Well, the last week of classes is nearly over here which means I have 23 days left until I am done with my semester here at James Cook University (final exams are spread out over a two week period) and 39 days until I am back in America. Honestly, the most difficult thing about my journey abroad was booking my plane tickets home; I am not ready to leave Australia and all of the friends I have made here but I am returning to the States in early July. I suppose at some point I will have to come to terms with reality and accept that I can't stay in paradise forever. Yes, it will be nice to see all of my family and friends again, but I don't miss home nearly as much as I thought I would.
 |
| Sunset on Orpheus Island. The perfect ending to a great weekend away. |
My five months abroad have been amazing and more than I ever hoped for. Many things have changed since my arrival in February, especially my levels of confidence and independence. I am no longer the little girl afraid to touch every single thing in this country. For example, my Coral Reef Geomorphology course had a field trip at Orpheus Island a few weekends ago where we had to cover every inch of our bodies if we didn’t want to be stung by jellies during our daily snorkel trips. Well, I was stung twice but I didn't mind because I was snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef! I now pick up rocks and shells like nobody's business. But I have also become a master trip planner as my friends and I typically go somewhere each weekend (trying to make the most out of our time left). The biggest challenge I'm facing is booking my week and a half long trip to New Zealand coming up in a few weeks!
I have also made major adjustments to my lifestyle making Australia and Uni Hall my home. I am much more flexible and relaxed in my daily routines. I realized just how accustomed to the land I've gotten because my brother has been visiting and I've been playing tour guide for the last week. It's amazing to feel like a local here even though I haven't been here for that long. Given that it only took a few months for Townsville to feel like home, I think it is very possible to make other places in the world home. After all, home is where the heart is.
I have also made major adjustments to my lifestyle making Australia and Uni Hall my home. I am much more flexible and relaxed in my daily routines. I realized just how accustomed to the land I've gotten because my brother has been visiting and I've been playing tour guide for the last week. It's amazing to feel like a local here even though I haven't been here for that long. Given that it only took a few months for Townsville to feel like home, I think it is very possible to make other places in the world home. After all, home is where the heart is.
 |
| Wallaman Falls - tallest waterfalls in Australia |
What a great blog post! It is wonderful how comfortable you feel after just 3 months in Australia, imagine how you would feel about a year! There seems to be a common theme of becoming more confident and independent while abroad. It is wonderful that you feel more comfortable with your studies and in your own skin. I hope you enjoy the rest of you time and of course your trip to New Zealand!
ReplyDelete