The Moment of Truth...The Arrival

On September 24, 2006 I finally arrived in the country I had dream about for years.  It really was a dream come true.  For years I had obsessed over the Royals and British life and had known for the last year that my dream would in fact become a reality, it was all just coming at me so fast that I had to take it one step at a time.  I had taken the red eye flight over and had gotten little sleep but I was determined to have my entry into the country run smoothly.  

Step 1...Border Control.  I had in my little purse about every sort of document you could ever imagine.  I had my passport, my acceptance letter from Exeter, my accommodations letter, a copy of my BA and transcript, bank statements, the receipt for computer and camera and some others just in case I needed them.  I stood in line with all the other non-EU travelers and waited my turn going over everything in my head.  "My name is Magen Rabatin, I am here to study at the University of Exeter in European Studies. I have sufficient funds, I'll leave your country when I am done with Uni and please please let me in without giving me any hassle."  Its a bit nerve racking when you are watching everyone else talk to guards, some people are put aside for further questioning, often times the lack of a common language causes the guards to yell at the ppl (as if yelling makes it eaiser for them to understand them), there are babies crying, the line is long, its just not a fun process.  Then its finally my turn.  I remember my boarder controler was an older nice looking lady and i figured I shouldn't have any problems.  Luck was in my favor and everything went smoothly, I showed her my passport and visa, she asked me some questions and BAM, I am in the country! 

Step 2....Luggage.  Luggage was my main goal but I also figured it best to exchange some money before I became weighed down with all my bags.  I had devised a very precise means of transporting my luggage solo.  Remember i had one large rollie suitcase, a back packing bag, a normal book bag, a small rollie bag and purse.  It was tricky but I could do it.  Then i spotted something that made my life a whole lot easier and made me fall in love with European airports, free luggage carts! With luggage, not in hand but in cart I was ready to move on.  

Step 3...Customs. I've never really gotten the purpose of the customs area.  In all my times of international flying I've never seen anyone walk to the section to declare something.  I have seen ppl randomly searched but thats all.  But still as it was my first time to go through customs I was a bit nervous that someone might come running out from behind a two way mirror and question my belongings.  

Step 4...Exeter Welcome Group.  Seeing as I was stepping off the plane in a foreign country I had never been too I figured it best to pay a little money and be greeted by the Exeter Welcome Group and travel to Exeter via a chartered bus.  If you ever had a chance to exit through customs at Heathrow airport you know its a scene straight out of Love Actually.  There is a mass of ppl waiting for their love ones which is rather humiliating when no one is waiting for you save the Welcome Group.  I wasn't really prepared for the crowd, it was a bit overwhelming, so even though I saw the Welcome Group I walked right by and headed for the bathroom, toilet, loo whatever you want to call it.  After I regrouped I headed back out and found the group.  As I looked around at the group I started to notice a trend, everyone I mean everyone was Asian, Taiwanese to be exact, save the one girl from Africa and me.  I guess it was a pretty good foreshadowing of my time in Lafrowda (my dorm).  

With the bus all loaded the group and I were Exeter bound.  I wanted so badly to take it all in and gaze at the English countryside but the jet lag got the best of me and all I could do was sleep.  I would periodically wake up and catch a glimpse of rolling hills, laurel hedges and grey sky and I remind myself it wasn't a dream, it was reality!   

Departure Part Deux

I departed in stages...Dallas to Cleveland to New York to London. I decided to hit up NYC for a couple of days for two reasons.
1. Flights from NYC to London are cheap
2. My best friend Caroline lived there

The only flaw with this plan was that I was left to wonder the great city alone while Caroline was slaving away for the man. Usually I wouldn't have minded the solitude but at this particular time I think it would have been better for me to have company, and for that company to constantly reassure me that everything was going to be ok. But it was the way it was.

The day before I left I chatted with my dear friend Court, somehow she was able to say just the right things and really gave me the courage I lacked. In thanks I purchased a Martha Stewart postcard which i promptly posted a mere 2 years later.

Saturday was the big day but my flight wasn't until 9pm. Unfortunately, I was still a mess of emotion. Pretty sure I cried in front of Caroline, pretty sure this shocked her and pretty sure she had no idea how to react. Then the hr finally came to hail the taxi and take the drive over to JFK. Saying the words "International Terminal," made it all that more real...in just a couple of hrs I would be on my way.

I flew over on Virgin Atlantic, sadly this experience would forever spoil, no other transatlantic flight would ever compare. Now for some reason the UK decided to implement completely different carry on regulations than any other western country. US regulations say you can have a carry on and a personal item...UK regulations say only ONE carry on this includes your personal item. But thankfully the Virgin Atlantic ticket agent took care of it for me and checked my extra bag in with no charge.

My plan was to make it through security and run the clock down talking to friends and family. Promptly after making it through security I lost all reception on the cell phone...isn't that life. So after some quick calls on the pay phone (how ancient does that sound) I said goodbye to the outside world and tried to grasp what was about to happen.

While I waited to board I charge up my laptop...I was kind of concerned that I hadn't bought the right adaptor or that I had misjudged and needed a some other kind of gadget to convert everything alright so I wanted it fully charged.

Once again I give all my praises to Virgin Atlantic! It was a red eye flight and thankfully it wasn't full so I was spread out and get sleep in between all the food they kept passing out.

And then we landed...(Flash to the opening scenes of Love Actually at Heathrow)

Departure Part Un

Departure Part Un was not a pretty one, infact it probably tops my list of most pathetics moments ever! At some point, a couple of days prior to my departure, the emotions and stress of the unknown had gotten to me, and I began crying and I basically didn't stop til I was awaiting my flight out JFK to Heathrow.

Departure Part Un was not even a real departure. I was simply flying from DFW to Cleveland to visit my dad before stopping off in NYC for a couple of days. As much as I wanted to just enjoy the days before I couldn't, I was overcome with uncertainty and anxity.

So there I found myself at the DFW airpot and boy was I a sight to behold. I had totally lost it, I was literaly sobbing in public...something I had never actually done before. I am sure the ticket agent was very surprised about my emotional state, after all for all she knew I was just flying to Cleveland. I was having second thoughts about the finacial investment I was getting into and was really really freaked out about moving to a foreign country I had never been to and a place where I knew no one. But I knew that if I backed down I would regret it forever.

I somehow managed to pull myself together, say goodbye to my mom, pass through security and board that plane. Two years later I can say it was one of the best, if not best, decision I have made in life...it was just the beginging and I was in store for a great adventure.

Purpose

The purpose of this blog is not to dwell on the past but instead to properly document my life, travels and experiences abroad. Hemingway said, "Never write about a place until you're away from it because it gives you perspective." Hemingway didn't begin work on A Moveable Feast until years after he had moved away from France so I am confident his advice is sound. Things that seemed minor and mundane at the time have now become things that I treasure and miss.

So my plan is to recount my experiences chronologically beginning with my departure from Dallas and concluding with my arrival back.

I figure it will give me a chance to go back and give proper detail to my experiences and then when its all done I am to get it printed. I hope you will all enjoy and hope you will find it entertaining.