Upon arriving, there was no time to waste. My bags were fetched, and in moments we were loaded into a car that would take me to my new apartment. I looked out the window with wide eyes as I speculated on the wonders that this new city held — from street corners, to street walkers, to bustling kiosks and jeepneys making their way through crowded streets, I took it all in. Soon I would get to know this city more intimately, but now was not the time for window gazing – there were more important items of business that needed to be addressed – and yes in the car ride! I was first handed an envelope, filled with a settling-in allowance to get me through the initial weeks before my first paycheck. I was also given a broadband USB stick for my computer, so that I could have internet access as soon as I walked into my apartment. Several other necessities were taken care of right there in the car ride – I was handed the keys to my new apartment (more on that later), tourist pamphlets and maps of the city, schedules for the upcoming weeks of staff orientation leading up to the first day of school, and answers to the multitude of questions that were
uncontrollably popping into my head.
The most common question, a remnant from my childhood, “Are we there yet?” was running through my excited mind. I was so anxious to see where my new home was, and what it would be like! Before no time, I was pulling into a luxury apartment complex — my new home! Walking through a palm tree lined entrance way and taking the elevator up to my floor, I entered a beautiful 3BR unit where I was greeted by my two roommates, also newly hired interns, who were waiting for me with open arms and a warm welcome.
Excited for the year that the three of us would be sharing together and the anticipation of what the upcoming orientation was going to be like, I couldn’t help but marvel at the fact that it was only two days ago that I was on the other side of the world, and yet here I was staring at two perfect strangers in a foreign land and already feeling so much at home.