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!
