AIRPORT

Hey guys!

I am currently sitting in the waiting area of my gate, first stop is Frankfurt. My flight goes at 6:10. I will meet up there with the other exchange students who signed up for the Orientation Days. We will spend 3 days in Dublin and then everyone is off to their host families. I will fly alone to Frankfurt, since there are no other students taking part in the Ireland programme from Vienna. But from Frankfurt on I will sit next to Antonia, a friend I made at the Info meeting in Bonn back in April/May.  

The past days have been quite stressful. I couldn't really enjoy "my last moments" with my family, since we were all busy preparing and packing. I brought a really really huge suitcase and we had some difficulties managing packing so that the suitcase(es, I also have a small suitcase for the cabin) are not too heavy. It's not easy packing for a year, you have to think through every decision you make (of what clothes you take with you).

I may not have been the best to be in company with the last days. Maya stayed over for 2 days (she and Elli also accompanied me to the airport, together with my parents) and I don't know what she expected, but I somehow thought that we would have some chill hours together, instead I think I was too much in my head and not really there for her. Yesterday I wanted to print out some pictures and glue them into an album but I just hadn't got any time. So I took those pictures with me that I already printed out and my father offered to do the rest and send it in a letter, which is a good solution.

As for packing tips, I can just say over and over how important a checklist is. Write one. Another thing is that you will unpack and reorganize your luggage at least 4 times to get the weight right and, most importantly, you need way less stuff than you think. Leave that second jacket at home, don't bother with 4 pairs of shoes. It will just take up space and weight (!!!). Constantly check the weight of your stuff because it can get expensive if your luggage is too heavy. 

Update: more and more people find their way to this gate, mostly businessmen in suits. I feel kinda out of place and it is kinda weird flying completely alone (I mean I once flew alone from Helsinki back home but I found a guy whom I talked to all the time through the waiting and he even helped me check in and find the gate...a very nice guy, worked in Finland but was Hungarian and flew back home). It's a weird kind of responsibility. Growing up, ayy. 

Now to the last part. Saying good-bye to my parents, Elli and Maya. Obviously, I cried and it really sank in for the first time that I won't see them for a long time. Good-byes like this are hard, but I will be back. I think this year will pass by so fast that I don't even notice that I have been away for so long.

The moment where I stepped through the gate and headed to the security check, I dried my tears and let excitement overtake my feelings. 

Overall this was not an awesome start, since I had to wake up at 3:00 had less that 2 hours of sleep and that obviously drained my energy and made me even more stressed and emotional. But it got better the moment I sat down here and started listening to Sabaton. 

I will keep you updated,

Evelin