Erida Çela

1st day at WBU

The very 1st day at WBU I was late. Yes, yes, I was so very excited about university and everything and I WAS late, don’t ask me how however I tried my best. So, when I jumped out the station, I made my steps as quick as possible and then there was Juela with her warm smile (which i totally did not expect regarding the system where I had come from) waiting to give me my badge, with my name, and faculty I was on, uh what a dream that was. To this day I still believe the last year was not real in terms of happiness and also suffering let's just say. Anyways, she told me it was just fine even though I was late and the speech from Professor Irma had just begun which sorry but I actually never heard, but I'll try to this year, pinky promise. 

A week before the start we had gotten the academic calendar and I very well knew it would be a day and week full of fun, new friends, and everything I had ever dreamt of from an academic provider. And that fun ladies and gentlemen started right after the speech. 
It included cocktail everyday, traveling, games, AND perfect examples of successful people we maybe wanted to walk on the steps of, like the director of AMERICAN hospitals group, motivational speakers, famous people but not only, also previous students who now had become more than successful in terms of life and that we maybe could appreciate. It included introduction at the campus, classes and everything. Yeah, that sounds exactly like my first day, right? That was my 1st day...
 No, sorry to disappoint. It wasn't. And sorry I have to be this kind of writer. Not that it didn't happen no, noo, no, don’t get me wrong, every beautiful thing I wrote there and even more happened but my very 1st day was a different one.
 My very 1st different day was like love at first sight even though when I stepped into the campus it looked a bit of a mess but hey, let me explain. I had heard about this university and I wanted to see it but no way Erida was coming herself from Elbasan to do so, so I just arranged some other friends from another school and WBU came and picked us up itself. The 1st day looked like people working outside to make what we have today as WBU, with that library, those tables, chairs, smart boards, lights, every single thing. The 1st day at WBU was looking at the staff as they were waiting EXITED FOR US! I saw it, I swear I saw it in their eyes that they were happy to see us here, the 1st day was dean of students’ office smiling at us and politely explaining everything they would give us. The 1st day was looking at the library empty and now tearing up from nostalgia as it's the place where I spend so much time but who knew back then? The 1st day was when Genta came with us at the American hospital and guided us for everything even Tho we just meet. The 1st day was that when I turned at my best friend Irida and we both said to each other as we were still siting there at WBU "We like them, they’re amazing" because it wasn't common for us to feel the hospitality. It wasn't common to see the staff itself coming and guiding us for the Matura exams and the degree we were to choose. It was all amazing. They weren’t just some university staff doing their job, they were a family functioning together, not working but functioning, and that deep down touched my little heart a bit even though I knew so little about them. 

That day, my 1st day I didn't let them finish speaking and, as per usual I interrupted and I got onto the good business saying "Can you please give us the letters to apply". Of course, they were Erida, why did you doubt that? And yet they were so polite to me, and they still are, regardless of my interruptions here and there, and I am more than grateful for that. And I forever will be. There's nothing more valuable to me than freedom. And I feel free with my professors, at campus, in front of the staff, everywhere I have freedom. The freedom to speak, freedom to choose, freedom to participate, freedom itself.
And just like that I can gladly say that, I was happy that I choose WBU, and I was actually proud of myself for that. Cheers to me and you reading this letter because the chances you did just an amazing choice are high!
And if you're worrying, please don’t! There is a whole family working for you! So, you feel like me, welcome, so you feel that this is your place, because it is! Western became my big family and now is the moment you join, so know we are happily waiting for you!