The Last Blog

So this is it. My last blog in Australia. Reflection time.

I write this, the morning of my departure. I didn't get much sleep last night. A mixture of reasons.

For the past couple of days now it feels like everything has been coming in full circle. Songs that haven't been sang since the start were sang again. Things we used to do but hadn't in awhile were being done again. People quickly in masses leaving. Leaving the campus in the same atmosphere as I had arrived. Even as I type this I hear the familiar sounds of birds. The sounds I heard the first morning here.

I cannot find the words to express just how I feel. It isn't even torn anymore...more like bittersweet if anything. Its just I'm not ready to leave. I love it here way to much. I've grown to attach. So much so that every time I've tried to go to sleep here for over a week now; all I could think about is how soon I could come back and for how long. As if I needed to assure myself before I could go to sleep that I would be back.

At this moment, there are two important life lessons, that come to mind that I've learned while in Australia...

Quality is better than quantity.
That it all really is to short to dwell on the negative. Forgive and focus on the positive.

Saying my Goodbyes

And so it begins, the process of letting go.

By far this has been and will be the hardest goodbye I have ever made in my life. The process started to day as people slowly trickle out of my life.

As I've been saying to everyone here...I'm not leaving them, they are leaving me. Most people are done with exams and are now heading home for the break. I don't leave till this coming Tuesday. By then very few people will be around. By then I will have said goodbye to people that I never imaged meeting in my life but that my life is now all that much better because of them.

I haven't cried yet and I don't know if I will. I'm not much of a crier when it comes to goodbyes. I tend to just get a heavy heart.

These past few days have been even more amazing by the fact that I've been able to enjoy everyone's company one last time. I did movie day with Stefan. Afternoon hang outs with Katherine, Lewis, and Tom. And of course nights out. Yesterday was my last Glassy's...well not last last (at least I hope not), but last for at least another year.

I've decided with much determination that I will return here this time next year. It may seem silly to spend money on a airplane ticket, to see a place I've already seen instead of going some place new. But Australia has officially become my other home. Not returning here seems much more silly than not.

I've been in the process of packing for the last couple of days as well. However, I still have yet set in stone how I'm getting to the airport. haha. See much Australia has already changed me? I'm usually a planner. These kind of very important details I normally have worked out months in advance.

End of Uni and My 21st!

I don't even know where to start...

Uni is finally over for me. I took my last exam this past Friday. It still has yet to hit me that Exams are over, I just turned 21, and I have to leave soon.

My Planet Earth exam was difficult...I wanted to say...a b*$#%.... Considering how much I studied for it I feel uneasy on how well I actually did and should have done. Whatever. It is over. My Cold War/Vietnam exam was a piece of cake. Although I will cry if I find out I actually did horrid on it.

My birthday celebration began Wednesday night with a night at Glassy's with Emma. It was amazing night. ;)

Then Friday I went to Sydney to get meet with Lindsey. Emma came with and we went to Patty's market to go shopping. I'm in love with Patty's market. It is the best place ever for souvenir shopping but also any thing else your heart could ever want. No joke. I got so much stuff for such a great deal.

I've also ready decided I'll pack of the things I collected here in a suitcase and just send some clothes home via the post office. Should some of my clothes get lost I can just use it as a reason to buy some more. haha.

So back to Friday...after Patty's market (which if you ever come to Australia...DO NOT buy any souvenirs any where BUT Patty's market. You'll regret it because you'll go to the market and see everything you already bought at prices that will make you think you're dreaming and then want to cry for spending so much money already).

After Patty's market we headed around St. George Street looking for food. We ended up at Mamma's kitchen. Can I say...good food. We were surprised. Oh and I swear every time I got to Sydney I always find an excuse for needing hot guys to lift me. There were two steps to get into Mamma's kitchen so I had to of the waiters help me in. :)

After dinner it was to Cheers for a drink. Then to Baskin Robins for my favorite...mint chocolate chip. By that point we were ready to go home.

We had an interesting experience at Central. Advice: Do not ride trains in/around Sydney on Friday/Saturday nights. At least have a group of friends and always be aware of what is going on. Luckily I had Emma, Lindsey, and my pepper spray. Not that I needed to use my pepper spray but yeah there were a few interesting characters out.

Saturday Lindsey and I spent the day at the mall getting our nails done and then to North Wollongong Beach for lunch. Good day.

Saturday night was spent getting ready, eating at Nam's and dancing at Glassy's. Good birthday. No doubt one of my best birthday's ever.

I esp. have to say a BIG THANK YOU to all my friends who came out even though they still have a few exams to go. You guys are amazing. xoxo

Here's to being 21.

It still hasn't hit me.

Now its time to relax, enjoy Australia, and pack. :) Oh and figure out how I'm getting to the airport....lol

Study Week

So I'm liking this whole getting a week to study before exams. However, I wish I could say I have been taking full of advantage of it. I'm seriously lucky if I clock in three or more hours. Actually, no I always clock in three hours. I'm lucky if its ever more than that. Which is fusterating me so much. I have all this time to be able to study for just two exams and I'm not taking as much advantage of it as I could or should. Though I must say a girl can only read about rocks for so long.

Its been ridicules, no joke, non-stop raining for several days now. I was reading my past blogs and last time the weather was this horrible was during mid-session too. I think it knows when exams and stress is upon us and has decided to make the atmosphere fit everyone's moods. It does make being inside easier to cope with but it always makes people feel low. Well it make me feel low. It makes me unproductive. The days I haven't gone to Uni to study I haven't gotten up till 11am. It is 3am right now here and I have yet to fallen asleep. This is not good consider I'm suppose to be going to Uni tomorrow...to study...9am.

Oh and just a word of advice, which I know you won't follow, and shouldn't...but I'll say it anyway...try to stay away from boys when you study abroad. They're just horrible distractions who will break your heart just like the boys in America. ;)

Last Friday was my last Black Opal meeting. Then Monday it was the end of Session Black Opal social. Which was absolutely amazing and fun. There were mocktails, food, and dancing. What more could a girl ask for?!

The other night I had a dream about home. I was happy to me back. I haven't dreamed about home since the first few nights I was here. but seriously in my dream...no joke, I was thinking about how soon I can return to Australia.

It has been from that point on that I have realized I do not want to come back home. I'm not ready to leave. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely, truly, crazy, miss everyone back home. BUT I absolutely, truly, love my life here too.