Moving in, Starting anew, Staying Connected

July 31st, 2017: I moved to America.

As a foreign student moving into the US for business school, one of the landmark experiences would be moving in. It's simple and everybody does it, but it still is a legitimate milestone.  It meant me leaving family behind and starting a new journey.  So let me talk about that whole experience.

My move to the US was quite unconventional.  I left work barely two weeks before flying to the US so I had very little time to prepare.  While most of my classmates booked their apartments weeks or even months before school started, I landed in Austin with a list of four apartment options I found online.  I was going to see them for myself, decide, and close the deal on my first few days.  I did find my apartment on my first day in Austin.  It's called the Penthouse.  It's not the nicest property, but the specific unit I eyed had just been renovated and was sparkling new.  And it is so close to campus.  Perfect.  While waiting for management to finish renovation, I stayed at an AirBnb for two weeks.

Two weeks later, the day came.  I was going to finally move into what would be my home for the next two years in Austin.  I had previously arranged with my brother for him to fly in from Nashville.  He was so enthusiastic to help me move in.  We met at the property management office, where I saw him come in a very-typically-large Texan truck.  

My Kuya (older brother in Tagalog) drove us all around Austin to get my move-in essentials.  We went to Home Depot.  We spent a considerable time at Bed Bath & Beyond (where he sold me the idea of paying for the softest sheets and towels).  I also had my first-ever trip to Costco (buying endless supplies of toilet paper and toothpaste, which seemed like they'd last me beyond my MBA).  We both knew that the Pinoy in me will not survive life in the US without my ever-so-reliable TV.  So we went to Best Buy, where I also grabbed a Google Home Mini (we didn’t have this back home so it felt like I was a five year old with a new toy for sure).  And then there was the epic shopping trip to move-in central: IKEA.  

At Ikea, I got all sorts of things that I needed (but my Kuya would argue the others were not really needs).  Among other things, I got a desk-or-dining-table, closet organizers, and of course, a legitimate Ikea couch.  Again, Pinoy perspective – we Pinoys know we’ll have guests.  So I definitely chose a nice pull-out.  There were so many other things we got in Ikea that I cannot remember.  Imagine this - all that shopping stuffed into our big red truck.  I could not imagine doing all that by myself.  It was so convenient.  And it was actually fun!

It was a long shopping day and my Kuya and I decided to celebrate that and my move altogether.  He found a restaurant on East 6^th that served a fusion of Japanese and Filipino food.  And it was the best (especially because Kuya paid for everything)!

On the day he was going to fly back to Nashville, we set everything up.  Ikea being Ikea, we had to assemble tables, the couch, and the bed.  Cheesy as it sounds, it’s kind of like how we would build stuff when we were younger.

Even after Kuya left, he kept sending my stuff through Amazon – from toothbrush holders to the ultimate Asian cup noodles.  It did not stop there.  There were days when I would get home from school seeing huge Amazon boxes outside my door.  Opening one box, I got the happiest shock to see Ninja Coffeemaker.  It would be the Firebolt of Harry Potter brooms, except this is a coffee maker.  It’s the best.  And my sister from the Philippines sent it over as a move-in gift.  The box also came with months’ supply of laundry detergent and fabric conditioner!  

Of course I posted that on Instagram.  A week later, I saw another package.  Upon opening, it was two large jars of New York coffee from my cousins in NY who saw my post the previous week.  The presents did not stop coming.  I got packages that had Kleen Kanteen tumblers from friends back home, and many others.  So much thoughtfulness.

I recall the events of that experience. It got me accomplishing several administrative things, such as booking my apartment, setting up utilities, and more.  It also saw my Kuya flying in to help me get settled in.  I even got move in presents!

Today, looking back, I now see it from a different perspective.  It was not just a series of events that helped me settle in.  While I was so relieved that my brother helped make that move very convenient, it also goes beyond that.  I did get very excited to make my own cappuccino with my sister's Ninja, but it was also more than that.  It was beyond all that.

As I write this, I’m actually getting goosebumps at how emotional I am getting recalling that experience.  It’s not just the events.  It's not even the emotions I remember having then.  I write this and realize that my move-in experience gave and continue to give me feelings much bigger than I had imagined.  

I am happy I got to spend time with family.  I'm happy to realize that despite moving thousands of miles away from most of my family, we continue to be connected.  

Today, I look back and realize that experience transcends events - it elicits emotions.  But most importantly, it has the tremendous ability to make us realize the bigger things that we truly feel.  Sometimes, we just have to look back and see how massive they really are.