Booking flights, finding a place to live and preparing for classes were all a part of my preparation to travel to the United Kingdom, and after all of that, I had to face the monster that was the airport. My time at the airport was difficult and tiring, and during each layover, I began to question what I got myself into. I wondered why I chose to sign up for this trip after hearing so many stories about the airport. I almost lost everything at one point or another, but what saved me was my patience and pure luck. In the end, my first time flying taught me that you can never be too prepared. You always have to pay attention to your surrounds or you might misplace something important.
After 11 hours of flying, two layovers and six time zones, I finally arrived in Exeter. I was exhausted but relieved that I made it to the city in one piece with all of my luggage. My first test in the city was getting a taxi after finding out that my host was unable to pick me up from the airport. It was something that I had never done before. I was a little afraid that I would somehow mess up this task. To my relief however, everything went smoothly. My taxi driver was a man from North America, who had been living in Exeter for 16 years. He was extremely kind and reassured me that my time in the city would be wonderful. We talked about where we were from, and he gave me tips on how to get around the city and told me about the locals. After that taxi ride, I learned that the city of Exeter is a place full of kind people and beautiful sights to see. Once I made it to the home of my host family, my anxieties were put at bay. I began to think that I had made the right decision.
