Wait... I don't know how to pray though

So I had just taken my Shahada. I had washed, and I had done wudu (abolition - the washing you need to do to put yourself in a state of purity, which is required to pray). But... I had just realised I didn't know how to pray.

I knew the basic rough movements, kind of, but not exactly.

So I looked it up. And basically, if it is something you've never seen before - which despite all my research, it sort of was - there is actually a lot to it. There are lots of different movements where you should be in certain positions and move in certain ways, and there are things you are best to say in Arabic at every stage and every step.

I knew you need to face a certain way and you needed to have wudu, but I hadn't thought about how much you (ideally) needed to have memorised.

I could barely remember and replicate the movements let alone even read all of the things my internet search told me I should.

So a little bit of overload and a little bit of panic later as well as accepting I can't actually just do it now - I calmed a bit. But likewise I didn't just go through that entire process to prove the doubtful side of me right, as soon as I had become Muslim.

I couldn't just 'miss the first prayer' that I ever had the opportunity to actually pray. This was an impossibility for me. So I really read into it and I really practiced the movements. I took refuge in that as a brand new Muslim, making mistakes is ok, and expected. That if I mess up, Allah is the most merciful, and I will be given allowance, so long as I am trying.

I found in the guide I was using that there was one phrase that it said I could use at all steps until I learnt how to do it all properly. So that is what I did.

I read just the short words and phrases needed in each small step, and then this, maybe couple sentences, at the parts where more speech is needed. I was reassured by this guide that this is how new Muslims are allowed to, and that I should just keep trying to learn it all, until I have it all memorised.

So I did.

The next morning I had set an alarm and I woke up, took myself to my bathroom sink and washed (for wudu) for the morning prayer (Fajr) which is done before sunrise, so was not at my normal waking up time.

That being said, I was excited to be doing it all, to trying to be a Muslim. A type of person that I had admiration for. So (Alhamdulilah) it was not of much bother for me.