Wow
I cannot believe that this dream is coming to an end..
It seemed so surreal. So much so that it seemed like it would never end. I am leaving the UK in a week and a day.
What did I expect before I came here?
Well, I did not expect to hang out with the friends I already had.
I remember Kelly and I talking about it before we left–“We’ll hang out like once a week, get dinner or something…” Who knew that we would be with each other everyday, sharing dinner almost every night. I remember telling everyone, including myself, that I would be making friends with a bunch of British humans and was hopeful to live with them. Well, first dream died when all my flatties turned out to be American. Second dream partially died when I found out that the majority of my classes only had Americans in them. Well, two out of four. Unfortunately, I did not make as many British friends as I had hoped from the beginning. Even though I say unfortunately, it really is not unfortunate at all. People keep asking me if I’ve made friends from here…nope, not really. I mean, I’ve made friends with British people but nothing too special. Instead I have made two amazing friends that will be in my life forever, and they’re American. Like Andy said at Thanksgiving Dinner–we all came all the way here to form relationships with people from home. I would not change a single thing.
Emily is from all around the US, but she likes to say Seattle. Luckily for me, she’s currently stationed in Philly so I can bug her to come visit because she’s done with school after this semester. I am so happy to have met her. She came up to me in Heathrow after we got off the plane and asked “Are you Daria from facebook?” She pronounced my name wrong, but I just laughed and told her to follow us. Who knew that we would be spending the majority of our days together in London. She is insanely laid back and so easy to get along with, such a pleasure to be around. She fit in with everyone immediately. I’m really happy for her musical taste because she brought her laptop to every party and always played the most appropriate music. It’s funny because when I usually meet someone and hang out with them alone for the first time, it’s usually really awkward, but I did not feel awkward at all when we hung out alone. We went to Deptford Bunker together and made up fake names to this creepy guy who was hitting on her. I’m really glad she came with me, I know she has always been up for everything. I told her on Thanksgiving that I love that she loves specific things…I’ll never think of so many things without thinking of her as well, Starbucks, Beyonce, Poker Face, Guinness, and other things that are escaping my mind..I am really glad that we have rubbed off on her and she is using abbreevs in her everyday life. We couldn’t go to Barcelona but her reaction (along with Andy’s) made me feel better about the situation, and I am really glad that they were there with me. I am so glad that we got to go to Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris and Liverpool together and I’ll always remember her asking me if I dropped an eight pound note next to my bed in Browns, hehehehe. I cannot wait until we can visit each other, and I am excited for her to move back to Seattle, where she wants to be. Also, it will be a new place for me to visit! 😀
Andy is from Old Bridge. We grew up literally 10 minutes from each other. If that is not ironic enough, he goes to Montclair as well, and we know a handful of the same people. I am really happy that he got comfortable with all of us because in the beginning he was so quiet and shy. Once he opened up to us, I knew he was going to be another lifetime friend. I remember one of the first nights he bought some cans of Fosters and offered any to everyone. Immediately I could tell what a generous guy he is, and that opinion has never changed. There has never been a time where he has not offered everything he’s ever had. He said that he was scared he would have had to go the places we went by himself because he had no idea he would have made friends to go with, and I am so delighted that we experienced it all together. I remember asking him to tell me a secret at the Hobgoblin when we barely knew each other. He immediately trusted me and it was great. I don’t know what I would have done if he slept–our insomnia brought us closer and he always listened to all my issues and gave me advice. He has been such a good friend to me. On the bus back from Luton (after getting rejected by ryanair) he told me all the times he’s wasted money since being here just to make me feel better. I’m glad he got to go to Liverpool and live out a dream, and I’m glad I got to watch it. I loved creating our one act and our conversation in the Amersham Arms. He is a sentimental guy and I had fun telling each other how much we hate each other in Liverpool. Nothing bothers him. It’s great.
There’s no explanation as to why I met these two in London. I feel like I have known these people forever, and it’s so strange to think that it has only been 11 weeks. I have experienced more with these two than I have ever experienced with friends whom I’ve known for years. We took an 11 day backpacking excursion around Europe together and they trusted me to get the flights and hostels. These people who had only known me for about four weeks at the time TRUSTED me to do that–that says a lot about humanity, there’s a lot to have faith in. More particularly, them, it says a lot about them. I got to meet and get to know two AMAZING people and whether they like it or not, they will be in my life forever. I do not take friendships lightly, nor do I take forever lightly. I mean what I say, and now they’re stuck :].I could not have done this without them, and that is so crazy to me because I did not know them before this! I could not have done this without all the people I surrounded myself with.
