I know, putting a lot of people off. It is so expensive. I felt that Croatian teenagers had it a bit easier as there are no costs associated with sending your child to University. A blessing, isn’t it?

As life goes on, I realise more and more how lucky I am. I have a roof above my hand, I have a job, I am able to pay my bills and I am able to go on holidays. A lot to be thankful for. A lot to digest, reflect on before the “September reality” hits us all. However, the most important summer lesson for me is that whatever we do, whatever challenges life throws at us, we need to remind ourselves that in order to help others, we need to also look after ourselves. The change starts with us. 

* Michal Siewniak is a Lib Dem activist and councillor for Handside ward, Welwyn Hatfield.