If you’ve followed my journey, you’d know that moving to England was a mission of its own to say the least. See here to play catch up.
Yet once my VISA was approved, bags packed and the official move ready to take place, you would think this would be clear sailings from here, right? WRONG!!! Too easy of a story I’ve learned. What’s the point of moving if I don’t have a good story I suppose?
My final fight to get to my new home (AKA Manchester) began on April 14, 2019. It seemed that the higher powers either really wanted me to prove how badly I wanted to move or were giving me the strongest signs against this move. (I haven’t decided quite yet.)
On the day of my flight a Chicago snow storm shut down the airport as my plane waited on the tarmac to take off for Europe. Over 90+ flights got canceled in Chicago that Sunday and with a work commitment in Austria later that week and luggage that had somehow managed to sneak off on an earlier flight to my layover destination in Charlotte, North Carolina, I was about to embark on the craziest escape out of the country yet.
My options were simple;
- Postpone my move until the return of my luggage to Chicago, cancel my work commitments and attempt to get on the soonest flight after the opening of Chicago’s airport.
- Road trip to another city where flights were taking off, try to reunite with the only belongings I had left, the true meaning of a #lifeinabag and continue to push for my move.
After a bit of persistence from my sister Karla who made it a mission to get me out of this country, I was convinced that a final good ole American road trip was in order. After 4+ hours on the road, I was hugged by my sister as she dropped me off in a hotel in Detroit. The next morning, I made my second attempt at my escape. The flight to Charlotte from Detroit had no hiccups thankfully. Once in Charlotte, I learned that somehow, some way one of my luggage’s was on a bigger mission to escape and found a way to get on my original flight to Munich the day prior. The full reunion with the only belongings I had would have to wait until Munich.
Finally, after 7 months of ending by full time Girl Takes Mundo adventures and returning home to Chicago to begin the process of my move and with only half of my belongings, I was boarding the flight from Charlotte to Munich that would finally make my move to Europe complete.
I wish I could say I was emotional; I wish I could say I felt something as I boarded that flight. Admittedly, either this move was long overdue, or possibly there was so much on my mind and little sleep playing its part but as the plane took off, I felt at peace.
Even now, a month after I boarded that flight, reunited with all my luggage in Munich and officially moved to Manchester, I don’t think it’s completely “hit me”. I haven’t experienced the typical or predictable emotions one would expect from moving from the only place they’ve called “Home” but of course, if and when it does, I’ll be sure to report.
And just like that, Girl Takes Mundo begins a new chapter in her life…Living in Europe.
BIG thanks to my sister, Karla, for being the catalyst to this great escape. Without her undefeated mentality and commitment to seeing my move happen was this even possible. LOVE YOU!
