Happy New Year!

I feel like I have started off this new year right. Not once since I left on Monday have I wondered if this was the right decision (even when I saw the mouse).

I moved into the flat today and I am so happy! God put me in a great situation. For several weeks before I left I was trying to find a place to live. I got very discouraged as I learned of all the scams going on out there. It seemed like every person I emailed was a scammer. But thanks to a blog I found (http://chicaneryconsscams.blogspot.com/) I didn't waste too much time or money. 

A few weeks before I left the US a long-time friend offered to connect me to a friend of hers who currently lives in London and I took her up on it. He immediately offered to help me out and sent a list of ads from his church.  I looked over the list and saw they were all for rooms within flats. I set the list aside for a few days. I was going to live alone. When I was first planning to move here I pictured myself in a little flat by myself, maybe with a TV and internet. I was sort of stubborn (and prideful) thinking that I needed to live alone. I had been living alone for the past five and a half years and really enjoyed it. I wasn't up for living with strangers and taking that chance. 

As my departure grew closer I started to get really worried.  All I was finding within my budget and in nice areas were scams.  Five days before I left I put aside my pride and emailed a few of the ads. I received a response and pictures from one and had a really great feeling about it. And now I'm sharing a flat in London and I think it's going to be really great.

The situation is what I would hope for, but not necessarily what I expected. I was trying to be realistic and expected things to be more difficult. But it has been great so far. I arrived this afternoon and there were a few other girls here hanging out with my flatmates. They were all very nice and helpful. I spent a couple hours unpacking and organizing. I went downstairs to ask the girls where I could go to buy a few essentials and get something to eat. They said they were going to scrounge up some food here and asked if I wanted to join. I got to spend my first night in the flat hanging out with other girls (who all happen to be from other countries too). It's so fun meeting people from other places!



Even the landlord has been great about everything. He let me move in before even talking to me. He offered me linens and anything else I might need so I don't have to go out to buy stuff just for nine months.

A few weeks ago some friends and I were talking about this being the year for us. I know my 2009 had a lot of ups and downs. I know there will always be downs no matter what. It's up to me to make sure those downs don't bring me down too much. I'm really looking forward to 2010 and all that God has planned for me. Cheers!