I have plans on Friday, so I guess I'm staying!

Mar 15, 2017
3 min read

On April 4, 2016, I received an email that was as exciting as any post secondary acceptance letter. It was an email that opened the door to the next chapter in my life. It introduced me to the opportunity of living in London and at first, I honestly didn't believe it to be real. A few months later while I was going through the process of applying for my visa and getting everything sorted to make my move as smooth as possible, it all seemed so surreal; like I was in a never ending dream that I wasn't waking up from. I went from being the girl that joked about living in her mother's basement for the rest of her life, to being the girl who would put an ocean between her and her family in order to chase her dreams. A few weeks before I left Canada, my mom asked me "what if you get there and absolutely hate it?". I told her I was giving it six months before I made any decisions about coming back home. I needed to give it a real chance because opportunities like this don't come around every day.

After a summer full of memories to last a lifetime and tears thrown in between, the beginning of September marked the biggest adjustment in my life since my parents divorce. The world that I knew was no longer going to be the one I lived in. I left Canada on September 14, 2016. My mom and my best friend Megan took me to the airport, we said our goodbyes and I cried all the way through security. Leaving what you know and what is comfortable, is harder than anyone could prepare you for, but I got on that plane and started the next chapter of my life. I landed in London on September 15, 2016.

Today is March 15, 2017. Today marks six months. I am beyond thrilled to have made it this far. There were times that if my mom had told me to go to the airport because she bought me a ticket on the next flight home, my bags would have been packed in the next ten minutes. None of this has been easy and some parts have been harder than I had anticipated. I have learned multiple life lessons along the way, but I'm a better person because of it all. I have formed friendships I feared I wouldn't be able to make and I have kept friendships I feared would suffer. Although, I have yet to master the art of cooking pasta for one person, finally stepping out of my comfort zone and living on my own has been amazing. I miss my family and friends everyday, and often feel as though I'm missing out on moments with them back home. I remind myself regularly, that the memories I'm making now, are some of the greatest memories I'll make in my life. It may not have been clear at the beginning, or even three months in, but London was exactly what I needed in my life. I am so proud of myself for the leaps of faith I have taken to get me to where I am today. It's been a wild ride and I can't wait to see where it takes me!

Left: September 14, 2016

Right: March 15, 2017