It's Already Over?

I'm sitting on the last train I'll take home from my internship. It really is just about to end.

I'm sitting here in silence just trying to take it all in.

I realize that I will actually never be on another train ride to and from Rooty Hill ever again. Now, I know I made a fuss about how long and dreadful my commute was to the lovely Western Sydney suburb, but it did bring some good.

1. My supervisor Krissie took good care of me while I was working for the Sydney Blue Sox.
NOTE: Because she was our work mom, this automatically meant she'd bake us cookies and take us to lunch to try traditional Aussie-inspired cuisine.

2. I finally was able to decide that I want to pursue a public relations degree for the duration of my college career.

3. I met a lot of cool, fun, hip, etc. co-workers who taught me more Aussie terminology (and really confusing rhyming slang), all while making fun of my southern accent every time I opened my mouth.

4. Rooty Hill actually reminded me of home a little bit, which was refreshing (wait, really??) in comparison to the hustle and bustle in Sydney 24/7.

5. I got to work with a professional sports organization and had hands-on tasks as an intern, which is almost unheard of in the sports industry.

I'm thankful my internship worked out in the end. What started out as an random, unknown placement ended up as a job with co-workers that were my Australian family by the end of it all.

Thank you Sydney for one heck of a trip I know I'll be back soon.

As for now, I'm coming for you Tennessee!!!

Bittersweet

I just got off of a 15 hour plane ride, and I am waiting to board another one that will take me home to Memphis. Both physically and mentally, I am in an in between stage – a limbo between what has passed and what is yet to come. The nice people next to me on the plane asked me, like most people when they hear I am going home from a study abroad trip, “How do you feel about leaving? Excited? Sad?” The answer is always the same, “It’s bittersweet.”

Bittersweet. I say it every time because it is the closest I can get to describing leaving an experience of a lifetime, but it doesn’t capture all of the other feelings that come with the return home. I am also worried, nervous, and anxious. Coming from me, a typically very emotionless human, this is not normal. I was not nervous to come to Sydney. I did not fear the plane ride or missing home too much. I made jokes about the four stages of culture shock, not even a bit worried I would experience them. However, now, sitting in this airport stuck with a layover and all of my thoughts and memories, I am all of these things.

On my last night with my all-star roomie, we reflected on how this trip has molded and changed us in some incredible ways. More confidence. More independence. More carefree. More understanding, perhaps. But, we also recognized that we are, right now, the “Australia versions of ourselves.” This is where my uncharacteristic emotions are coming from. I keep asking myself, “When I go back to my friends, family, and routine, will Australia Catie survive?”

In Sydney, it was easy to be who I wanted to be. I enjoyed spending time with every other person on our program, I liked my internship, I found people who I could learn form, and I found others who I could share my knowledge with. I am not saying that I was always the perfect version of myself, Lord knows we all have those days, but, looking back, I am content in the decisions I made, places I went, and relationships I built.  

Now, my mind is filled with the what ifs? The little worries and questions I had the whole time, but I was able to push aside because I was IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA(!!!!). What if everything is different when I return home? What if I changed in a way that affects other relationships? What if I missed out on important opportunities? What if I go home and am not the “Australia Catie” I want to continue to be?

I guess these questions are natural with any change, though, and the easiest way to describe all of the feels is still “bittersweet.” Whatever happens when I return home, I would not alter a single moment I spent in Sydney. I had the time of my life, and I know that the highs and lows all played an important role in making the Australia Catie I am proud to return home as. Maybe morphing into Aussie/Mem/Knox Catie is just part of the plan – what I need to do to be the best version of myself.

I think that everyone else changed, too, whether we realized it in the moment or not. We all changed together. That is the cool thing about being sent to a foreign country with a bunch of strangers. You get the opportunity to be a version of yourself that is brought out people you may have never met otherwise. So, shout out to all the 2017 Global Scholars – I hope you all know how incredible you are and what an important role you played in this life-changing experience. 

Making it Count

As I wait for my flight at the Los Angeles Airport, I want to take the time to reflect on, as well as give advice, on studying abroad. I have learned a lot about myself, about Australia, and about the way the world views the U.S. It has truly been the adventure of a lifetime, thanks to the people I have met, the places I have been, and the things I was able to do. While it is fresh in my mind, and I am thinking back over everything for myself, I want to pass on a few pieces of advice for study abroad, or even travel in general.

