Dear Fate...

One religion I believe strongly in is the Religion of Fate. Serendipity. Coincidence. 'It was meant to be'. And today's events are some of the best proof yet. Someone could knock on your door and tell you this story, and I can guarantee you would sign away your soul and fortunes to the Religion of Fate, were it to be a real religion and all.

So. This story begins last week on my journey here to Stockholm, where a potentially very bad situation turned into a very lovely one instead. My flight from Singapore to London (after flying Sydney to Singapore) had to make an emergency detour to Abu Dhabi, setting us 2.5 hours behind schedule, and subsequently making me miss my connecting flight to Stockholm. Fortunately I happened to be seated next to a Swedish girl coming home from a trip to Sydney, so we buddied up, had breakfast in Heathrow airport, and then caught a later flight to Stockholm together. She told me about her holiday in Australia, where she was visiting her best friend who was currently on an exchange. When we arrived in Stockholm, she and her dad very kindly took me to pick up my student accommodation keys (we made it just before the office closed!), then took me to lunch, and finally dropped me off at my new home. Not only were they super generous with their time and help, they were both absolutely lovely people, and stark contrasts to the 'quiet and reserved' Swedish nature I'd heard about. Hey the dad even gave me a hug goodbye after it all! If that isn't friendly, I don't know what is.

Now fast forward one week to today. I come home (after buying the greatest jumper ever- see pictures below) and check my computer. My Mum has sent me an email saying that they were contacted by the organisation through which my brother did an exchange to Holland last year. She says they have a Swedish girl who needs a home for the next 3 months, and would it be alright if she stays with them in my room. I read the email forwarded to me from the family she's staying with at the moment, who are going overseas soon and therefore need to find a new place for this girl. When they mention where they live in Sydney, I suddenly realise that this exchange student is the best friend of the girl I met on my flight to Stockholm! I go batshit crazy with excitement of how ridiculously coincidental this all is, and come very close to making an expensive call home (and at 6am Australia time) but manage to hold back and wait for Mum to skype me when she wakes up.

Needless to say, everyone back home was mighty shocked too, and now everything is in the works to organise for this girl to finish her exchange with my family. So you have to admit, this whole affair is absolutely packed with chance, fate, and coincidence.


I think I deserve your souls and fortunes now.

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[Jumper photos, as promised]