You never truly realize how much you might miss someone until you're far away from them. Freya and I had grown close, our friendship forming naturally over time. At that moment, I wished I could hug her. Even though the distance made that impossible, just hearing her voice brought a sense of comfort and warmth. I found myself smiling at the phone, feeling a little less alone in this unfamiliar place that was now my home.

"Do you have any idea how unbearable today was?" she whined, ...