Don’t Be  Afraid…

To Travel Alone: Whether you are studying abroad alone or with a group, you will find yourself in situations where you are completely alone. For some that will be traveling alone on breaks, or maybe walking to work. Take these opportunities as a training lesson in independence. 

To Try New Things: Sometimes, life seems to work like food. Picky eaters often have never actually tried the foods they say they dislike. In this case, it might be climbing a bridge, scuba diving, bungee jumping, etc that are worth breaking through your boundaries and expanding your horizons. There were several nervous scuba divers on our boat trip in Cairns, yet everyone reflects positively on the experience. Learn to break out of your comfort zone. 

To Meet New People: It is far too easy to play it safe and hang out with the group of people you first meet when abroad. It is incredible how much insight you can gain from a single conversation, and you never know when global connections and friends will come in handy or when you will see people again, plus, social media makes it easy to stay in touch with the people you meet, even without any effort.

Get Out There and Do…

Things You Have Always Wanted To Do: Obviously, do whatever drew you abroad in the first place. I have now climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge twice now, and I will be sure to do it again when I visit again.

Things You Are Too Tired To Do: I can’t say I was the best at this, but the semester flies by, so you need to take advantage of opportunities when they come along. I would sometimes think that it might be nice to go into town, or to the beach, and then think about the bus or train ride and decide that I was too tired. Try to avoid this as much as you can. It will happen, but things usually end up being fun if you get out there and just do stuff.

Whatever You Have To Do To Not Have Any Regrets: When you fly home, the last thing you want to have is regrets, you want memories. Yes, there is a possibility that you may be back in Sydney, but wouldn't you rather leave knowing you completed everything off of your bucket list. Don't let opportunities pass by.

Be Prepared For…

Differences: Yes, will encounter various little difference that will affect you in a big way! Small things such as walking on the left side, or not tipping, and the like will take some getting used to! And funnily enough, the reverse will happen as you assimilate back into your home country. Just today at the airport I found myself naturally trying to step on the left escalator when I was supposed to go to the right now. 

Low Points: Listen, I lived in one of the coolest places on earth. However, that doesn't mean I was on a three-month vacation where I had no worries. I had many stressors, such as classes and my internship. You will have squabbles with your roommates. You will miss your friends and family. You will miss going to Walmart at midnight. You will miss feeling comforted. But that is the most important part, getting out of this comfort zone and allowing yourself to be vulnerable to a new culture will allow you to have one of the best experiences possible. Yes, there will be low points, but they won't be what you remember. 

Calling A New Place Home: As I had mentioned in an earlier blog, there is a massive difference in going on vacation and calling it home. Leaving Sydney earlier this morning was one of the hardest things I have done. You find yourself becoming attached, planting roots in a new place. I think it is safe to say I love Australia, considering I now have the national flower tattooed on my rib cage. 

It is a bittersweet moment to leave Sydney. It will always have a special place in my heart, and I can guarantee it won't be the last time I visit. 

Australia: Greatest Hits

That old saying, “time flies when you’re having fun,” has never been more true than today. After 96 days, my time studying abroad in Sydney, Australia, has come to an end. I have seen new sights, made new friends, gained new experiences, and learned a lot about myself. I am going to use this final blog post as a Greatest Hits of sorts to reflect on all the fun moments we have all shared in Straya.

January: On a day so hot that we all were smothering, we landed in Sydney. Many of us struggled to remember who was who and had some difficulty adjusting to the time difference. Alice and Allyson took us to Taronga Zoo, Olympic Park, and Bondi Beach. The next week classes began at USyd and we all became well acquainted with Dr. Anne Rees and our guardian angel, Dr. Miller. Alice and Allyson led us on the fun-filled Coogee to Bondi walk, complete with selfie stops. That evening Dr. Miller spoiled us and took us to our first family dinner in Darling Harbour. The next day we all put on our Australian Best and celebrated Australia Day like true Aussies at the fireworks show. On the following Sunday a few of us went to Hillsong for the first time and found a nice church home for the next few months.

