Chronicles of the Newbie Expat - part II (Dreaming of Wheels)

So here I am, settling in - in a far away land that rains and thunders in the summer and is filled with wildlife and lush green landscapes :). I've just gone through a hectic orientation week and my first week of classes.

The transportation is good. It's better than having a car :). The walking and biking is healthy and fun. I bought a bike the second or third day I was here because I was fed up of getting soaked by torrential rain on my 30 minute treks to downtown.

I went on lovely trips to NYC and Philadelphia! Princeton is up next :).

After a long, never-ending walking excursion to NYC I got off the train and was looking forward to riding my new bike home. I exited the station and scanned the bike racks for my precious bike.

Hmmm ... thats not my bike ... nope, not that either or that or that or that ...

I went back and forth for a few seconds around the area where I remembered I had parked it and locked it up. Then I started focusing on each one in the rows of metal bars, seats and rubber. Then I saw it! My precious bike was there :) but it was no longer fit for the definition of bike :(. IT HAD NO WHEELS! I blinked once, twice, again and again. I laughed to myself to overcome the disbelief. My bike's front and back wheels were gone!



I had bought a lock that locked the wheels along with the bike frame to a pole. Before leaving for NYC in the morning, I thought to myself who would steal the wheels in front of the train station. It was a lively public area. There was no way someone would risk stealing them here. I was wrong of course. I ignored the wheels and just locked the frame of the bike to the rack. The wheels were actually designed to be easy to clip off. I didn't know it was that easy :D.

Now I have to get myself a new pair of wheels :D

Chronicles of the Newbie Expat - part I

My journey of becoming an expat started last Saturday. I flew out of Egypt (my primary homeland) and headed for my second homeland. I hadn't been to the UK for just less than 2 years. As usual I loved it and loved the spirit of adventure that came hand-in-hand with travelling and discovery of new places. Despite this, I couldn't help feeling a longing to go back to the life I was leaving behind. It was a stable life - el humdulilah. Now I felt like I was stepping into the abyss of the unknown. These bubbling emotions were not much to do with the fear of being alone and fending for myself. I didn't fear living or surviving on my own. I looked forward to building up my life and career in my new home. It was more to do with the deep longing to stay with what I was leaving behind. There are numerous things I will miss dearly.

I look forward to the day I reunite with these things...