That very first day you came, what you’d, encountered, in this, foreign place you’d, come to study in, translated…
When I finally made the decision to go to England for my studies, it was, two years ago in the autumn, I think, but, due to my army service terms, I’d, put it off, for a year, and, by the time I actually, took that flight out, it’s, a year and a half later, during these days, because of the outbreaks, I’d, swayed between whether or not I ought to go. The flight I booked was, canceled, the school’s policy, not set in stone, I almost, didn’t get my visa. To tell the honest truth, the expectations I had for what I am to gain from this study abroad, reduced greatly, with the chaos that was occurring, and the unknown, what replaced that sense of expectancy was, worries, confusion, and how I may be, ill-adapted.
It’s like going to WAR, getting on a flight inn the outbreak, we had to wear the masks all the way, and the sanitizer I carried, was more than needed, I’d gone from the north, crossing the Eurasian continent, passed through Northern Europe, and finally, arrived, in the Heathrow Airport of London, time had come to pass, too quickly, before a day was up in Taiwan, I’d, flown across the globe, to the, opposite side of the world.
Based off of the local time in England, I’d gained, seven extra hours, by the time I got out of customs, it was already, sunset, I’d, dragged my luggage to my rental place, located close to Little Venice. And yet, with my jetlag, I’m, not the least bit, tired, and so, I’d, hopped onto the Amtrak, visited the SOHO District, which was known, for its, night life. As the lights of the streets came on, the lights of Friday Night, became brighter than the stars up high, people were drinking outdoors, like the virus has no impact on them whatsoever. And, comparing, a newly arrived person like me, wearing the mask seemed, out of place, somewhat.
Even so, that very first night I’d spent, was memorable, I’d turned the corner, saw the National Gallery, and, passed one more corner, there it was, the Big Ben, all of these, I’d once, stared at from the various media, now, appeared before my very eyes, and everything became, too, real, I am, in London—finally, I’d, begun, my journey to studying abroad.
The imaginations, are what made our very first times, so memorable, but, it’s, not false. Like that very first time I saw Big Ben, it was, from an, odd angle, looking at that tower that got, tied down, and the barely, visible surface of that clock, I’d, sent a photo to a friend of mine, “Where are you?”, he’d, asked, yeah, the photographs, they don’t do it, justice, even though, it isn’t as good or bad as I imagined it to be, even though, things don’t work to our own, scripts, we will, always, remember, that very first time, like how I never forgot, how my heart skipped a bit, standing by the River Thames.
The excitement of being a brand new place, mixed in with the anxiousness, and I’d contemplated, how many people had once, come into this place, at this, precise spot I’m currently, standing on, and that seemed to, reduced my fears a little bit, because Someone has been here, because every single emotion that’s, flowing through me right now, someone had, experienced it already, and, they’d, shown that ability to conquer their own life’s, obstacles, it gave me the confidence, that I can, too.
Living abroad on my own, like a sponge, I’d, remembered the direction, the environment, the scents of this city, and how my body responded, to the stimuli, exploring this brand new world I’d, come to, live in, and I’d, come to understand, that I have, many potentials, and, in the adjustments, I’m, trying, to find a way that’s, fitted to me, to go about, my days, like how an infant adapts to the life outside the mother’s, body, painful, joyous, growing up, fast.
I’d, just begun, my own journey, to studying abroad, but I will, never, forget, the thirty-one-hour-day I’d spent, the first day I came here.
And so, this, is the enrichment of life from your experiences, you’d come to this new place to live, and, everything is, brand new, and it made you, quite curious, and suddenly, you’d, become that child again, eager, to explore your, surrounding environment.