February: On the first day of the month we did the infamous Spit to Manly walk. If you did not go you weren’t missing anything. It was 10km of jungle, rain, and Nacho running through the whole thing. The Yellow Buoy Squad did form that day, so there is a positive out of that trek. That Friday we all met Abby, and she got us lost in North Sydney, walking up and down those hills repeatedly. We took in Luna Park and several of us nearly died on the spinning carnival ride of death. That weekend most of us got out of Sydney for the first time when we went to Surf Camp. So much happened there, that if you need a refresher I have a whole blog on it. The highlights include being tent mates with Tim Tam, seeing wild kangaroos, and learning to surf. Gnarly brah. The next week was business as usual, getting harassed by professors, no biggy. Shweta took Catie and I to meet our boss for the first time. I wore a full suit and sweated all the way through it. I was gross and felt like a freak of nature. It was a rather unfortunate morning. The following weekend we all went to Royal National Park, and I, unfortunately, flipped the canoe. Still sorry about that, Mary! That afternoon, I think we all can agree, was the hottest day of our trip. The sand was leaving third-degree burns on our feet, Shelby passed out, and Tristan the tour guide was flirting with Dr. Miller (I was referring to multiple kinds of hot). It was a doozy for everybody, minus Adam who didn’t go. That Sunday several of us went to the Hillsong Hills campus for Vision Sunday, where they announced they are putting new Hillsong churches in Portugal, San Francisco, and Israel! The next week was our final week of classes at USyd. Haley met her Chinese friend who took pictures with us, we all saw the orgiastic play, King Roger, at the Opera House, and Dr. Miller said goodbye and headed back to Tennessee. The next week was spent on various parts of the globe for everyone as we had our Spring Break. Aloha.

March: Our internships began, and we all started going in different directions. Benojo had me doing lots of spreadsheets and SalesForce. The first weekend of the month Apartment 2103 got the privilege of attending the premiere of the play Chimerica, and the after party was #lit. Thanks again Shelby! The next day several of us went to the Sea Life Aquarium and rode around on the penguin ride multiple times. On the way home Emily adopted a shopping cart from the side of the road, and it stayed in our living room as abstract art until we left. The next weekend was filled with lots of typical tourist things. Shelby and I went to St. Mary’s Cathedral (beautiful) and the Contemporary Art Museum (weird). On Saturday I saw Adele in concert, and she blew me away. It was the best concert I’ve ever been to. On Sunday I hosted UT’s SnapChat takeover live from Sydney. I went to the Chinese Friendship Gardens, Wildlife Zoo, Westfield Tower, and Circular Quay to give the good Vol fans of the world an inside look at Sydney. The next Friday we all celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in the Land Down Under. Fun Fact: Aussie’s don’t wear green. The next day Cayla, Shelby, and I went to Canberra (We were staying in Canberra…[Inside joke, don’t mind me]). The rumors are true folks, there really is nothing to do in Canberra. We saw all four sights in one day. On Sunday Nacho and Mohammed escorted us to the Blue Mountains, while the rainy season was still in full swing. The only Three Sisters I saw were Mary, Anna, and their mom. Luckily our guide stopped the bus on the way home on a whim and actually made us all run downhill to remarkably get a stunning view. The sun came out and all was well. That Wednesday evening Elle, Cayla, Haley, and I went and saw Aladdin straight from Broadway. Even cooler than the show was us meeting the actors who played the Genie and Jasmine by chance afterwards. The next weekend was my trip from Hell to the Whitsundays. I also have a blog exclusively dealing with that trip. It’s one humdinger of a tale. Just know to never underestimate a cyclone named Debbie. On Thursday night a lot of us went to eat for Mary’s birthday and got stuffed. The next day we all jetted off to Cairns, where we all held a koala and got to stay in the ritziest hostel around.

