Living in a Land Down Under

Decided it only fair that the most overplayed song during my time in Australia become the background noise for the slideshow. I met some wonderful people while abroad and cannot believe that my year long study abroad experience has come to an end. The experience certainly had some extremely bizarre ups and downs. Overall it was a worthwhile experience, I learned alot about myself and others. & for all of you who questioned why I of all people was uncomfortable going into bars... I think Sarah Turnbull in Almost French says it best on pg 177, "As a woman, walking into a pub filled full of blokes in Australia can be intimidating: the attention often has a discomforting edge." Not to mention, the increasing violence reports from Surfer's Paradise. aka CANNOT WAIT TO PARTY IN THE USA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ezfk7s1NyY

Additionally, Sarah Turnball captures leaving Australia perfectly. While leaving England was sad, I was more upset about leaving Ericka and new friends behind. I was exhausted from whirlwind European adventures and was eager to get home to see my Big and the seniors graduating and my sisters at Prom. Leaving Australia was entirely different. I feel like I actually left a world behind, one in which I had grown fond of and comfortable in; incomparison to the feeling of coming home from a vacation as I did on my return home from England.  This time around there was more than the fleeting pang of remorse to be leaving:

"If we look out our windows we can have one last glimpse of Australia, the voice says in that practised this-is-your-captain-speaking tone... The change in background is abrupt, leaving little time for sentimentality. One second flying over what had seemed an incessant desert - such a funny pink in the evening light- then the space beneath us is a vastness of deep blue. Looking back over my shoulder, I watch the evanescence of Australia, transfixed. The coastline, with its white frill of surf, becomes smaller and smaller, until finally it disappears entirely as though I'd imagined it. A pang of nostalgia stabs my stomach and then I take off my sunglasses."  -Sarah Turnball in Almost French

I am currently eagerly awaiting to see how my grades transfer back at Bentley. In the mean time I am reading up on Economics in Maui as I am taking a two week course when I get back on January 3rd!
It's nice to be spending time with the family finally and I will be sure to post some of the crazy Longvall girl stories soon!

Hope all of your holidays have been merry! xx

Week 13-14: Finals

Week 11 and 12

I had been so wrapped up with school work that I could not do much other than school. I really literally lived in the library the past two weeks and my body is still crying in pain due to looking at computer sceens for so long. I wrote a history paper, an advertising paper, gave an advertising presentation, wrote a marketing plan, gave a sports marking presentation, and wrote a few speeches basically in two weeks. After my presentation I left the following morning at 4:30 am to Fraser island with leila. I slept the entire way there, then did not even go out that night. I am still exhausted, but I have another 2 papers and exams to study for. I am soo excited to be going to Maui with the fam after this, even though I am already down under, it is currently raining and when it is sunny, I end up in the library anyways. Woof. 

Last weekend I went to day drink for a few hours for a break. Hah I was in bed by 10, but I had alot of fun with the scandanavian girls. We had a smorgashboard of amazing scandanavian foods, later in the evening some of the Bentley kids walked in and joined it. It was fun, we played the drinking game and thumper :)

Leila and I spotted dingos, went for a run, layed out and enjoyed the few moments of sun we had. It was an amazing trip. I loved the island! We went to Rainbow Beach, drove across 75 mile beach, eli creek, and more. It was amazing! We took a few hikes and had shell races.