It’s 11:57 AM and I’m just putting the finishing touches on my two eighty-pound suitcases. If that doesn’t scream “American” I don’t know what will! It still hasn’t hit me yet that I’m about to move halfway across the world. I’ve said goodbye to everyone but my parents at this point; yet, it still doesn’t feel real. I take one last look at my room, my cats, my house, and even still it doesn’t feel like it’s happening. I sit in the backseat while my parents and I make the two hour journey from our home in Naples, Florida to Miami International Airport where I’ll board a direct flight to London Heathrow. I’m still nerve-free, feeling nothing but excited.
Fast-forward to 4 PM, the moment it hits. I’m giving my parents one final hug before I set off on my own for the upcoming months. While I’ve been away at college for equivalent periods of time in previous semesters, this time is different. This time, I know my life is about to change. This time, I know I’m about to embark on what may possibly the greatest adventure of my life. This time, I feel a sense of independence that I’ve never felt before. This time, I felt London calling.
I write this as I sit alone at my gate waiting for my flight to board. I have no idea what is about to happen. I’m praying for everything to go smoothly, trying to be confident, when inside I’m wondering, “Can I really do this?”. But I remember that this, what I’m doing right now, is actively making my dreams come true. And that is a call I definitely want to take.