April: On the first of the month we were still in Cairns and were headed out to the Great Barrier Reef to scuba dive (my favorite thing of the trip). Several people faced their fears and all of us had an amazing time. That night a few of us went to the Ultimate Party and then headed back to Sydney the next day. On Wednesday Apartment 1713 and I prank called Cayla and Emily, pretending to be an angry Chinatown vendor. Plot twist: they actually believed us. “This is Catie from Fu Man Chi, and you just got Punkd!” On Thursday Cayla and I went to Madame Tussaud’s and Paddy’s Markets. Then Friday through Sunday I was in the Sunshine Coast. On Friday I went to the Australia Zoo and saw the Irwin Family feeding some killer crocs. Crikey! Then I went to meet with my Aussie cousins who let me stay with them and showed me how Queenslanders live. On Saturday they took me to the Eumundi Markets, then we hiked a trail to the Hell’s Gates at Noosa Heads, and then to the beach to surf, or rather, attempt to surf. That night I got a special treat because Lori and Alan let/taught me to drive a stick shift on the left side of the road. It was a hilarious ride and a day of firsts! The next day I went to church with them and listened to my other cousin preach before flying back to Sydneytown. On Tuesday of the next week Catie and I “had a dinner thing” and went to a popup Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant from the Breaking Bad universe. Word of advice: if food is free, have some Tums on hand. That Friday was Good Friday, so a group of us went to the Hillsong Hills campus for communion. The next day a few of us went to Manly, but the Autumn season had set in and it was too cold for tanning or swimming. I opted to hit up all the restaurants I hadn’t eaten at yet, so I got a gelato flower, a pizza from Salt Meat Cheese, and a milkshake from Max Brenner. On Easter Sunday most of us from Apartment 2103 got up at 4:45 AM to see the sunrise at Bondi. It didn’t occur to any of us that the buses might not be running since it was a holiday, so we were stumped. Luckily a random drunk guy hadn’t made his way home from the bar yet, and Shiza Minelli, he gave us the great idea to walk. So off we went, walking from Bondi Junction to the beach in the dark. We did eventually make it, though, and it was so rewarding. I have never gotten up to see a sunrise before, and this was truly a spectacle. There was no better way to ring in Easter morning. Later we all went to the Easter service at Hillsong and said goodbye to everyone. That night our apartment had an extreme Easter egg hunt, and I got a new tattoo. I got an arrow because it represents always moving forward and never going back. My tattoo artist, Mattoo, informed me as I was telling him about my faith and Easter and what not, that he was a Satanist. What a conversation that turned out to be. You know me, hanging with church peeps in the morning and hanging with devil worshippers in the evening. Wow. After that excitement it was time to begin our final week in Sydney. Monday evening most of Apartment 2103 went to the glowworm tunnel in Hellensburgh. You could actually see the glowworms, which was satisfying, but what you don’t know going into it is that the tunnel is literally just several feet deep with wet mud. Cayla looked like she was wearing brown boots when she really had on Chacos. Gross. On Tuesday I escorted Shelby back to Mattoo, so she could get a tattoo also. Apparently we left a good impression on him, because he gave us free t-shirts and was super kind. Life is full of surprises. I met a kindhearted Satanist this week, what did you do? On Thursday Catie and I got interviewed by UT’s camera crew on our last day of work, and then our boss treated us to dinner. It was neat to get to know them on a more personal level. On Friday the camera crew had us go back to USyd and spray paint a Power T in the Graffiti Tunnel, so I can add “Wannabe Vandal” to my resume now. On Saturday, our last day, I tried to do a little bit of every. Cayla and I spent the morning at the Powerhouse Museum. We managed to do it all in two and a half hours, but you could easily spend a whole day there. After that we took a train to Circular Quay to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge one last time. The camera crew filmed us being the social butterflies that we are, and then we dipped out and went to Paddy’s Markets to buy more things we don’t need. Last night I pulled basically an all-nighter, receiving one hour of sleep. Cayla and I went to N2 Gelato before coming home, and then the packing nightmare began. I got everything packed in one hour, but it took me three hours to get all my suitcases zipped. It should go without saying that they were overweight, but it was a miracle that I even got them closed. This morning Nacho picked us up from Urbanest (Woohoo! We’re done living there!), and he took us to the airport. We all quickly went our separate ways and that was that. It was really anticlimactic, but I think everyone is just ready to be home.

This trip has been amazing, and I am so fortunate that I got to experience it. I will treasure forever all the places I went, things I learned, and friends I made. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us Dr. Miller and Dr. Swan! Can’t wait to see everyone back in Knoxville!

Family

When I arrived in Sydney on January 18th, 2017 on a record breaking hot day with 14 other students who were just as scared and nervous as I was, I had no idea what was really in store for my trip.

Throughout my time here, I have become good friends with all of the people on our trip, but there are a few that have grown close to my heart.

I became roommates with five other people.  Olana, who was my personal roommate, is spunky, fun, adventurous, a Nutella monster, and an amazing photographer.  We spent many nights laughing and discussing events from the day, and sometimes watching a little too much of the Office when we should have been sleeping.  I was so grateful to get a roommate who loves the Lord and who strives to be a better person each day.

 My next roommate Adam, who we often call the grandpa of the group because he goes to bed so early, is a good cook and often offers to cook a meal for us.

Emily is a girl after my own heart.  She loves food even more than I do, and will literally go crazy if you mention the words free AND food.  She always makes me laugh and feel great and has a very witty sarcastic humor that always makes me cry with laughter.  She has taken a shopping cart from off the street, and took a kid's lunchbox from University of Sydney.  She's awesome.

