Introduction to me!

 Hi Folks!

My name's Chelsea Johnson! I'm from Southlake, Texas. (see photo below!)

 I've lived there my entire life, until I moved to Austin nearly four years ago now! Austin was a huge change for me! Southlake is very much a small town and I hadn't come across lots of different types of people so I very much had a narrow world view. But, Austin, I came across all sorts of people with very different backgrounds from mine. Some of them weren't even from Texas- one of them wasn't even from the US! If I'm being honest, I struggled at first to relate to my fellow students but (eventually!) I adapted to city life and am incredibly enlightened and worldly (if I do say so myself!). 

But in February of this year, I won a scholarship in political journalism so I've moved up to MANHATTAN for six months. 

I KNOW!

Just when I thought I was getting used to city life, Manhattan hits me like a storm.

If I felt overwhelmed by Austin, Manhattan is on a completely different planet! It's sort of like Austin but just MORE. More people, more busyness, more things to do, things to explore. 

And it's nice. It's fantastic, in fact.

I know I'm so privileged to have this opportunity. As a little girl, I dreamed of this. I thought I'd never leave Southlake, let alone end up in NEW YORK.

But equally, I don't find it easy. I feel so different to so many of my peers. They were raised for this life, I wasn't. I'd be lying if I said I don't find it lonely.

So that's why I'm writing this blog! I want other people to know they aren't alone and to create a community that can support each other. Hopefully, this should also be a bit of free therapy for me as well (although I will try and avoid trauma dumping even though no-one will read this). And maybe you might find silly old me interesting! I hope!

Anyway, I'm going to watch Finding Nemo 2 with my dormmate (she's from Somalia (!!!) so we're going to halal family movie night (my first one!, obviously). 

BYEEEEEEE

Hope you enjoyed reading and stay tuned 😁