Smile!

“I should get going too!” I used to say to myself whenever I saw off an OG student at the airport. But once I was packed and holding a ticket in my hand, I was suddenly not that eager. Also, it was the first time that I was alone at the airport.

A seat by the window on the plane improved my mood a bit, but it still took me some time to smile at my seat mate. He was a nice guy; he told me about Prague and how he fed swans on the Vltava. I wouldn’t hear a word about Prague; I was homesick.

Arrival in Chester was somewhat better. I was stupefied by fatigue, so I didn’t really perceive being HERE again. I had to take a taxicab, because I’d forgotten how to get to 17 Vernon Road. But that’s the way it goes: When you expect something, it often turns out differently, and you end up disappointed. I wasn’t expecting or looking forward to anything on that day, and lo and behold! Before I even took my suitcase out of the trunk, my roommates jumped at me and laughed a lot. And suddenly I was laughing too. A genuine, honest smile will wake break through your fatigue. I walked in, and smiling was easy. Neat, clean, and the perfect kitchen: you need that if you can cook. And my room! Freshly painted, new carpets – simply a time for more smiles.

I spent the whole first week doing volunteer work for international and Erasmus students, which I found very fulfilling. At times, I could imagine my last year’s very own surprised self in their position. And now I’m the one who knows how to get around. The “Freshers Week” flew by, and here I was, packing my things for the first dance lesson in the morning. Since I played a lot of sports on holidays and spent my first week in school jogging and working out, it was nice to feel that I was okay when I was dancing. I absolutely adore our subjects this year, and even though the learning process is much faster and we have about three times as much work this year (including in Spanish), I am looking forward to the studio. I have a great motivation, as the two modern dance workshops that I prepared for dancers in Písek have netted me a job offer – for preparing serious workshops for young dancers in Písek.

Once the “Freshers Week” was over, I also met some excellent singers and actors who want to work with me. One such talented singer and I are just preparing a “song” that will soon be performed at a small club in downtown Chester.

Thinking back about the summer holidays that has just ended, I say to myself that I should have smiled more. In the end, I am really happy to be back HERE. Smile! After all, it’s the simplest thing to do.

That’s me with Lisa – my German roommate.