@Catariya – the best friend a girl can have

Dear Catariya,

Today is your 26th birthday (happy birthday!!) and in a way, it also marks our 10 year anniversary as friends.

Cata at fiket playing UNO

I will never forget the day I asked about your last name and it turned out that your cousin was my first love.

It took me 2½ years to get over him and despite the fact that I might still be slightly messed up because of how things ended with him, I look back and see how that extreme heartbreak was necessary because it led me to one of the biggest loves of my life – you.

Cata and Neil at Fiket

We haven’t always seen eye to eye on things in the past, like the whole Neil / Dave situation / soap opera that happened in high school…

But despite our differences and despite both of us being incredibly stubborn, we managed to find our way back to each other and we had a lot of fun during that whole process.

We went to Prague, not once, but twice!

Mia and Cata on Prague trip
Cata and Dave Prague trip
Neil and Cata Prague trip
Cata and Dave on the boat in Prague

(as you can see there – neil / dave / neil / dave haha)

We spent a lot of our time studying at fiket and generally having a typical teenage high school life with parties like IB awards (I love how you still wear that red lipstick!)

Cata and Dave at IB awards

Prom nights at the Hilton

Dave and Cata at prom
Cata at prom

And crazy trips going skiing in the alps, mini breaks in London and graduation party holiday in Barcelona

Mia and Cata - Girls night out in Barcelona, dinner at seafood place
Cata and Orsi - Girls night out in Barcelona getting drunk & dancing
Cata hung over in Barcelona
Orsi and Cata very hung over in Barcelona (you in my Nina Simone tee!)

You were the one who convinced me to move to London in 2005 and not take a gap year. I will never forget arriving at Kings Cross and walking around the corner by Scala to catch a cab.

I’m scared to think about how my life would have turned out if you wouldn’t have given me courage and that extra push I needed to move here and follow my dreams.

The three years we spent at university were pretty strange and we kind of drifted apart, even though we met up once in a while.

Remember making sushi in my disgusting & tiny halls of residence and getting absolutely TRASHED at the bar we had there on like Martini and £1 shots in the bar?

Cata making Sushi at halls
Cata at James Leicester Halls

I was always a bit jealous of the new friends that you made during our uni years. Not because I wasn’t making friends, but because it felt like they completely stole you away from me. And even though I made new friends, none were ever as good as you & the IB crew…

I’m sure you have lots of great memories from your uni years, I found this picture of you from one of your uni parties (not sure when it was or where, but its the only one I have of you that I didn’t take).

Cata at some UCL party

I will never forget the drunken argument we had at Cargo when Ina was visiting us. You know… that time when all my frustration and anger and sadness about us and our friendship just came out.

I think that was a turning point in our friendship because you made me a promise that night that you would change and try to be a better friend, and you really kept that promise ever since.

So we both started making more efforts to see each other and do things together.

Like that one day festival we went to in Finsbury Park

Cata and Orsi at Finsbury Park

Uni graduation celebrations

Dave Martin and Cata at UCL unofficial mini graduation party
Cata and Orsi at UCL unofficial mini graduation party

Eurovision nights

Dave and Cata Eurovision
Cata and Dave Schlager

Birthdays (yours and mine)

Cata Dave Orsi - Orsi 24th Bday
Neil and Cata - Joint 24th Bday
Cata - Orsi's Harry Potter themed 25th bday

Random Fika catch ups or drinks or meals whenever we could fit it in

Catch up din dins with Cata

Not to mention the fantastic BBQs at Russell Avenue

Cata first BBQ
Cata and Orsi first BBQ
Cata deep in thought about life at second BBQ
Cata smiling at second BBQ

We’ve survived several awkward boy incidents, totally fucked up living incidents with insane landlords and flats burning down, stressful job situations, tight budget and no money periods, depression, illness, loneliness – you name it, we did it and we made it!

We even survived a damn half marathon together!!

Cata and Orsi Amsterdam Half Marathon

I can’t thank you enough for being my friend because I know that I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for you.

It hasn’t always been easy for us, but our friendship has been tested and survived so many things during these past 10 years.

It has grown, evolved and matured, and I know with confidence and love that no matter what happens in my life, you will be there for me, just like I will be there for you.

So a big happy birthday again on your very special day!

I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you as my best friend.

Love you

3 thoughts on “@Catariya – the best friend a girl can have

  1. Catariya

    Åh älskling! Jag sitter och storgråter nu ju! Vad jag älskar dig :) Allt vi har gått igenom tillsammans (och inte tillsammans) har gjort oss de människor vi är idag, och bättre vän än dig går nog inte att hitta.

    Jag satt och pratade med Martins mamma förra helgen när vi var ute på middag och hon sa likadant att hon är så tacksam och lycklig över att vi har hållit ihop och växt upp tillsammans så länge.

    Jag vet att vi alltid kommer att finnas för varandra vare sig vi bor ihop, bor grannar, i samma stad, samma land eller hundratals mil från varandra. Du och ‘gänget’ har en plats i hjärtat som ingenting kan ersätta!

    Vi ses snart söt, om inte i London innan jul så hemma i Malmö sen.

    <3 <3 <3

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