5 Interesting Things...

Being in a different country for over 4 months has brought me many changes. Some are quite a surprise, others are just confirmations in my values. This experience has given me some revelations and I believe that this change has brought many good things my way. So, some of these might shock you or maybe you'll just learn something new about me!

1. I really enjoy cooking-- I used to think cooking was okay, just another chore to do back home. But going out to shop for groceries in a different country has stretched my culinary abilities! One of my favorite dishes that I've made down here are cheesy potatoes and a chicken & mushroom pasta bake. So yes Mom, believe it or not, your daughter has a talent for cooking- and loves it!

2. I have a new found appreciation for a CLEAN house-- Okay, so a couple dirty dishes in the sink doesn't bother me much but when the floor has not been mopped for months, the dirty dishes sit in the sink for days, and there are particles of dirt clearly visible on the carpet then we have a problem! I admire a spotless kitchen, makes it SO much easier to cook on! My landlady cannot seem to grasp the concept of cleanliness!

3. Age is just a number to me now-- I used to think, "Wow, seniors in college seem so old! I could never hang out with them!" And now, it's like big deal! The group of amazing friends that I've made down here (and I mean amazing) are all different ages and it doesn't bother me. Not one bit. Because in the end, we are all going through life together and if I'm not allowed to share a laugh with a 25-year-old just because he's 25 is a little ridiculous to me. I embrace friendships that are age-defying.

4. I will be content in any city I choose to live in-- Being in Australia and on my own, is not such a scary thing. In the beginning I had so much anxiety about coming here by myself. But everyone adjusts and if you're lucky, you'll meet lifelong friends like I did. No matter where I go after I graduate, I know where I'm at will bring me a positive experience. (P.S. I've always been an optimist, I've just found a new way to express it!)

5. My worries are insignificant now-- Okay, I admit. I tend to freak out when I'm stressed. I get overwhelmed at all the things I have to do back home. But here, I take time out and look at the problem and think, "Is it really that big of a deal?" And usually it's not, so I stop worrying and stop thinking about it. In the end, I feel so much better, just having fun while keeping my responsibilities intact. No matter what the current issue is for you- just take a deep breath, close your eyes, and let it go! Just blow it all away. Things work themselves out without stressing over the what-if's.

Hope that was insightful for you, I have discovered some interesting things in Aussie and when I see you again, just know I am not the same girl. I have been changed, for good!

Beginning of the End

I hate packing. Even back home when I moved between home and college, I hated it. It takes time and effort to pack efficiently. So I sit among my suitcases, hair ties, jewelry, and shoes and blog.

I spent a relaxing weekend up in the Gold Coast at my friend Brad's house. His house is beautiful! I was reintroduced to a dishwasher and cable TV. It was like entering the real world again. It felt wonderful. Not only that, I had a free day to go to the mall, where I bought a good chick flick novel and spent the afternoon sunning on the beach and reading. Oh, and guess what? They had a Starbucks!!! Tall caramel macchiato over ice, please. And the next day? White chocolate mocha frappacino with whip, please. I highly recommend the Gold Coast to anyone looking for a getaway.

But now it's back in small town Lismore, the house is freezing (remember no central heating or A/C) and I am overwhelmed at how many things I have to pack. It's like, where do I even begin? I was talking to Brad about this: How I have become so involved, so tangled with my Aussie life. I went in to this experience knowing I only had about 4 months to stay yet I attached myself to the people, the culture, the know-how. I can't help it, guess it's just being human. I took the bus back from the Gold Coast to Lismore last night and thought about how much I'm going to miss it here. The sun was setting, the sky a pale orange. The trees were outlined black with the orangey-red showing through the branches. And I got so overwhelmed at it's beauty and my mind racing at the fact that I'm not sure when I'll be able to see this again. So I put in some Bob Marley, John Mayer, Dave Matthews and let them serenade me while I look upon exquisite features of this vast land. Australia, I am going to miss you so much.

I Live With Hippies

Not lying, I live with my landlady who is a certified hippie. She walks/drives/shops almost anywhere with no shoes, has a household decor from the 60's, and uses such phrases as "far out". Get with the times woman!

Stylish kitchen, right?

I apologize if I sound rude. I am grateful she is giving me a place to stay for my semester in Oz but at the same time, this is my blog, and I can vent if I want to. I'm ready for some up-to-date modern civilization, who's with me!?

Lismore Flood

We had some huge storms roll in off the coast and heavy rain settled in for nearly 3 days in Lismore. The wind gusts were up to 60mph and the creek flowing through downtown Lismore busted, overflowing into the street and soccer fields. Water in the street was over 4 feet high.

My house is safe & dry. We are located on top of a hill so there was no chance of us getting flooded but I was still apprehensive as I've never experienced a true flood before!

The rain has subsided for now and most of the water has been cleared from downtown and nothing but sunshine from here on out (I'm hoping). Here are some pictures of the aftermath!

Main street heading into the CBD

People floating on the water, car is submerged!

This WAS a soccer field!

Conversations with an Australian, Pt. 5

Australian: "Do you have to make deviled eggs to join a sorority?"
Me: "Is this a joke?!"

And the Winner is...

DEVILED EGGS!!! (start cheering, applauding, woo-hooing now)

I thought, why not make the one thing I've made for almost every Thanksgiving since middle school? And when I asked the Aussies if they've ever had one, they looked at me dumbfounded so there you have it! The picture up top for some reason won't let me rotate but that is my lecturer, Baden and my eggs. Please tilt your head to the left now.

This is my class. Countries represented in this photo: Australia, Spain, China, Japan, Germany, and of course, USA! I am going to miss this class very much because it taught me a lot about Australia and its history as well as the acceptance of other cultures around us. I learned so much from all of these people and I am so glad I got this experience. Thank you!

American Food-- Suggestions?

I am having my last lecture and tutorial for the course Australia, Asia, and the World this week. The final paper (that I already finished thank you very MUCH!) is due on Friday and then the class is officially over for the semester. So each tutorial we always bring in snacks to share with the class, makes things a bit more relaxed and let's people talk more openly about topics. Yeah food is pretty powerful in our class.

So for our last tutorial our teacher has asked us to bring in a dish that is uniquely tied to our country. What on earth can I bring food-wise that is represented by the United States? Please leave comments and let me know, I need some help with this one! Think American!