No tags yet.
I now only have one week left until I leave for La Réunion for my first semester of my year abroad. It goes without saying that I am rather nervous to leave my home for the first time ever (!!!) and live south of the equator on this little French island. Despite this, I know it will be an adventure and I cannot wait to gain an endless number of skills and life experiences.
Preparations have taken a slow toll, but at last progress has been made. Completing the online and paper forms in order to go on this year abroad have been challenging and tedious at the very least. Of course, having them all in French was hard enough, but there were just SO many!
Getting my suitcase(s) ready has also been a struggle. If you know me well, you know I have A LOT of clothes, but luckily packing is one of my strongest skills, and I have a lot of small crop tops which take up little room. When it comes to packing, I know that the country is hot, 25 degrees on average, so crop tops and shorts are a staple in my bag, along with a couple hoodies, some comfy sports leggings for the LONG flight and any hikes) and a variety of practical walking shoes (boots, sandals and trainers). So as you can tell, packing is pretty much sorted. However, its not just clothes I have to think about. Bedding and kitchenware were also something to consider, but I think I've come to the conclusion to buy these items when I arrive (too much to think about, and too heavy!).
The island itself, is something I will have never experienced before, hot tropical weather all year round, secluded, and situated in the Indian Ocean. It has rich and deep history, making it incredibly multi-cultural and diverse, combining cultures from France, Africa, India and China.
Interestingly, I did a bit of research on the island, comparing it to Norfolk regarding size and inhabitants, and discovered they really are quite similar. According to Wikipedia (not an incredibly reliable source, I know, but does the job) Norfolk has a population of 860,000* and an area of 2,074 square miles (5,370 km2), and Réunion Island 865,000* and an area of 970 sq miles (2,511 km2). This actually reassures me a little. Since I've never moved away, a big city definitely wouldn't suit me, so knowing I'm not going to be bombarded with a busy way of life has definitely calmed me down.
This has been the first of I'm sure many rambles. Réunion Diaries is a series of blog posts relating to my time in Réunion. I want to document as much as I can; what I get up to and how I'm finding my year abroad. Feel free to follow along!