Dear diary

Chapter 1 - Dear diary

Dear diary 🩷 Thursday, January 2, 2024

I have never been good at writing down my thoughts and experiences, but this time I am hoping it will stick.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Anna I am 22 years old and I live in Denmark.
I am currently studying law at a university here in Denmark. Through university, I have been able to travel to Toronto, to work and study abroad, which I am very excited about.
I recently just got out of a 5-year relationship, which is also, why I jumped at the opportunity to try studying abroad.

I am very excited to meet my host family, we texted a bit but now I am finally meeting them. I am going to live with a family of four, a mom, dad and their two sons, who if I remember correctly are 4 and 7 years old.

I am trying to keep this diary to document my journey to Toronto, wish me luck.
Lots of love Anna 🩷

Anna's POV

Just as I finished writing in my diary there is a knock on my apartment door. As I open the door I am greeted by my sister, Mathilda, she is staying over tonight, so she can drive me to the airport tomorrow. She truly is my favorite person on this earth, we have been there for each other through thick and thin. Even though we are so close now it has not always been easy, being sisters can be challenging growing up, but now that we are bout adults, we have the best bond. Mathilda is turning 20 in a couple of months which I unfortunately will not be home for.

Mathilda and I are going out to eat tonight and just enjoy our last night together. "so are you excited to move into my apartment for the next six months" I ask Mathilda.
"Oh my god you have no idea how excited I am, but I am really going to miss you..." she says while pouting with the last words.

My sister and I are professional yappers, so both on our walk to and from the restaurant, and while sitting and enjoying the meal at the restaurant, there was no silence between us, which I truly love. We are just so comfortable with each other that we can literally say anything.

Just as we arrive at my apartment I receive a call from my dad, wishing me a good trip tomorrow, being as my flight leaves at 4 am, I will not call and wake him that early in the morning. After the call from my dad, Mathilda and I got ready for bed and turned on criminal minds to calm down and eventually we fell asleep.

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We are woken up by my alarm at 2 am, after what feels like the shortest sleep ever, which if I might add, really was the shortest sleep ever.

My sister and I got ready and went out the door, with my two suitcases and my carryon bag. As we get closer to the airport, I can feel the butterflies in my stomach grow as I am getting both equally more excited and nervous, I have never travelled this far alone before.

I feel as if getting out the car and saying goodbye to my sister seems will be the toughest part of this whole trip, not me travelling alone but the fact I am going to be away from her for this long. As I get my bags out of the car I spot a tear roll down Mathilda's cheek, and I instantly start crying too. We hug for what honestly what does not seem long enough, but I have to check in my bags and go through security.

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As I am going through security the monitor beeps, of course. A fun fact about me, I can never go through security without having to be patted down or getting drug tested, honestly I do not know why but oh well. As I am done with security I grab some breakfast, a bottled water and a juice, I sit down eat my breakfast and am now waiting for my plane to board. Being that I am flying from Denmark I cannot fly directly to Toronto and therefore, I have a layover in Amsterdam.
My plane is now landing, and it is currently 5.30, which means I now have three hours before my plane to Toronto leaves at 8.30. I have to go through customs because I am leaving the EU, and that honestly can take sooo long.

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My plane is now boarding and I am getting more excited I just texted my host "mom", Maria, telling her that I am now boarding my plane, she probably won't answer because of the time difference, but she will know that I am on the plane on my way there. The flight was so long, I have trouble sleeping when flying and driving, so I know this is going to feel as a much longer flight than it probably is.

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As the plane is touching down, I get butterflies in my stomach again. We all leave the plane and go to the baggage claim. As the suitcases are passing by me, I am wondering when mine will be here, and what if they will not be here, what if they got lost? Oh my god I cannot be having these thoughts.
Right as I was about to panic I see one of my suitcases, and soon after I take my suitcase off the table, I see the next one.

Now I just have to find my host "dad", Andrew, since he told me he would be picking me up. And there he was, he is holding a big sign with my name on it, so I knew it was him. I am SO excited.

"Hi I'm Anna" I told the man holding a sign with my name as I put my hand out for him. "Oh my god, hello I'm Andrew" he says as he pulls me into a huge hug. "Oh I have been so nervous for this and I am so happy to finally meet you," I say as we move towards his car. "We have been so excited as well, the boys have been making drawings all day for you, and a little surprise as well," Andrew says as I smile and laugh a little. "I am so excited to meet them, I actually brought them a little gift as well," I say and Andrew gets really excited.

"We're here," Andrew says, as he stops the car. We get out of the car and goes to the trunk to take out my suitcases, when the door to the house swings open, and two little boys runs out to hug their dad who has just come home from a long day at work. "Hello my little bees, have you guys been nice to momma today?" Andrew asks the boys, "YESSSSSSS" they both screamed, "boys I want you to meet Anna, she will be living with us for the next six months," Andrew tells the boys as he motions to me. "Hello guys" I say and kneel down to their height, I was expecting them to be shy, but the run over to me and tackle me into a hug, I have honestly never felt more welcome into a family. When I look up a woman is standing, smiling down to me, "hello you must be Anna, I'm Maria" she smiles and pull me into a hug as well.

We all walk into the house, and Maria asks the boys if they want to give me a tour of the house while Andrew and Maria prep some food for us all. The boys are so excited to show me the whole house, and especially their rooms. As soon as we reach their rooms, I have to see all the toys they have, we are interrupted in our tour of the house when Maria comes in the door "Food is ready" and with that the boys run out the room as Maria and I laugh.

"Anna you must be so tired," Andrew says as we are sitting down to eat. "Oh you have no idea," I say while laughing, making both Andrew and Maria laugh. "I think I might just go to bed after this if that is all right with you guys" I say, "of course, no problem," Andrew says. "We were thinking of going through some ground rules tomorrow. You know just how we want to raise our kids and how we expect or hope the people around us act in front of our boys," Maria says and I nod.

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As I reach what is going to be my room I text my family at home, saying I got here safe, and that I will call them tomorrow.

After a warm shower and my night routine, I throw myself on my bed. I almost fall asleep immediately but remember I promised myself I would write in my diary every day.

Dear Diary🩷 Friday, January 3, 2024

Today has been a very long day. For the first time ever I have taken a very long plane ride all by myself. It went successfully, and there were no problems ;)

Today I met my host family, they are very lovely. The mother Maria is so welcoming and I hope we are gonna be very good friends, the father Andrew is so sweet and they are both very interested in learning more about me. The boys Finnegan and Elliot are so sweet, and I feel as if I am going to be like an older sister for them. I have literally never felt more welcome than when they ran over to hug me for the first time.

Todays update is ending here, because I am so very tired I almost cannot hold my eyes open anymore.

More to come tomorrow.
Lots of love Anna 🩷