Kelly is my best friend and I have never had such a strong bond with someone. We literally do nothing together, but it is perfectly ok. We have our own language and we find the same things hilarious. She is a one-of-a-kind, such a strong woman…she has been through so much and it amazes me how wonderful of a human she is. I most definitely credit her for influencing me; she has never been one to talk bad about anyone and luckily that trait of hers has rubbed off on me and I find myself getting upset when others talk about people, and that would not have bothered me in the past because I used to be guilty of it myself. She babies me when I’m sick or upset and rubs my back when I need it the most. We listen to a lot of music together and I hope that we never stop making ridiculous videos. It is impossible for us to have a normal conversation because we can never stop making jokes. We try to be normal, but it rarely happens. She listens to me and does not make me feel bad about talking to her about things when I need to. We share everything with each other and I am so happy to have someone who I can trust, and who can trust me. I could spend everyday with her and we would still be okay because we’re capable of telling each other when we need a break, haha. Her prescense lightens up the mood for everyone she is around, and I am so honored to call her my best friend.
Kate and I have been friends for almost 16 years. SIXTEEN YEARS!! that is insane. We literally have been through everything together. Even though we skipped a couple of years in high school, it does not really change much. She is one of the most selfless people I know, she is rarely thinking about herself when it comes to anything. On Thanksgiving, she had never met Joe’s friend Monica, but she made vegetarian options because she knows she is a vegetarian. She did that for a stranger. Her thoughtfulness is incredible and I know she will always be there for me, even when she cannot stand me :P. Perhaps our personalities do not necessarily clash very well, I will never not be friends with her, she is too much to lose. Our conversations in Browns Hostel bathroom and our first hostel in York have been unforgettable. hehe. Naw, but seriously, I love being with Kate because everytime I am with her, I feel like I learn something new about her. She is a beautiful person inside and out, and even if she considers herself awkward, and even if she is, I will never care, that will never matter to me. From Barney to England, we can conquer it all. I am so glad we did this together. We got to see the world side by side. Even when she was telling me to wake up or hiding Cosmopolitan under my pillow, I never got (TOO) mad at her for being a ‘mom’ because I know she loves me. Even if she can’t say it as much as I can, hehe.
I’m really grateful for Chris coming here because I feel like I have learned so much more about him, and I feel like I understand him a lot more and I am so lucky to know such a wonderful person. He is most definitely a Dad, and was one to all of us. Him and Kate are most definitely soul mates and if she were a guy or if he were straight, they would DEFINITELY be married already. On our big trip, Chris was always the one to wake up the earliest and when I woke up a couple hours later, he was there to greet me, hehe. He may or may not have been annoyed that I was up so much later :P. I am so happy with all of the things that he has shared with us, and I feel so honored that he would trust me so much, he makes me feel special. I am really happy that my coming to London convinced him that he should as well because I would not have been able to taste such great cooking and baking without him here. He kissed my forehead to check if I had a fever and when I was sick kept asking me if I was okay and making sure that I was. I loved dancing with him and Sandwich hehe, he’s tough but so fun and silly. I’m so happy that I get to go back to Montclair and he’ll be there too. We definitely were not as close as we are now, and I am realllly glad that he came. I am also realllly glad that him and Kate found each other because I think they’re perfect.
I am also extremely happy that I convinced Joe to come to England. I love going out with him because he lets me hang all over him. He gets mad at me because I am a smartass but I know that he’s never actually mad at me and never means it when he says “i haaaaaaaaaate you” hehehehe. He loves me. I’ll never forget him holding me while I vommed in the toilet (yes, family) and telling me over and over how often he is in that position. He always rubs my back and I don’t think he knows how much I appreciate it because it is like he knows when I need it the most. I’m proud of him because he’s not late anymore!! He used to be late to EVERYTHING, but now he’s only late to class, it’s remarkable! He was so proud of the food that he made for Thanksgiving and it was adorable because of how happy he was that he made it and that he learned how to cook while over here. His love for his mother is adorable; he could not live without her. I am so glad that we had psych together freshman year and used to have studysessions/just talk before class because I don’t think we would be as close. He makes me laugh and I am so happy he is in my life.
Like I said–I couldn’t have been able to do this without the people I have been around for the past 11 weeks. They have made me into a better person. I have spent special time with each of them and I will never forget our experiences together. They have all seen me at my worst, but I am ok with that. I can be vulnerable. I can be myself around them, and I could not ask for anything better.
So no, I did not make many British friends, but my relationships with friends I already had grew stronger and I made two new lifelong friendships. That’s what this is about, right?
They have made it easier for me to say love :]
Daria
Daria In London's 