The Day Before

Well its here.. the day before I leave. Why is it I all of a sudden have a hundred things to do? Tomorrow my family will be taking me to the airport and I will board my first plane of the trip. My first flight is from Indy to LA, where I’ll board yet another plane which will take me to Sydney, and then one more which will take me to Adelaide. Over 20 hours on a plane? Not gonna be fun.

The past week has been full... After getting back from our family trip to Wisconsin, my sister, Al, my brother, TJ, and I went to see a fireworks show for the 4^th of July. It was nice to be able to celebrate such an American holiday right before leaving the country for 5 months. The following day, Tuesday, my family had a birthday/going away cookout for me at our home in Fishers. Dad made hamburgers and provided plenty of appetizers and wine for everyone and I got to catch up with a lot of old friends, which was lovely. We ended it with ice cream cake and gifts and then said our goodbyes. Wednesday I had my last shift at Starbucks, which was sad but good. My coworker, Theresa, surprised me with a beautiful cake and I got lots of hugs goodbye and wishes good luck from regular customers and my other coworkers. I will miss my store like crazy… 

Getting embarrassed at my b-day/going away party

Today, Thursday, mom is taking me to get a new camera (YES), then we’re going for a family bike ride on the Monon Trail, then coming home to have dinner with our Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry. Afterwards I’m going to Britton Tavern for my last drink in the United States for awhile with some of my friends who wanted to see me before I left. Tomorrow I’m going to be stressed out and running around trying to get everything together before dad takes me to the airport in the afternoon. Its so wonderful having all this support.. my family, old friends, new friends.. with me everyday, excited for me, telling me not to worry. Every assurance makes me feel a little bit better and I can’t explain how much I appreciate everyone. It’ll be weird, after being so busy and surrounded by all those closest to me for the past few weeks, to be left alone at the airport tomorrow. I have not spent 10 minutes alone for weeks, and now I’m facing days of it. It’ll be strange.

And so, my bags are (almost) packed and I (nearly) have everything I’ll need to start my life in Adelaide, Australia. I’m nervous, but ready. Tuesday evening I was talking to my friend Mere, who studied abroad for a semester in Italy a year ago, and she asked me if I was ready. I realized that over the past couple months my life had reached a kind of conclusion here at home… things had just all seemed to wrap up well. I don’t feel as though I’m leaving my life behind here in Indiana. I feel as if my life here came to a point, and is ready to continue someplace new. I wasn’t expecting to feel that way.. at all. I assumed that I would have to tear myself away from my friends, my job, my city, my life.. and put it all on hold while I went away for the semester. But now that its here, now that its time to leave, I don’t feel that way at all. I needed this. I’ve needed this for awhile, and I am READY to take this adventure. Over the past year I felt stagnant… stuck somehow. I needed challenge.. to grow.. and I wasn’t finding that opportunity here where everything and everyone is familiar. I wasn’t sure what the answer was to this feeling of consistency and lack of growth, but apparently it came to me in the form of Australia. Never saw that coming.

Anyhow, I need to get my visa, pick up my contacts, go shopping, call my bank, get a job, enroll for classes, get a converter, cancel my cell phone, deposit my paycheck, hopefully get my loan, get meds for the flight, lose ten pounds, and pack.

Fail.

How am I gonna do this? Go to Australia with $100 in my pocket, no phone, 2 gigantic suitcases of clothes and essentials, a backpack w/ my laptop and journal, and no idea how to get anywhere. I won’t actually arrive in Adelaide till Sunday, July 10^th. From there, someone from the University should be there to pick me up and take me to my accommodation.. the University townhomes on the West side of the city. I’ll be living with 4 other students from the University of Adelaide, though I’m not sure if they’ll be other international students or not. The International Student Orientation begins the following day at 9:30am! Ugh. I’ll totally still be jetlagged. The orientation lasts all week and during it I’ll be able to schedule my classes. Yay! I’m sure I’ll spend most of my free time exploring, taking pictures, and on facebook catching up w/ my family and friends. We’ll see! Overall, I’m most nervous about all the new people, not having enough money, and getting lost. I can’t wait till the adjustment period is over!

I’ll be keeping in touch.