Saying goodbye was really hard for my family and I. My brother and Father cried which made me cry too, but my mom it didnt really hit her yet that I was actually leaving...
As i was walking to my plane in Denver after I said goodbye, for some reason I kept looking back at my family and then when it came to the point where when I looked back and I couldnt see them anymore, that is when the adventure became "real" and very lonely! I have never felt so lonely and anxious in my life on the plane to London. I could not sleep, it was hard to eat, and I could not concentrate on anything (not even watching a simple movie!!)
Written in London:
As I sit here in this London Airport I feel lonely. I have no one to talk to and looking at all these families sitting together is hard for me to watch. My first flight from Denver to London was long and hard. As I sat restlessly in my seat, I watched all the people around me sleep and it drove me crazy that I could not get one wink of sleep. I tossed and turned, I sat and laid back, I used a pillow and no pillow, and I used a blanket and no blanket but nothing seemed to work. I was stir-crazy, sleepless and lonely.
Even though the signs are in English I feel like I cannot understand anything. Even when there is a massive amount of people, I still feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. All the girls my age look so stylish compared to my lovely rotary jacket. Ha but I am very proud to be wearing this jacket.
I never knew how hard traveling is. I never knew how lonely and self conscious I would feel till now. After being on the plane and feeling like this who knows what to expect??
From then:
After I wrote this I had found some kids wearing rotary jackets, which made me feel like i wasnt alone! There were 3 kids from Mexico and a boy from Canada (who sat next to me in the plane) they all were staying in Switzerland. It was only a one hour and forty five minute flight. Unlike the other flight I actually got sleep on this one. Something about having other kids in my position on the flight helped me relax and sleep!
As soon as we landed Caudia (the girl from mexico) began to freak out! Our butterflies were growing by the second but the boys, were "fine"! From there we (the exchange students) helped each other out watching and retreaving each other's bags. The boys were astonished about how both me and Claudia had two suitcases each. As we were finding our way to meet our host families we were all taking pictures and jumping on our suitcase carts and fooling around to hide our butterflies. Then we got to the doors, where on the other side awaits our anxious host families. There we said our goodbyes and marched through the doors.
Straight ahead of me I saw Julian and Valentina holding the cutest sign i have ever seen! I quickly knew it was them and ran and hugged them! Next to them was Thomas (my country contact) and his daughter Antonia. Those first hour or so was going to be the most akward moments of my life. Everyone had so much emotion and excitement that no one could say anything! Everyone was staring at me and I had no idea what to say. The drive to Austria was Beautiful, Switzerland was gorgeous with all the historic buildings and the green country side.
We finally got to Austria and it started to get dark, so i did not see much of Austria. From there we dropped off Julian and Valentina so they can take the bus to Hittisau. Then Thomas asked me if I was hungry, I said yes when i really wasn't. I have no idea why I said yes but I did and we ended getting amazing pizza.
I walked through the front doors of Thomas's house and I was greeted by a three year old boy with no pants on, this would be Vincent. He does not believe people should wear clothes, well that is what everyone tells me. He also drew a picture of me:) It was so cute. Vincent imediately was attached to me he kept touching my face and would not want me to leave his sight. At the end of the night it was time for him to go to bed and I ended up having to lay with him to get him to sleep and everytime i would get up he would somehow awake and start to cry. This family has made me feel so welcome. I have learned so much from these kids by just pointing and asking how to say things..
Posts to come:
- Bregenz/life in Austria these first few days
- what i will miss/what i realize/what i am excited for
