All alone

After about an hour's journey, we arrived my "flat". They (the Brits) call any apartments -flat, but I prefer to call it by its name. Norfolk park student village sounds much nicer the flats. Maybe, where I come from, flats are houses with hanging clothes and underpants outside the window. And you can see each floor has a few flats with windows full of the washing.

Anyway, Bob helped me with the introductions at the reception. I guess it was only because I looked totally lost. The whole student village looked empty. Most of the students were still on holidays. They don't come back till maybe the week after when the classes starts.
After getting my keys and thanking Bob for all his help, I walked to 114 (the "flat" number), and proceeded to my room. I got the 2nd floor. After settling myself in, (which only took 20 minutes as I don't have my clothes luggage with me, therefore, I only had to put the food in the designated cupboard) I checked all the rooms. Most were empty, one was locked. Which means there is someone already in, but was either out for the weekend or out for the day. I hope is the latter. I hate being alone.

I sat on the bed, procrastinated whether I should light up a cigarette, decided against it as I saw the "no smoking" in the hallway sign. I went downstairs to make a hot drink, and while the kettle was boiling, I made a collect call home. And for the first time in years, I cried. I was home sick.
I was alone and I was home sick. And Ive only just arrived..

Mom and Dad was trying to calm me, asked me to see if there are anyone else around to go for a walk with. After drying up my tears, I went to the reception to ask who already signed into my flat. A girl from Hong Kong, apparently. Oh, I hope she's nice...
And then I went to the flat opposite mine, where the head of international student was living in. She was from Spain. A very nice (and pretty) girl. She was a final year student, and her mom was with her. They were shocked to see a first year student, all alone, and 12 hours flight away from home came alone.(this was when I silently cursed my parents for letting me fly all alone) I later realised, it helped with building up my confidence...

Anyway, her mom decided we should and have a look around in town, see whether there are a few shops that are open for me to get some stuffs till my luggage arrives. (I told them about my missing luggage).

Unfortunately, most shops are already closed by the time we got into town as it was already 5 pm, on a Sunday.
My first time out in town, I saw group of girls wearing next to nothing, in the cold, walking into a club called Roxy's. At 7 pm.... (!)

We got back to the flat at around 8ish, and when I walked into the flat, I could smell food and heard laughter in the kitchen. From then on, I knew I will be okay. As long as I didn't have to sleep alone in the empty flat on the first day in England...