365 days, 52 weeks, 1 year and a thousand memories

One year ago today, I stepped off a plane at Heathrow – I can remember my first few hours in this country with movie-like quality. I can play, rewind, and even pause.

It was a Thursday afternoon - cold, clear, crisp, and wonderfully sunny. The kind of day where you wrap yourself in a thick coat, scarf and gloves, and still have chill down your spine when you’re in the shade. And, the moment you step into the sun, you start to sweat, your clothes feel itchy and thick, your body weighted down. It was October 19, 2004. It was 10:20 AM. My bags were too heavy. I was deranged. I was exhausted. I hadn’t slept in over a day. The flight had been 11 hours of pure excitement and nervous anticipation - like being stuck at the start of a race, waiting patiently for the gun that never goes off. The entire plane ride, I sat with eyes closed, iPod on, adrenalin rushing, in state of shock and disbelief. Was I really moving to London – or was it all a dream?

Let me tell you, London is very real. In one year…
- I’ve been robbed - twice!
- I’ve been bombed.
- I’ve been stalked.
- I’ve been stood-up.
- I’ve been so lonely I forgot how to talk (hard to imagine I know).

And, the crazy thing is -- I am happier today than I’ve ever been in my life. I am inspired. I am changed. I am still dreaming.

- I’ve been to Rome, Venice, Florence, Sienna, Tuscany, Montpellier, Lyon, Paris, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Manchester, Brighton, Windsor, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Dublin, Limerick, Galway, Edinburgh, and a little island off Greece.
- I’ve stayed in castles.
- I’ve learned to drink wine, eat cheese, and love chocolate!!
- I’ve driven on the left-side of the road (and survived).
- I’ve been skiing in the Alps, and sunbathing in the Mediterranean.
- I’ve seen to the Sistine Chapel, the Louvre, the Cliffs of Moher, and Tivoli.
- I’ve seen the river Saone, the Rhone, the Liffey, the Danube, the Tiber, and the Thames.
- I say process with a long ‘O’, pronounce z with a ‘zed’, and can swear with a seriously posh British accent.
- I’ve been champagne diving in the Blue Lagoon.
- I’ve been to 6 musicals, 2 Shakespeare plays, 3 concerts, and the one night of the Royal Ballet.
- I’ve taken my mum to Selfridges on Thanksgiving, and Paris on mother’s day.
- I’ve made new friends.
- I’ve become closer to old ones.

It’s been 365 days. 52 weeks. A year of my life. Today is my first anniversary in London. Tomorrow, I get to do it all over again. I get to see fall for the second time. Feel the crunch of the leaves under my feet in Hyde Park. Miss my family on Thanksgiving and burn the Turkey. Decorate for Christmas. Ice skate in the park. Watch the snow fall. Celebrate a new year.

There just no telling what it may bring…