October 2013

 Friday, October 20, 9:40 pm, I can call it for the day. 

The day was long and busy. But now I can relax and think about  what I was doing at this time and on this day 10 years ago? I know almost exactly.

Well,

Evening of Oct 20th, 2013. Los Angeles Airport. I walked around in circles trying not to fall asleep on my feet. I was on the road for more than 24 hours, tired, hungry, scared and a little bit proud of myself. 

I managed to get to Los Angeles (I have never traveled abroad, I saw palm trees for the first time in my life!), and went through the customs. You know, the person (a customs officer, or whatever you call them) was questioning me about the purpose of my trip. Why? The US government already gave me a Visa, I already had permission from them. Why stress me out? But it’s ok. I was proud of myself anyway: I made a phone call using a payphone. Thank God they still existed back then. I asked the salesperson at a nearby store to  change a dollar bill for quarters, fed the phone and talked to Daniel. 

I don’t remember having lunch, I didn't understand the American menu, I drank some coffee though.  

I went in circles around the building of the local airport. I couldn’t afford to sit down, fall asleep and miss my last plane for this trip. It was the third plane* on the one-way trip. Trip that changed my life forever, mine and Daniel's. 

Daniel and I took a chance. We didn’t know how it would turn out. 

I was confident in myself, lol. I didn’t know that I didn’t know English. I didn’t know that I would have to get a driver’s license to get a good job. I had no idea where and when I would be working. 

I didn’t miss my last flight. But I fell asleep like a log as soon as I got in my seat. 

I woke up on October 21, 2013 in Boston. Daniel was waiting for me with the flowers. Thus began our new life journey. 

Sometimes we talk about it…what did we do, what did we think, how fast time flies. 

 We still have no regrets, still learn about each other, and still laugh together, for 10 years.

*I flew from Tomsk to Moscow, from Moscow to Los Angeles, and from Los Angeles to Boston (don’t even ask me why, but that was the cheapest  price on the day I purchased tickets).