It's officially a month since I've been away from London. The
month has been punctuated with multiple texts and calls across the Atlantic.
The pixels of my face are decoded and streamed across the ocean, delivered to
the screens that are held in the hands of my nearest and dearest, just as I
receive the images of their wonderful faces. Without the ability to do this, I
would miss my family and friends an unfathomable amount.
Before I left for the US, I was sat surrounded by piles of
clothes I needed to fold up and take with me, and Adele's Hometown Glory
started playing from my playlist. She sings "the people I've met are the
wonders of my world", the lyrics felt so profound in that moment.
Oh the people I've met are the wonders of my world, are the wonders of my world, are the wonders of this world.
Her lyrics flooded me with appreciation for the people in my
life and as I emerged from this appreciation to take some air, I was hit with
the fear of being alone in a place without them all. My excitement for my
semester abroad was momentarily knocked out by fear.
In some sense, my fear was not misplaced. Moving away can pull the common ground that you are stood on with some of your friends from under your feet, you're left plummeting into an unfamiliar space where both parties are at a loss of what to say. However, I largely had no reason for my fear. For those who matter, nothing has changed at all. I can pick up my phone and the distance between us dissipates.
I've been able to have lunch with my sister numerous times
(although Jevan is usually eating dinner when it is lunch time here). We pretty
much talk constantly, on every form of communication that may exist because I
would be at a complete loss on how to function if I don't speak to my sister
everyday. We simultaneously snapchat, text, FaceTime and write letters to each
other - this may or may not be a slight exaggeration. I talk to my best friends
all the time and sometimes I feel like they're here with me. I've even been
able to go grocery shopping with my best friend. Serena patiently waited for me
to pay and then I carried her home as I juggled my Whole Foods bags in one hand
and my phone in the other.
I feel like my life is moving at 100mph here and I've been
able to keep my loved ones in the loop thanks to Skype, FaceTime, Messaging and
the unsung hero that is Oovoo (it's a group video calling app that has been
amazing for the girls and I). I understand the complaints that perhaps our
generation is far too attached to our devices, we're cuffed to our phones and
chained to our computers. Yet, this attachment has emancipated me from the
weight of homesickness that I had anticipated. I am truly thankful that I have
been able to be so connected to everyone back home, so thankful that I could
sing an ode to instant communication.
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