13,349 km

On the 28th October 2015, I squeezed my life into a 30kg suitcase and started my off on my new chapter of life in the UK. It was probably one of the hardest days, saying goodbye to my favorite people and my best friends. Needless to say , there was a few tears shed and many thought going through my head as to whether this was actually a good idea ( and to be honest , 8 months into this chapter I still have those thoughts).

13000 km later I landed safely in London Town and was reunited with my only UK friend Lydia! I then had to start the endless task of becoming settled in my new home. People don't tell you how difficult is to start life all over again, and I definitely took my life in SA for granted!

My initial days were spent getting lost in my new home town - Reading. Finding where to shop ( in Pounds ) and how to catch the bus without ending up on the wrong side of town! Luckily for me ( and with the aid of google maps) I managed okay without getting too lost! Fortunately the Brittish are quite friendly and willing to help lost South Africans! And lets not forget to mention that the sun set before 16h00 hours! Boy did that confuse my body!

I started off by renting a room in a house share with three other people. I must say its a very different experience, but given it seems to be "normal" for youngsters and new-bee's in the UK. I have my own room and for something I did over the internet without actually seeing it , it has turned out to be okay! Although living with different people ( and not necessarily your friends) has it challenges, but it did allow an easy transition and a quick way to make friends.

I also managed to find a great church - Reading Family Church where I quickly got welcomed into the family and made some friends! I must say getting connected and making friends is probably one of the most important parts of moving somewhere new. It gave me a support structure and was a great way to met people !

Life got a bit easier after I had all the necessary documents ( my drivers, NI number and bank account). And starting my new job as a paramedic for the NHS gave me a routine and helped me make some friends who were in the same position as me!