If Shelby was't around, the kitchen would be a wreck.  She always takes care of the dishes when we forget.  She makes the best spaghetti ever, and she works so hard at her work! She got us tickets to see the best show we have ever seen, and I don't think my experience would be the same without it! Aside from that, Shelby is a great friend who puts her all into friendships.  She is fun, beautiful, and I love her laugh!

My last roommate, Hunter is the glue to the apartment.  He always has a positive outlook on life and is always ready for another adventure. Although he may not have the best luck, getting stuck in a hurricane, constantly having trouble with the laundry machines, and getting stuck in a tent with a Chinese girl, he definitely has the best stories to tell. And although he constantly turns on the air in our apartment, and almost kills us in the kitchen when he cooks with spices, I don't think this apartment or this trip would be the same without him.  I have loved having our sarcastic battles and our spur of the moment adventures that always end in laughter.

Each one of these strangers three months ago, have now become some of my closest friends.  I think what I will miss about Australia most of all, is coming home to our crazy dysfunctional family.  I will miss all the late night chats and stories from the day or before we met each other.  I will miss watching (and sometimes screaming) at the TV with everyone when a Married at First Sight episode has yet another scandal.  And although we did fight, like any normal family, we always came back together.  We almost always did trips and daily activities with at least one person from the group, and when someone came home, they were always asked about their day and if they were ok.

I didn't think when I came here that I would grow so close to anybody.  The mention of the word "family" in the beginning made me mad, because who could become family after only three months? Doesn't it take years to form strong friendships?   I can see now however, why we were called a family.  We had no choice in becoming friends, we were just thrown together, just like how family can't choose who they are related to.  But one of the best things about being a "family" is that we can all relate to each other.  When we come home, people will eventually tire of hearing about our times in Australia, and life will continue like normal, except it's not normal.  We have all changed and we have all experienced things that no one else has experienced.  We will sometimes be sad and want to talk with someone who gets what we are feeling and relive old memories.  It will be then that we will count on our "family" to save the day.

I have loved every part of Australia: the beaches, Hillsong, walking around Darling Harbor and Circular quay, and eating too much gelato.  And although leaving all that behind will be tough, the hardest part about leaving Australia will be when I say my last goodbyes at the airport early tomorrow morning.

Growth

If I had to choose a single word to describe my experience in Sydney, it would be growth.

With the other 14 scholars here, friendships have grown. We have experienced such adventure and beauty together, including coastal walks, hiking through the pouring rain in the Blue Mountains, and breath-taking (literally) scuba dives in the Great Barrier Reef. Admittedly, times working and living together for the past three months haven't always been the best, but we have always managed to work it out.  Through the past three months, we have learned each others strengths, weaknesses, and dreams, and together, we've learned to understand each other just a little bit more.

Through days of rain and days of shine, the grass has grown. It's hard to describe a beauty like Australia's, where the grass seems just a bit greener and the sky and ocean are just a bit bluer. I've often spent my days just sitting in a park, listening to the birds and taking in the views, wishing I could stay just a little longer.

Over three months separated from my friends, family, and my dog, I have grown. I was terrified to come to Australia. I spent the month prior to leaving the States, wondering why I would make a decision to leave and hoping for a reason to not go. The time came, and at moments I was lonely, but it was in those moments I realized that just because I am alone doesn't mean I have to be lonely. I learned the beauty of being myself and loving every moment of everyday of my life, rain or shine. I learned how to have fun with friends or alone. I learned that I can and I will achieve all my goals. I learned that the world is not such a scary place. I learned that I am ready to explore. I have grown, so much, and I am so excited to see what the rest of the world has for me.

Thank you Australia, for everything. I will see you soon.

Living

During my three months abroad, I have crossed two things off of my bucket list.

Now, two is not a big number. But it is a bucket list. These are things people never do in their entire lives. I have gone years without crossing a single thing off. It’s April, I have crossed off two already, and by the end of the year I will have crossed off four.

Wow.

The first one was bungee jumping, something that a lot of people manage to get around to admittedly. So what made it special? Well first off, it was in New Zealand, where bungee jumping was born. Second off, the ledge was situated 400 meters above the lovely Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. The sight alone was enough to take your breath away.

Now, up until that point I had no anxieties about jumping, I was only excited. So when the instructor asked if I wanted to peek over the edge before I jumped, I shrugged, thinking why not. I inched over til my toe lined up with the ledge, and I slowly leaned over, sure to keep my centre of gravity steady.

That’s when I began to get nervous. About a million feet below me were trees. And it no joke looked about a million feet away. My heart skipped a beat and I stepped back until my butt hit the railing. The instructor was smiling, standing near the edge with no fear. I will forever thank him for what he did next.

