Chapter 1

It was pretty overwhelming when I first touched down to the United Kingdom 6 months ago. I was going to a country I had never been to, to live and study. I was going to live on my own for the first time, experience 4 seasons for the first time, see snow for the first time, COOK on my own (eating > cooking). 

6,572 miles and 13 hours later (the butt ache was real), I arrived in London, United Kingdom. That, and another hour or so in a coach to arrive in Brighton, my last destination. I think the only pictures I saw of Brighton prior to my arrival were picture of the beach which, instead of having sand, are replaced with pebbles. Yes, pebbles (even up till now, I have yet to go to the beach thank to winter). 

First meal in Brighton.

itsu @ 68-70 North Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 2RE

Everything amazed me. Everything was new. I had a lot of learning and adapting to do. I think the hardest would've been identifying all the coins (there's 1p 2p 5p 10p 20p 50p £1). Even the weather was new to me. It's a lot less humid here in the UK and my skin wasn't pleased at all. But nonetheless, I was excited about starting a whole new life here. 

The Lanes

Bill's Restaurant @ The Depot, 100 North Road, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1YE

The view from the Brighton Pier.

Unfamiliar places, unfamiliar faces. It's like going on holiday, just a really long one. And starting over would've been the most terrifying. I had to go through the process of learning where places are, what streets go to where, of making new friends (not saying that it's a bad thing, just a nerve-wrecking one (considering how shy I can be)). Even now I still get nervous when taking a bus. Fear that I'd miss my stop and end up some place foreign to me. 

But to conclude all that shenanigans, the past 6 months were really good. It took me a while to finally figure out the coins and it took me no time at all to make friends. Streets are still a challenge for me but at least I can sort of tell you where everything is (ha). It's been tough, but it's been fun too. 

"I eat mail for breakfast."

Siobhan Lim