Flessenpost 3: New in Town

Keep talking and nobody explodes.. Seven guys (and me) hysterically screaming at the one guy behind the laptop trying to solve the riddle and cut the right wire. The more beer, the louder the screaming gets. After the pizza delivery guy was found crying in a corner, being lost on campus, the food was gloriously welcomed and devoured. When defusing bombs became too hard, it was time to test some friendships and detect the liars; the resistance was on! After being the spy every single game, I probably shouldn’t have been surprised when the game turned into werewolves, they lynched me first. No clue what the hell I am talking about, no worries, you just got introduced into board game, beer & pizza night.

Being lynched or not, after being in Sydney for just one week, my social calendar was filling up quickly and I felt at ease in this new life. Besides board game night with my fellow PhD students, I went to a birthday party with housemates, got introduced into the breakfast club, had drinks, dinners, barbies with other friends and planned the first out of city adventure. Two weeks in, I found myself spending Thanksgiving in Darling Harbour, talking over housing options on a rooftop bar, standing on top of a pool table trying to play minigolf in a bar in Newtown (holey moley), chilled at the beach and crashed (garden) parties with fellow Dutchies and the first road trip plans were definitely on. Combine that with actual amazing first weeks of research, the topic turning out even more interesting than expected, interesting discussions and first meetings about the project with my supervisor, and it is needless to say, but life couldn’t be more exciting.

However, when person X asked me out of nowhere ‘How do you make friends’, it threw me off guard and I couldn’t really answer the question. Something that was such a struggle for him, is apparently so natural and normal for me. I mean, yes of course, I was worried as well. The first hours, days in a new city and country can be pretty scary. And every time before I go abroad (days, weeks sometimes months) the panic starts, what if I don’t like it, what if I don’t make friends? But every single time within a day (or max a week) after arrival I am totally fine and I normally even tend to overdo it and within no time I am too busy to keep up with everything. Of course, I got lucky that everyone has been so nice. But on the other hand, I did my research, I didn’t pick a random PhD position or house and I have been proactive, organized things, invited myself etc.

For me being new is besides scary, also exciting; so many opportunities! Do I want to start a new hobby, new sport? What events are happening, what is there to explore? I am always proactive when it comes to new places, new friendships, I hate being alone and having nothing to do. That is probably why within already 2 weeks I got the exciting life I was looking for with something new happening every day. But maybe that life is not for everyone. Like person X, for some being abroad can be terrifying and lonely, away from their daily routine and life at home, struggling to make new connections. I can try to give them tips, invite them along, but for some being abroad is just not it.

For me the excitement is definitely worth the pre-travel panic. And so far, I am only looking forward to more vibrant exciting months! Of course, two weeks is too early to have a routine, but I couldn’t have wished for a better start to convince me of my choice to move here and I look forward to what the future has to bring now so many new opportunities and options are pending and on the table!