Member-only story
Finding my Footing
The struggles and surprises of my first days in the United States
Arriving in an empty apartment in a completely unfamiliar place, nearly 6,000 kilometers from home, after a long, exhausting flight, was overwhelming. To make matters worse, I had no internet access and no immediate way to contact anyone. I was completely on my own. My first instinct was to find somewhere to stay for the night, so I decided to search for a hotel. Thankfully, I managed to locate one, through it was quite late by the time I checked in. The only option left was an overpriced queen-size room, but at that point, I was too tired to care. As soon as I got there, I collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly.
The next day, I reached out to the landlord, hoping for some sort of solution. To my relief, they told me there was an extra bed and mattress available from a family who had recently moved out. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. That first night, I slept in my apartment with just the mattress, no blankets or pillows, but it was a huge step up from the night before.
On the second day, I made my way to Target, where I bought some basic necessities — blankets, pillows, and…
