How it all begins

I remember opening the email, which confirmed that I was chosen for the Erasmus programme. I had a visceral response when I first read those words ‘Congratulations…’ I would then reread that letter a hundred times, but that first time I would never forget. I shrunk, and then relaxed all muscles in my body and felt absolute joy and happiness that was so strong I could hardly stand it. Then it all began. Me, sharing the great news with my family, arranging things at work, anticipating… I was so overwhelmed and excited that I could not believe it was true.

Three months later my partner and I were heading towards the UK in our car, fully packed with our belongings and even some small pieces of furniture, as the accommodation that was assigned to us turned out to be empty. A week after we left Kyiv, we came to the UK for the first time in our lives.

It was late September and it was raining heavily. What an irony! England was greeting us with moody weather and uncertainty. And yet, I was excited! It has always been a dream of mine to study in the UK, to mingle with British people, to visit the places, where my favorite book characters were created, and now it felt that I was in my own fairy tale.

To be continued…

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