The End

As this year comes to an end, this blog is coming to an end with it. I've been putting off writing my final blog for about 2 weeks now because to me, it really means Australia is over. Don't worry, I realize Australia is over regardless of if I ever write a closing blog or not. But, I figure I should go ahead and write my blog while experiences and feelings are still so fresh. I'm not sure what the direction of this blog will be exactly, so if I ramble...Sorry I'm not sorry.

First Canberra sunset

August: So long ago, yet I swear it was last week. I have never been so afraid of something in my life. Yet, so very excited at the same time. I'm on the biggest adventure of my life and doing it on my own.  My thoughts are "What am I doing? I miss my friends at home. This was a bad idea." December seems so far away. 

Knew this song very well by
 September

September: I really like this place. It's pretty great, I'm not so ready for December to come anymore. In fact, maybe I'll stay until after Christmas. My housemates and friends are awesome. Sydney, Birthday party, Lighty Tonighty, random Canberra adventures, beach weekend...Life is good. 

 I'm a jumping picture failure,
so we learned in Cape Trib.

October: I'm already half way finished here. Where is time going? Closer friends, inside jokes, Cairns, Cape Tribulation, Great Barrier Reef, tropical rainforest (where it rains), Rummy, horse races, surf camp, most epic Halloween party ever, lots of other partying, not so much uni, heaps of laughter, and no longer Skyping or calling someone at home very often, and totally ok with that because I have people here I need to hang out with. I love the people here, I don't want to leave them. 

Melbourne group!

November: My time here is coming to an end. Oh goodness. I'm not ready for goodbyes. I already dread them. Beach day, Bateman's Bay weekend, Melbourne, Thanksgiving in Oz, Uluru, countless movie and tea nights, even closer friends, heaps more laughter, tears from laughter, tears over upcoming goodbyes, tears over Titanic and never letting go, shorts weather, Lighty Tonighty nights, so many Macca ice cream cones, debit card being cancelled, classes ending, heaps of planes, so many inside jokes, so many great friends.

Last Australian sunset with some of my favorite
Ozzies!

December: I go home this month. Oh, how I don't want to go home. Can't I just stay here and bring a few of my friends from home here and live this life forever? What was I thinking back in August when I wasn't even sure about this? How could I think this wasn't a good idea? Why did I wait until my last year of uni to do this? This has been the best 5 months of my life by far, how am I just supposed to leave? The States are so boring and Australia is so much better. Finals done, New Zealand, glaciers, glow worms, hanging out, summer time, sun, shorts, friends that I just want to bring home with me, so many tearful goodbyes, friends I can’t imagine being away from, one last night in Sydney, beautiful last sunset with my favorite Ozzies, 14 hour plane ride, luggage sent to Chicago instead of Nashville, driving on the right side of the road again, winter, rain, no sun, Christmas with family, missing everyone from Australia, snow, still missing everyone from Australia, everything I want to talk about involves Australia...

This is a pretty accurate representation of how my thoughts changed throughout my time in Australia. It’s actually funny for me to think back to August and remember what I was thinking. I always knew Australia would be great (regardless of my thoughts at first), but I never thought it would be as great as it was. I literally don’t even have words for it. Just...So. Much. Awesome, as me and some friends would say. :) To think that I basically only applied to even go because I was procrastinating writing a paper is absurd to me. Whyyy did I almost not apply? What was I going to miss out on in Tennessee these past 5 months? I laugh at thinking about myself before I left for this adventure.

Being home is kind of weird. While seeing family has been great, I’m ready to get back to Knoxville where I actually have friends. I’m hoping that I will be happier back in Knox, because if we’re being honest, I’m still just mad because I’m back in the States. I want to see my friends who are now scattered in Australia, the US, Canada, Europe...Literally all over the world. I want to be able to text them and see if they want to go to the park to just hang out, go get 30 cent ice cream cones, go to the mall, have movie nights...But I can’t do that anymore. And it sucks. I imagine my life outside of Lawrenceburg, but the life I see isn’t even in Knoxville...It’s in Australia. It’s weird that in 3 days, I’ll be back in Knoxville with the friends who I was so terrified to be without for 5 months. And now, while I am so excited to see and hang out with those friends...I am so sad I’m not going back to Canberra. It’s amazing how something can become your life in such a short time. 

Going on exchange taught me so many things about myself, whether I wanted to know those things or not. I learned I can make friends wherever I go. I learned to be so much more independent and figure things out on my own. I learned things WILL go wrong, but it will be ok. I learned stressing about things doesn’t help whatever the situation. I learned that amazing people are located everywhere. I learned who my true friends back at home are and who would try to remain a part of my life even miles away. I learned to be more open. I learned the US way is not the only way. I learned I cannot keep up with the Ozzie party scene. I learned that even if I wait until 24 hours before a 1,500 word research paper is due, I will finish it in time. I learned I can leave everything familiar to me behind and still be ok. 

I have no doubt that even as time goes on and more and more days, months, and even years come between me and this experience, I will think about something Australia related everyday. I wish I could actually explain how great my 5 months were there. But all synonyms for great, fantastic, awesome, <insert other synonyms here>, cannot fully explain how I feel. I strongly encourage anybody who is the least bit interested in studying abroad to go for it. No matter how many hesitations you have, just go for it. It is the best decision I have ever made.

So, I guess this is it. The end of the best 5 months of my life so far. The end of an experience I will never forget. An experience that taught me so much about myself, life, the world, and other people. An experience I am so thankful for. So, thanks to all my family and friends who supported and got me to this spot in life. And, thanks to everyone who made Australia the experience it was!!

So. Much. Awesome.

Thanks for reading! Cheers!