This is me
I was born in the city of Elche. If you visit it, you will be amazed by the large number of palm trees you will find. They are everywhere. There are shopping malls, cinemas and museums, a lot of restaurants and places to have fun.
So, if you are a thrill-seeker… you must definitely go and visit “Elche palmeral aventuras”. In this park, you will find the tallest adventure tower of Europe where you can climb or ride the zip-lines. I love leaping into the void and feeling the adrenaline rush it produces!
There is also an amazing beach where I usually go to in summer. And the weather is good even in winter. It is a wonderful city…
I feel nostalgic when I start thinking about it. But I think it is normal if you are living far away from home. Yeah, around 1,200 miles separate me from my hometown. I remember the day I asked for my Erasmus application. I was not sure about it. It was an important decision that I knew would change my life. I did not know if I was prepared for living abroad: living in a country where I knew no one. Was I prepared for moving away from my family and my friends?
The day I realized I was accepted in the University of Kent I was extremely excited. But I was sad at the same time. A combination of contradictory thoughts was in my head. I was in a mess. I wanted to go there and meet new people. But also, I thought being away one year without the people I care about was too much…
There were plenty of farewells. People told me “make the most of this amazing experience”, “We will miss you so much”, “Don’t worry, it is only a few months, you will be back soon…” I was so anxious.
On the seventeenth of September, my new adventure started. I woke up in my room as usual, but it was not a normal day. My parents and my little brother took me to the airport. We were sad when we said goodbye. However, I was not as sad as I thought I would be. That was possibly because I could not believe that “the day” had come.
The plane took off. I was full of doubts, uncertainty, fears…
Some hours later, I arrived at Canterbury. The weather was awful. It was raining cats and dogs. And this made me feel gloomier than I already was. I started unpacking my suitcases. I put some pictures and posters in my new room to make it look familiar. Then I met my new flatmates. Luckily, they looked friendly.
During the first few days, I felt completely lost. But it was just the beginning. Then, I started meeting new people, discovering new places… In short, I started getting used to my new life. I was enthusiastic and at ease with it.
There were a lot of events going on that it was impossible be bored. Parties, meetings, day trips… Everything was perfect. Surprisingly, I did not even have the time to miss home!
Without noticing, it was almost the end of October already. And I told myself “they were right, this is an amazing experience and I have to make the most of it!”
Most of the days were wonderful. However, there were others (fortunately only a few) that were horrible. Those days when I felt terribly alone. I missed my bed, lentils -even though I always complained when my mum cooked them-… everything. “Only fifty-eight more days left and then I will be back” I told myself.
During those days, I did not feel like doing anything or meeting anyone. I just wished I was home. But, as time went by, I learnt that those days were a necessary part of the experience. They helped me grow, value things I did not appreciate before, and get to know me better.
Christmas came sooner than I expected. I had been three months since I left home, but it seemed as if it was only three weeks. I had to go back to my lovely Elche.
Nothing changed since I left. There were the same palm trees, the same restaurants, the same shops… My family did not change either, except that we had grown in number: I now have a new little cousin! My friends did not forget about me, our relationship is the same as before.
So, everything is the same, but me. I am not the same girl. Now I am more brave and more independent than before. I can even do things I thought I was not capable of, and the best is yet to come…
With thanks to Elena