“Go on three okay? One…two…three!!”

Before I had time to really process that he was telling me it was time to fling myself off the side of a cliff, my brain made a decision. I remember my feet moving, and thinking only one thing. “Don’t think.” So I didn’t. I ran as hard as I could in the five steps it took to get to the edge, then I jumped. As I began my rocketing decent towards the earth, I will admit an involuntary scream did make its way out of my lungs and up my throat. I’ve never been so relieved as to when I was suddenly jerked back up towards the sky. I survived, what a relief.

Another involuntary scream broke free from my lungs, but it wasn’t from fear this time. It was thrill. I jut jumped off of a 400-meter ledge. I swung there for a little bit, taking in the view, the smell of the woods, the feeling of my heart pounding its way out of my chest. What a rush. I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face for the rest of the day. Nothing like risking your life to really make you feel alive.

The second item I crossed off of my bucket list wasn’t necessarily a life threatening adventure, but it was easily one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I went to another world. Yeah, it’s a slight bit corny, but how about you scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef then tell me you felt like you merely dunked your head under the waves of the Pacific. Cause I’ll tell you right now, it felt like another planet.

I stood on the edge of the boat, gear all on, awkwardly trying to get a hang of the whole breathing situation, and staring into the waters below for a few minutes before it really hit me. It was when I was searching for Barry the barracuda that a little bit of fear crept up on me. How deep exactly was that water? And, uh, I know a lot of people already asked about sharks, but seriously, what about sharks?? That’s when a scuba diver broke the surface. He looked up at me, gesturing for me to jump. I looked on both sides of me, hoping he was talking to someone else. Sure enough it was only me standing there. I pretended to ignore him. No joke. That’s how much of a baby I was in that moment. All I could think about was jumping into that water and landing in the jaws of a very hungry shark.

My instructor appeared behind me, helping another scuba diver shuffle to the edge in their heavy awkward gear.

“You ready? Time to jump!”

I wondered at what point my in my life drove me to jumping off of so many things.

“C’mon, now. Just jump.” My instructor said light heartedly. I took a deep breath, which was more of a sigh really, shuffled up until my toes hung over the edge, and let myself fall.

I immediately began to sink. Which makes sense with how heavy all my gear was. Immediately my instructor appeared and led me over to a metal bar that hung off the back of the boat. I held on until everyone was in the water. We ran through the drills of getting water out of your mask, ect., and I honestly was having a hard time paying attention. I just wanted to dunk my head under the waves. I was so entranced with the movement of the ocean. With how vast it was. How blue. Eventually he deflated my belt and slowly I sank until we hung at a comfortable middle between the top and bottom. My heart blossomed as I took in my surroundings.

It’s understood that sound travels differently underwater. That alone made it such a crazy experience. Besides the sound of Darth Vader following you around because of your breathing apparatus, you’re pretty much left to your thoughts. As soon as I was under, I was blown away. And there was no coral in sight, just deep blue ocean in all directions. We began our swim and slowly but surely the coral materialized in front of my eyes. Fish of all colours mixed within the equally colourful reef, darting away if we got to close. If my breathing apparatus wouldn’t have fallen out of my mouth, I’m sure my jaw would have dropped. We were allegedly down there for about 30 minutes. I say allegedly because it felt like five minutes. I would have stayed down there for days if they had let me.

Later on, I snorkelled twice. Both times I found myself laying on my belly on top of the waves, letting my body go limp, and letting the ocean move me. As I lay there, staring at the world of colour right below me, feeling the life of the waves, I can say I was in absolute peace. Those few moments are the most beautiful, peaceful moments I have ever had in my life. The ocean has a funny way of making you feel tiny and larger than life all at once. I knew, in those moments, that I cannot ever stop. Stop travelling, stop learning, stop meeting new people, and doing new things. I cannot ever stop living.

Now, there are only a few days left in this chapter of my life. The third bucket list item-living in a foreign country. A country that is no longer foreign, as no country really ever is. It is home to many people. Australia will always be a home to me now.  Just because my time here is over doesn’t mean the experience necessarily ends. I will take the life lessons and time I have spent here close to my heart and in all my walks of life. Just time to turn the page and keep moving.

My next adventure, the fourth bucket list item, will be skydiving. Yes, I will continue to jump off of things. It appears to be a hidden passion of mine.

Here’s to living, adventures, and new chapters with respect to old ones. Here’s to life.