A time machine simulated conversation

The specificity of the time- that’s from this little trick I started where I add time stamps when I’m journaling because I journal up to five times a day. Shoot me; writing is a form of therapy for me.

I don’t for the life of me know what pushed me or even warranted writing this article. I am seated in my almost empty new apartment, lights off because I don’t have my curtains up yet and I don’t want to be on full display to my new neighbors, seated on my sofa bed which will be my bed for today because my bed delivery date was changed last minute and won’t get here till Monday(It’s Saturday), I only have one box left to be unpacked which is my biggest win for the day, I just received the charges from the gas company on the fees I need to pay for a new connection and I’m just… why were we looking forward to growing up again? I am not looking forward to updating my July finances tracker- speaking of finance tracking, I rumbled on and on sometime back about tracking finances. Have a read and share your own finance hacks- adulting takes a village. I know that’s not the saying but I get a pass for this one.

Friday morning, I received a notification from the compliance team to retake the trainings, which you are required to do every two years. Then it hit me: jolly, it’s been two years since I came to Dubai. How time flies- lately I’ve been using this phrase a lot. The other day June and I were making jokes and saying that’s how you wake up one day, age 73 talking about the good old days and wondering where all the time went.

Spontaneity is my specialty, this much we know(mine is pre-planned and mapped out months or years before but I don’t know of any rules against this so I stand by what I said). I was going to share what the past two years has been like for me, sort of officially navigating adulthood but when I was packing stuff out of my old room, I found my flight ticket from two years ago, and went further to go through my journal entry from the airport and figured, why don’t we turn this into a letter to Felistus who was seated at JKIA at about 9:30pm, about to board her flight to Dubai and start a whole new life away from her family, whose stomach was grumbling from hunger because she was too jitterish to eat and was running on one hour of sleep. Or better yet, let’s build a time machine and go have a conversation with her. Yes, always one with a flair for the dramatics- you’re welcome.

For my non-Swahili speakers, ‘kidogo’ means a little and ‘nikifika’ means when I arrive. Before those that have seen my handwriting scream fraud, I had long nails then😂.

First, rule of thumb my love, eat a little something and be well rested (whenever possible) before you get on a flight. The war of fighting sleep to ensure the air hostesses don’t pass you by is crazy. That you like the window seat and can’t pull the whole putting your foot a little in the way when sitting in the aisle seat makes it worse. (the OGs have seen the meme/video) 😂.

Don’t be stressed about how you will navigate and find the hotel driver and how you will get your luggage and how and where you will get your passport stamped. Word of advice, just follow everyone out of the plane, be on the lookout to not go to the connecting flights side and you’ll be fine. This is your first international flight by yourself. If I told you the number of international flights we’ve been on, let alone the ones we’ve been on alone, you will tell me to shut my lying mouth so to avoid a tussle, all I will tell you to quiet this fear is that you have got this, and you will be just fine.

You’re gonna have to book doctor’s appointments by yourself, and show up to them alone! That part has not gotten easy at all. You still call Dorothy (for the newbies Dorothy is my momma and my bestie- sort of a two-for-one package of love) before and after each appointment, though. She may not be there physically but on God will she walk every single moment of the appointment with you, albeit virtually. On that note, I have a dentist appointment next week and I need someone to come and hold my hand through it. Time and location will be shared soon :)

You will make some amazing friends here in Dubai; from new hobbies, from work, while traveling. Don’t give me that look of sheer horror- you know we can be mini-extroverted every once in a blue moon. Some friendships will change but you and your people put in the effort to catch up often on phone calls. The barely five-foot little girl that comes to pick you up from the hotel (yes June, I’m talking to you 😂) and take you to your first meal will become a very important part of your life. You never for a moment feel alone babe. Hab kein angst! It will all work out. You build your little community here; your little life Fellz- and it’s beautiful.

We work out now bestie. We are the healthiest we have ever been. Just 4 more kilos lost, and we will be within a healthy BMI. We lift heavy, eat well, sleep enough (on most days at least), do yoga and Pilates and we hydrate like crazy. The first six months as you find your footing will take a toll on your health, but you bounce back so well!

You get to celebrate mom’s 56th together in Dubai. You stay in your cramped up little shared space which I know is not ideal for you but the both of you have a blast. And you get to see the little girl that is Dorothy let loose and breathe, be present and receive love, and that makes your entire 2024.

You will get the full-time role, my love- that’s it about that. Stop stressing over this and just show up and be your amazing self. You land on your feet.

You travel, for work, for weekend trips, for road trips with Sarah, for solo trips (yes, I did not stutter my love) and you grow from this and love every moment of it. Albeit some mishaps here and there, it’s always worth it!

The letter to our 25-year-old self that you’ve packed, we open it when we turn 25 and reading it is just so surreal. We really have always been full of such wisdom Felistus. We achieved the one key thing 21-year-old Felistus wanted to achieve. You, albeit scared and unsure, make 21-year-old us really proud.

Time for you to go catch your flight now bestie. Deep breath in, hold, and deep breath out. That’s all it takes to calm the nerves and get the ‘scary’ stuff done. Often times it’s not as scary as we think. We’re still figuring it out my young friend. We’re still here and our best days are still ahead of us 😊