Going abroad

Chapter 1

"Emma, you coming?" my mom asked from downstairs. "Yeah, I'm coming." While I said that I take one last look at my room and nod. "I'm ready to go" I say to myself. I take the last stuff and close the door behind me. I get downstairs with my stuff and see the front door already open and most of my stuff already in the trunk of the car. "You ready to go?" I hear my mom say behind me. "Yeah. I can't wait to start a new chapter in my life. I can finally start over." I answered her. And with that said I helped with putting the last of my stuff in the trunk and saying goodbye to my siblings. And siblings being siblings they make fun of you and irritate you a little for one last time.  They're saying things like be careful, use protection, don't drink to much (even when the drinking age in the US is 21 years) and some other stuff. After you've said your goodbyes to your siblings you say goodbye to your dad. "You sure you got everything? Please be careful. If someone is bothering you, you call me and I'm getting on a plane and I'm-" he is almost crying and I have never seen him this vulnerable before. "Dad, I'm going to be okay" I say when I hug him with tears in my eyes. I'm going to miss them. I let go of the hug and look one last time at my brothers, sister and dad. "Come on. One last group hug!" I say and we give eachother a hug and laugh and cry cause we are going to miss eachother. "Okay. It is time for me to go or I'm going to be late for my flight." I turn myself to the car and get in otherwise I'm going to cry and cry and cry and my family doesn't need to see that. My mom gets in the car and puts the address in the GPS. I'm just looking down and watching my hands cause I'm to scared to look at my family one last time cause I'm going to cry heavily. "You ready?" my mom says. "Yes" I answer back and off we go. I'm going to regret it if I don't look one last time at my brothers, my sister and my dad so I look and wave at them. They wave back and I start to cry. Just as I expected...

During the car ride to the airport I'm mostly looking out the window. I'm not going to see this for a while so I better enjoy it while it lasts. "What you thinking about?" my mom asks. "Just that I'm going to miss this place and dad and Arthur and George and Billie. But I'm glad that I got the opportunity to go study abroad and living the dream my younger self dreamed about. Sort of. It is also good for me. New country, new people, nobody knows me. Well I mean it's scary, but it is also exciting." I answer her. "I just want you to enjoy yourself. Make some new friends, meet new people. Maybe get a boyfriend" she says with a smirk on her face. "Mom! I'm not ready for that yet. I think. What if they don't like me. What if they think I'm to fat. I'm not like those skinny models you see on instagram or tabloids or something. What if-" "Hey hey hey. Stop it! You are beautiful just the way you are. And if they don't like that then they are idiots." my mom said cutting me off. "Yeah but mom what if." "So many what ifs. You are beautiful. If they want you to change then they are just toxic cause they don't allow you to be yourself. You remember what I say sometimes? Don't let others-" "Decide who you are. Be who you wanna be and who you wanna become." I say finishing her sentence. "Thanks mom!" "For what?" she asks me. "For always being there for me!" answering her question. "That's my job as a mom and you're welcome! I'm always going to be here for you. Even if you are in another country. I'm just phone call away. You know that right?" "Yeah. I know that."

After a while we get to the airport. We got all my stuff out of the trunk and on a sort of cart. She walks with me to the entrance of the airport and we stop walking for a second. I turn to my mom and give her a big hug. She hugs me back and holds me even tighter. We say goodbye and hug another time. She gives me a kiss on my forehead and hugs me another time. "Mom, I really need to go or I'm going to miss my flight." I say to her. "Yeah. I know. I know. But I'm going to miss you so so much!" "One last hug?" I ask her. "One last hug." she answers. "Ok, I'm going." "Have fun but not to much fun. Think of us and call-" "Mom.. I'm going to be okay!" and I walk away from her in the airport. I turn around one last time and wave to her. She waves back and I turn back around and walk further. I get trough security and to my gate. I take place in my seat and get a bit comfortable cause it is a long long flight. I think to myself 'Let the adventure begin'.