Festival

Life was hard two months ago. I felt lost and lonely. When I first moved to the new city, I told my friends that I was excited. I was eager to find new opportunities. But my confidence was just a way to hide my fear.

The buildings, the crowd and constant noise made me feel anxious. I’d never experienced such busy streets. Everything was strange, the rushing people, their attitude and way of comunicating.

During the first few days, I spent a lot of time walking around the city. I explored parks, malls and shops. I tried to hold my composure when I got lost. One of my acquaintances stated that it would take time to adjust.

Before I moved to the big city, life in my town had been calm and predictable. Everyone knew each other. My days usually started with a walk to school. Nothing  was changing very quickly, and that made the town predictable. After school, I often met my friends in the town square or at the small park, where we would talk, play or just watch the others play. People were friendly and welcoming.

The local café owner knew exactly what regular customers liked. Life there was  peaceful and safe. There was very little noise. Although the town sometimes felt too small.

I tried to find a common  topic to talk about with the other people. It was hard. I didnt’t manage to make more than a small talk. I didn’t know if it was the right decision or not.

One night, while I was walking, I went to the city square.I saw many lights and people dancing and celebrating. It was the City Days. There were concerts, light shows, and everybody partied. I managed to finally talk to people and make connections.

Slowly, things began to change. My coworkers started inviting me for coffee, and our conversations became less tense. The people who had once felt like strangers started to  become friends. Weeks passed, and the loneliness started to diminish. I started talking more with the barista at the corner café and the man who walked his dog every day in the park.

The city that had been overwhelming started to feel familiar and comfortable.  I realized that the city no longer felt new. Instead, it felt like a place where I was living. I will never forget that one festival that brought me closer to this city.

Kerekes Róbert   IX. R