narrative paragraph on a moment when you felt you were starting to grow up
Answers
I think the moment that changed me was when I said goodbye to my parents after they dropped me off in Switzerland alone. They helped me set up beforehand and for a few weeks in Switzerland, then left back for Canada, leaving me alone to fend for myself for the first time.
Before then I had never been away from them for more than two weeks, they helped me plan everything in my life. When I saw them leave it finally hit me that they wouldn’t be there anymore to help me. They helped me with visas, finding accommodation, paying for a meal plan, buying my plane tickets, but I don’t think it ever actually occurred to be that after a few weeks I would be completely on my own. I couldn’t visit them on the weekends and the next time I would see them was 5 months later.
That really helped me grow up, I had to do my own laundry, get my own food, I had to do everything myself and if I didn’t I would starve or fail my university. It was tough lesson, one that I had never really thought through. Now I can move to a new country and survive like a pro, but back then I was scared.
For the first few months I kept to myself, because as an introvert when I get scared or nervous I like to be alone. This was a grave mistake and I developed a bit of depression from the isolation. Eventually I developed some nerve and started talking to people after I got comfortable taking care of myself. It was a huge wake up call to have been so dependent on my parents, something that I never want to do again.
I now live in Spain and I love it. There was a bit of an awkward phase where I had to set up my habits again, but it went faster and more smoothly this time. My parents of course helped, but not like they did before. Despite the experience, I am truly grateful that I had it, because I wouldn’t have learnt to be on my own for a long time if I had stayed in Canada.