Let’s talk about Day Zero!

Shy, insecure, embarrassed, afraid. I was all that and more the day before I left everything behind: my home, my family, my friends, my ex-self. I was a recent graduate with nothing planed for the future but go abroad. The day I received the confirmation that I got accepted to an ESC programme in Brussels was the best day of my (life:-?) year. I finally had a purpose again, something to work for, something to explore, a new adventure was about to begin. I always knew that I have to venture into the unknown and explore this stunning continent I was born on, despite my acute shyness and insecurities.

Firstly, I am a graduate of the Faculty of Letters, my field of study being Norwegian and English, consequently I was looking for an ESC in Scandinavia, but fate had other plans for me... I ended up applying for an amazing position at the Scout Bureau in Brussels and they wanted me too! After long debates with my parents, you probably know how worried parents tend to be:”You are not going alone in a foreign country! What if bad things happen to you? Etc,” I’ve managed to pacify them and moved on to my own concerns.  “I don’t speak French! I know nothing about Belgium, what if I don’t make any friends?” I must admit, it wasn’t easy calming myself of thinking that this was a bad idea, after all, I had no clue who these people are.  But, during all that time I had a strange feeling that this was my calling, I had to go no matter what. It has been my dream to travel, to explore other countries, to visit new places and make friends worldwide, now I had the chance.

Luggage done, boarding pass ready and few snacks prepared, it was  time to say goodbye to my family. I was heading towards Italy to meet my new colleagues in Lake Como at a stuff retreat, I was terrified and thrilled at the same time.  Few hours later I was there, sun was shining, people were speaking graciously in a different Latin language than my own, I was surrounded by  the lush greenery which covered the mountains, everything was perfect. What did I do when I got in my hotel room? I cried, A LOT, like never before. I was alone, scared, afraid of the unknown, I was about to meet strangers, can you imagine? I cried myself to sleep and when I woke I had to face the reality again. I pulled myself together and went to the lobby where I  met the others and the rest is history....