Love

So it’s finally happened-I’ve got my work permit and am ready to work in the UK.  I’ll be doing the same support job I had in the US, but for our office in Reading, England (Yay for making money in Sterling!).  I had a lovely couple of months back home, hanging out with all of my close friends and family.
I had the BEST farewell dinner on Saturday night, with my family, aunt, cousins and close friends.  I wanted Korean barbecue since I wouldn’t be having that here in England (not very common unless you go into london to look for it. I also had sushi at lunch time which was great.) Later that night a couple of them decided to get Dunkin’ Donuts and bring it back to my house, as well as my brother getting some awesome ice cream from the local store. We all sat, drank coffee, ate munchkins, had ice cream and laughed for hours. I felt so loved that very moment, and that I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have these people with me.
The very best moment was when my laptop died-we were watching cheesy youtube videos for a while-I thought “gee ok, this sucks, I guess my friends will be leaving soon to go home…I do need to pack anyway”-around 11:30pm.  My friends Mark, Christine and Steve were there, and my mom dad and brother had decided to go to bed. So I had changed into some pj’s, and just finished up laundry as they were watching videos, trying to get things done all the while being with my friends.  When the laptop died, I brought it to my room, and they all followed me in. I apologized for the mess, since I had all my clothes, electronics and various things that I needed to pack all around, along with my two big suitcases, and plugged my laptop in. There was a moment of quiet, and we were all there just looking at the stuff on the floor. I felt overwhelmed…I mean how do you pack your life into two suitcases to bring to another country?  Just then, Mark took a pile of my clean clothes from the bed and said “So are you taking these?”.  He picked them up and put them into my open, empty suitcase.  Then little by little, starting taking things from different parts of my room, putting them in the suitcase knowing that I’d need them (shoes, cables, books, perfume).  It was like he knew that I needed that push to get things going and finish my packing (all my clothes were in my other big suitcase).  So a couple of hours went on, me thinking of what to pack, and my friends helping out.  It’s like…they didn’t want to leave.  And I realized that later on.  They just didn’t leave.  And I was so touched.  More touched than they I think they realize.  They didn’t leave me when I felt most vulnerable and most empty…the night before my big move.  I finally said to them “oh you guys should go home, I’m almost done and you need to sleep”.  I knew Christine was so very tired, she wasn’t going to hang out after dinner, but Mark convinced her too, and I’m glad he did.  She stayed even though she was so tired.  I had a feeling they all would have stayed until the next day if I didn’t say anything.  My mom said to me that night before dinner “the people that are meant to be at the dinner, will be there”.  And it’s very true. The closest people in my life were at that dinner, at that moment, and I was on a high.  A couple of friends I know would have been there if they didn’t have prior plans or were out of state, so I know it’s not that they didn’t want to go.  But yea, I couldn’t ask for anything better. And we all had a blast.
The next day, yesterday, was my flight. I had a good cry, prayer and goodbye with my parents and brother before we left, which was good since it was in the privacy of our home, instead of a stuffy airport. The flight was nice and smooth, with a bit of turbulence on the way, but nothing major. I slept through most of it which was good.  Got to Heathrow right on time.  Suitcases were there (w00t), got my little trolley, and made my way to the arrivals gate. I flashed back to remembering the first time I was at the arrivals gate in London 4 years ago, how excited I was.  And now here I am, arriving in this country to work and live my life and see where it takes me. To see what travels await me, what adventure awaits me, and what my future holds.