Day 1 & 2.

I am technically writing this on Day 2 of my 4 month journey overseas, but I will start with a recap of my first few hours in the beautiful London, England. Yesterday was so chaotic! I didn’t have a minute to breathe and gather myself. Not to mention I was blessed to have been caught up in one of London’s notorious “rain showers” as I am hailing 4 luggages on bumpy gravel for 5 miles to my new home- Regents University. I was 40 minutes late for my orientation and stumbled in sleep deprived and ferociously hungry. My wet squeaky sneakers were heard throughout all of Tuke Hall as the incredible Inbound Team is welcoming us students via PowerPoint. I have never felt so nervous in my life. I was out of my element. I took my seat in the back row and looked around,everyone was clicked off, talking, exchanged names, numbers etc. I suddenly lost my ability to talk. I clammed up and went into a shell. This was unfamiliar territory for me as I am typically an outgoing and bubbly person. I was numb and sat there staring into space for most of the presentation second guessing myself. I went back to my room with my roommate hoping to see a smiling face greeting me in the hallway, but I didn’t. So I crawled into bed and I stayed there all night. I woke up still in this miserable funk. I was so self-conscious and I had just reached my breaking point when my new student ID card wouldn’t let me back into the building. It was then I met Duda, she saw the frustration and the look of defeat on my face and came over and instantly made me feel comfort for the first time since my arrival. She took me right to the Security desk and stayed with me until my ID car issue was resolved. We talked and we shared similar music tastes and both had a class together. She is from Brazil and she shared with me all the differences between London and her home country and I was so intrigued by everything she was describing to me. It hit me that this was fate. This was the moment that things took and abrupt U-Turn and my spirits were lifted. We walked back to my room along with my roommate and I smiled and waved to everyone I saw and I realized something in that moment. The more miserable I looked and negativity I was exuding made me unapproachable.  I expected people to go out of their way to befriend me when I had the power to do so myself all along. My second day at Regents was wonderful. We ate Indian food( my first time) which is very popular here and shopped and did some sightseeing and I felt so alive again. I realized what an incredible experience I am partaking in and I snapped out of the sour mood I was in. Luckily that was short lived and I got back on my feet. I can wait to see how the other 112 days are just as amazing.