Here I am

I've been in Leiden for one week now, but we're gonna rewind back to last Tuesday when I left my mum and sister at East Midlands Airport. What surprised me is that I wasn't at all teary-eyed when we said our goodbyes; a chasm apart from my reaction when my parents dropped me off in London three years ago to start my life as a fresher. As I walked through to customs alone, I realised it was just me and God from then on (who knew then who else would be featuring in this story - well yes He did of course). After all, it wasn't me who had planned this excursion, up until recently I hadn't even felt like going to Holland at all and yet here I am.

Exhausted from a ridiculously busy summer, I slept throughout the entire duration of the flight and woke up in Amsterdam about an hour later. I was greeted by Tineke and Tom, a Dutch couple from the church that I've come out to join (more about that later). They drove me to Leiden to drop off my bags and took me out for a Pizza: an Italian meal, served in a Greek restaurant situated in a quintessentially Dutch town. As it happened I was already disorientated from my sky-high midday nap. After a lovely meal and some friendly, yet, tired conversation, I returned home for my first night in Karsenmakerstraat (The old candle makers).

Almost alone in my room I pondered on why God had brought me here. It seemed odd, that a couple of years ago when I had contemplated Erasmus; the concept appealed to me, but the reality did not. Then, I was too afraid to up and leave my friends, my country and my comfort zone. But smiling over me, away from exactly those things, was the one who had not only called me here, but given me the Dutch Courage to come out and meet Him here.