All by myself...

No matter what it is you’re doing, for most people, it’s difficult to go it alone.  Whether it’s going shopping, going to the cinema, or even just going out to dinner, it’s not the done thing to do it alone.  So when I decided that I was going to move to America alone, most of my friends and family were shocked.  Most people didn’t understand my decision at all, or just kept asking how I was going to cope.  Since when did it become so unacceptable to travel the world completely off your own bat?

I have always been a person who is more than happy to do most things by myself, and have travelled across Europe, Russia and China alone as it is.  However, when I decided to move to America, I did not consider that I would be moving my life there and all that that entails.  I needed to find a job, and a house, and set up a bank account, social security number and mobile phone account– all of which are dependent on each other, and all of which in a country that is struggling to recoup after the recession of the age.

All these things are made even a little harder when you’re by yourself and have no one to fallback on, or bounce ideas off, or moan to.  Thankfully these days, a helping hand, or a kind word of enthusiasm is never too far away with the ease of access to internet and mobile phones, and I for one am so glad I brought my smartphone with me.

Freedom is a hard thing to find these days, mainly due to the factors I have listed above (social security number, mobile phone, credit cards, etc) it is easy for someone to track you down, see what you’ve been up to and how many times you purchase Starbucks in a week.  The freedom that comes with travelling alone is one that I think everyone should experience sometime in their life.  It wasn’t until I came here that I had actually travelled on an airplane by myself either.  Even this was thrilling, relying on myself entirely to get where I wanted to go.

This I guess sums up what I’m trying to say, getting where you want to go.  I have wanted to come to America for as long as I can remember, but no one I know was ever as keen.  And so, I made it happen.  I would be devastated if I didn’t do it, and not having anyone to do it with was definitely not going to stop me.  And neither should it stop you.  There are always new people to meet, and new experiences to have, and for now, this is exactly where I want to be.