As I recall my first day in Sydney...............

I came to Sydney about 3 years ago. I can clearly recall almost everything about my first day here as if it was just few days ago. It’s interesting how time flies and never comes back, leaving behind the memories for us to cherish.

I can still feel the roller coaster of emotions I was going through from the time I boarded my flight till the moment I landed at Sydney Airport. First day at Sydney Airport waiting for the people, who were supposed to pick me up, I felt kind of nervous and lost. As I didn’t have any relatives in Sydney or any friends whom I could stay with, my agent had arranged for accommodation and some fellow students to pick me up who came to Australia through him.

Anyway, that cab ride from the airport to Strathfield (suburb where my accommodation was arranged) was quite interesting and exciting as I got to see and feel Sydney city for the first time. It was drizzling and the weather was a bit chilly though it was summer season. I had heard and read about the beautiful weather of Sydney and that it doesn’t get too cold even in winter but to my surprise; I was feeling the chill in summer. While talking about the weather, one of the guys even said some really funny stuff. He said something like ‘Never trust 3 Ws in Sydney i.e. Women, Work and Weather’. I couldn’t comment about the women or the work but felt may be he was right about the weather. I arrived to my destination and nearly had a heart attack paying the cab fare. I knew Sydney was one of the most expensive cities in the world but the cab ride was bit too much expensive. At that very moment I decided that I am going to stay away from cabs as much as possible.

As I rested, I started thinking about all the things I need to do in order to start a new life in a complete new city, far away from home and family. Though it was not the first time I had been away from my country,( I had studied and lived in US before moving to Sydney), I had the same feeling of awkwardness as I was with strange people , new surroundings, was missing home; however I was also excited about the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I couldn’t sleep that night maybe because of the jetlag or excitement or that uncomfortable feeling, whatever the reason was, I pretty much stayed awake the whole night, thinking, planning and enjoying the feel of a new city – Sydney.

Cheers
RS