Well- here I am. Home alas & yet I cannot wait to be " on the road again." It`s ironic because as much as I enjoy traveling & exploring the unknown- there always seems to be a countdown going on in the back of my head until I`m back in my own bed- surrounded by everything that it familiar... and yet a few days surrounded by the familiar & my feet are already beginning to itch! I don`t know if other travelers experience this and perhaps it might even be different my second year in Australia- but the grass really always does appear to be greener on the other side. How bizarre...
Anyways, I`ve been home for three weeks now- ample time to relax, study for my remaining psych exam, catch up on all of the shows I`ve missed, and stuff my face with all kinds of Christmas goodies (when really I had intended to spend this time at home undoing the damage of Neta`s cooking in Quindanning--- the pub where I stayed for 16 weeks to get my second year visa). I`m just going to enjoy it while it lasts & take each day one at a time. In about five weeks or so- I`ll be stuffing my clothing back into my backpack (which I might actually trade in for a suitcase) & will be boarding a plane back to Australia. And this time I`m going to try my best to live in the moment & not have this constant forecast of the future... I`m going to lie back & enjoy the uncertainty of tomorrow. Not everything needs to be perfect. Not everything needs to be planned. These are some important things I`ve learned about myself this year. I try too hard to control everything around me. Not everything needs to be written in an agenda. Things change. It`s ok.
While home, I am going to be applying for two schools for admission into the Bachelor of Social work program for this upcoming September. It will be interesting to see if I get in--- and probably a whole lot more interesting to see if I actually end up going if I do. The thing is- this is hands down my absolute last shot in Australia- my final 12 months! And I love Australia. I really REALLY do. I love the weather, the lifestyle, the high standard of living, its diversity, its people... And if I leave it behind to go back to school in September- I`ll be throwing away 5 good months in Australia. I love how uncertain my future in Australia is when I`m there... It`s like a rollercoaster ride! Yet, back in school in Canada- It`ll be back to that boring & predictable (no social life) life I was so desperate to escape 2 years ago when I finally left behind Halifax & my student status... Hmmmm... All I know is that I`m not going to make any decisions now. I will wait and see what happens in a few months time when I receive word from the universities whether or not my application for admittance has been approved. Time will tell...
Just a few words on my past year abroad---
Getting on that plane & sending myself as far away from home as I possibly could (all by myself) was the best thing I could have done for myself. I learned more about the world around me & about myself than I have learned in the past 24 years of my life here on earth. I had a blast & never imagined that it would be half as great an experience as it was. If someone were to ask me what my favorite part of the trip was, what my favorite country was, or where I enjoyed myself the most--- I wouldn`t even be able to answer them. All of my experiences were unique & great in different ways and it would be therefore impossible to compare them. Of course each place I was had its fair share of times in which I thought I couldn`t bare another minute & also of times in which I couldn`t imagine ever having to leave... everything had its good & bad points, but overall--- all of the experiences were worthwhile! As I`m about to go back into the world a third time--- there are quite a few things that I`ve learned that I want to do differently & I will. I want to go out there with an even MORE open mind & I want things to just happen... one day at a time...
Anyways, I`ve been home for three weeks now- ample time to relax, study for my remaining psych exam, catch up on all of the shows I`ve missed, and stuff my face with all kinds of Christmas goodies (when really I had intended to spend this time at home undoing the damage of Neta`s cooking in Quindanning--- the pub where I stayed for 16 weeks to get my second year visa). I`m just going to enjoy it while it lasts & take each day one at a time. In about five weeks or so- I`ll be stuffing my clothing back into my backpack (which I might actually trade in for a suitcase) & will be boarding a plane back to Australia. And this time I`m going to try my best to live in the moment & not have this constant forecast of the future... I`m going to lie back & enjoy the uncertainty of tomorrow. Not everything needs to be perfect. Not everything needs to be planned. These are some important things I`ve learned about myself this year. I try too hard to control everything around me. Not everything needs to be written in an agenda. Things change. It`s ok.
While home, I am going to be applying for two schools for admission into the Bachelor of Social work program for this upcoming September. It will be interesting to see if I get in--- and probably a whole lot more interesting to see if I actually end up going if I do. The thing is- this is hands down my absolute last shot in Australia- my final 12 months! And I love Australia. I really REALLY do. I love the weather, the lifestyle, the high standard of living, its diversity, its people... And if I leave it behind to go back to school in September- I`ll be throwing away 5 good months in Australia. I love how uncertain my future in Australia is when I`m there... It`s like a rollercoaster ride! Yet, back in school in Canada- It`ll be back to that boring & predictable (no social life) life I was so desperate to escape 2 years ago when I finally left behind Halifax & my student status... Hmmmm... All I know is that I`m not going to make any decisions now. I will wait and see what happens in a few months time when I receive word from the universities whether or not my application for admittance has been approved. Time will tell...
Just a few words on my past year abroad---
Getting on that plane & sending myself as far away from home as I possibly could (all by myself) was the best thing I could have done for myself. I learned more about the world around me & about myself than I have learned in the past 24 years of my life here on earth. I had a blast & never imagined that it would be half as great an experience as it was. If someone were to ask me what my favorite part of the trip was, what my favorite country was, or where I enjoyed myself the most--- I wouldn`t even be able to answer them. All of my experiences were unique & great in different ways and it would be therefore impossible to compare them. Of course each place I was had its fair share of times in which I thought I couldn`t bare another minute & also of times in which I couldn`t imagine ever having to leave... everything had its good & bad points, but overall--- all of the experiences were worthwhile! As I`m about to go back into the world a third time--- there are quite a few things that I`ve learned that I want to do differently & I will. I want to go out there with an even MORE open mind & I want things to just happen... one day at a time...
Here are some pics taken while home (this time around...):
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