So where do I start? This is my first time blogging ever so we'll see how it goes. I guess I'm gonna go all the way back to when I first left Adelaide to come to Casper. After basically deciding a month before the school year would start that I would attend a junior college; I chose a school, Got all the paper work done, organized my Visa, Packed my stuff and said my good byes. Before I knew it, it was 6am in Adelaide airport and I was standing there with my family. It was a weird time for me I was going through so many emotions I felt that I was so internal that the eyes I was looking out of weren't even my own. I was so excited, going to college has been my dream for as long as I can remember but at the same side I never want to leave my family and friends. I have been so lucky growing up to have a true group of friends who really care and always have my back. I've had amazing coaches who have not only coached me in basketball but life as well and my family, words cannot describe how much I love every single one of them the support and love they have given me throughout my whole life has just been amazing. I knew that when the final call came up to board the plane despite my happiness and excitement to leave for college I knew my other emotions would get the better of me. When that final call came a turned to my Nana K and the picture of her tearing up just set me off from there it was a lot off tearful good byes, I Love you, I'll miss yous between the rest of my family. The last thing I really remember before I got on the plane is Alisha grabbing me and telling me 'It's only good bye for now.' The rest is all a blur from there mainly because my vision was blurred from all the tears.
Yeah I definitely hate good byes
From there it was a long series of plane flights; Adelaide to Sydney, Sydney to LA, LA to Denver and then a four hour drive from Denver to Casper. I'm not exactly sure what the toughest part of all of this was. Was it the 30 hours of continually travel, was it the thoughts of knowing I had no set time until I would physically see any of my friends or family again or was it the fact the 3 and half months prior to me leaving I had met and fallen in love with the most amazing girl in the world, Alisha Grace Heglund. There had not been a day in probably the last 4 months that I hadn't talked to her. Safe to say I was definitely having withdrawal symptoms not being able to see her or just pick up the phone and call or text her. This was only 10 hours into my journey yeah I know what you're think this guy is a massive softy well whatever the case was why I was stressing myself out like crazy I knew I needed a way to calm myself down. What did I do, I reached for my bible and on the first page read:
Presented to daniel james carlin
By alisha grace heglund
On the occasion of just because :)
Instantly I was calmed. I turned to Romans and there I found a verse which just basically made me throw away all my worries it was Romans 8:28 and it read 'And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.' It's crazy how all you need to do is seek God and he will tell you exactly what you need. Sometimes you want to hear it, sometimes you don't but He told me exactly what I needed to here. I am so happy I found Christ before this whole adventure began. To know that no matter what I have someone with me guiding me, protecting me and loving me unconditionally is an amazing feeling. I knew that no matter how upset or home sick I could ever feel all I would have to do is turn into him and let him take all my stressors away. Every day I am continually amazed by the power and beauty of God.
When I first got off the plane in LA I was so happy (once I got through customs of course). To see the sun and the palm trees reminded me of when I was there just a couple of months prior. I love California, a little part of me really just wanted to stay there and wait for Alisha to arrive home and somehow just start a life there but I was not supposed to be there, well not yet anyway. The flight to Denver definitely went by the quickest probably because I slept the whole way but once I got off the plane I was so happy I had no more flying or security checks to do. I was greeted at the baggage claim by Coach Russell, It was a great first impression I thought and the four hour drive to Casper went by very quickly. We had great conversation and I was starting to feel like I had really made the right choice in coming to Casper College. Once I arrived I was shown a little bit of campus, Met Coach Davidson (the head coach) as well as Rosey and Doc who were host parents to the players here. They provided me with some bedding and snacks, then it was straight into my dorm room for some sleep. Just lying there it felt like a dream. So crazy to think that I was now living in the United States but the craziness wasn't enough to stop me from passing straight out, it had been a long trip but I finally had arrived.
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