Finding a New Best Friend

Roommates. The word itself makes me get a migraine. I have always had the worst luck with roommates, so you could say I was skeptical about my living situation when arriving in Sydney, Australia. All I knew was that her name was Emily Moore. And yes, I might have stalked her Facebook a little bit.

Turns out, this opportunity not only allowed me to discover a new culture, but also gain a new life-long friend. We only formally met in the airport, yet it became a quick friendship that I will always look back on and treasure.

Through thick and thin, Emily and I have become a strong-knit support group for each other, whether it be something as simple as a headache or as important as troubles at home. Going across the world can be quite lonely, but Emily makes it feel like it is only a little far away from home.

I feel like it is a completely different experience to have a partner in crime when going abroad. I have someone to talk to about how annoying Coles is, or to scream over spiders in our bathroom. Travelling across the world can be a very intimidating feeling, so being able to have someone that empathises with me is very valuable.

Even outside of my friendship with Emily, I have found happiness and inclusion with my fellow study abroad peers. I have my fellow night owls, my wine connoisseurs and my trashy television lovers. I hope to create even more memories and experiences with only the thirteen people that share the same experience as I. Especially our family trip to Cairns at the end of March.

If I had advice for anyone travelling abroad, I would say that obtaining a friend can absolutely change the whole experience. However, sometimes just rolling with the punches can land you a friend for life.

Emily, thank you for being that friend I needed abroad. Don't expect this ever again. I don't do the cheesy, sappy stuff typically. Appreciate it while you can.

Note: I expect Emily Moore to write a novel on her love for me for her next blog.