Study Abroad Reflections

"I don't know where I'm going, but that's the beauty of it."

I came across that wonderful quote on a Facebook BumperSticker photo, of all places. Before my study abroad I always had things laid out, organized, schedule, RSVP'd - everything was totally planned. Rarely did I ever face uncertainty. Now, after being in Australia for 6 months, I have learned so much about letting things happen as they will, the joy of not planning everything (i.e., Easter Holiday in Tasmania). So, I'd like to begin this entry by pointing out how much splendor there is in not knowing exactly where one is going. Trust me. I've flown half-way around the world to land with no where to live, no one to turn to, and no clue, and making that flight was one of the best things I've ever done.

Here are some general things I've learned about Australia:

Government: Parliament (not a Republic)

Politics inQueensland: the Premier is Anna Bligh

Where I Lived: West End, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

TV Shows: I don't watch TV, but some shows I've seen the flat mates watching are Sex & the City, Ugly Betty, and Big Brother

Celebrities: Mel Gibson, Kylie Minogue, Cate Blanchett, Russel Crowe, Nicole Kidman

Sights to See: Sydney Opera House, the Three Sisters, Great Ocean Road, the Australia Zoo, Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Glass House Mountains, Bondi Beach, Coogee Beach, Wine Glass Bay, Cataract Gorge, Cradle Mountain, Mount Coot-tha, the Great Barrier Reef, Q1 Tower, Luna Park, Sydney Center Point Tower, Treasury Casino, 12 Apostles, the Blue Mountains

Travel: I lived in Brisbane, Queensland. 45 minutes away from one of the best-known beaches in the world (Surfer's Paradise). I got around mainly by walking, train and sometimes the bus.

I have always enjoyed visiting cities, and now I know that I enjoy living in one. It's especially nice to live close enough to uni or work that you can get by without a car. Saves a lot of money and helps the environment a bit, too.

I'll be doing a separate post on favorite songs that were played all the time at Australian bars and clubs. You'll quickly notice that most of the songs are American. Throw in a lot of techno, and you've got Aussie music. As for movies, pretty much American there, too.

In case you were wondering, yes, the US Dollar is getting weaker by the day.
5 February 2008: 1 USD = 1.1 AUD
18 June 2008: 1 USD = 1.06 AUD

And if you think things in the US are expensive, here are the prices of some common purchases:
*pint of beer: $8
*2L of milk: $4
*paperback novel: $25
*cuppa joe: $6

On another note, Inga leaves Brisbane in less than a week. It's hitting me how much I will miss her between now and our rendezvous in Paris in several years... I'll be writing a post for her, but in these reflections I'd like to say how amazing a friend she has become. We went from being total strangers to spanking each other. = ) She is a best friend, and I will miss her so much.

This leads me into how I've realized something about myself, socially. For those of you who don't know, my dad served in teh Navy, and I moved around a lot growing up. (For the record, I have moved fourteen times.) Naturally I became used to making friends and leaving them. Going from elementary school in Cincinnati to middle school in Anderson was the toughest transition, and after middle school I "learned" that if I don't get too close to friends, they can't hurt me (translated, when we go our separate ways I won't feel as much pain). All through high school, sure, I had friends, but no best friends. It didn't bother me back then, but I find myself thinking "I wish I'd known then what I know now." Since I started school at Purdue I've learned that if you don't risk anything (pain of losing friends or going separate ways), then you can't gain anything. This notion has been emphasized in my time abroad. I can't imagine how dull it would have been if I hadn't opened up and became close friends with Inga or Tamara. Because I risked the pain of leaving them after my study abroad is complete, I have gained SO much: life-long friends.

While I lived in a house of 18 people and only 2 were Aussie and only 1 of those 2 were ever around, I did get to know several great Australians:

*Sam: an older fellow (29) working towards his Masters degree. He is a child at heart, very kind and always interested in how people are doing. He makes this pasta that smells amazing, and he plays rugby.
*Peter: I had German with Peter, and our housemates were all great friends, so we got to hang out a lot. Von Zipper! I'll never forget how much fun we had in Sydney!
*Maya: I had the great fortune of meeting up with her in Sydney (we met last fall when she studied at Purdue and lived with Roy). It was really great to chat with someone who bleeds Black and Gold. She was even wearing Purdue thongs when we met up for lunch!
*Laura: Another Aussie whom I met when we were back at Purdue last fall - she is a fellow QUT student, and we had a great chat at the Three Monkeys. Again, it was great to catch up with someone who loves West Lafayette!
*Tamara: I can't even begin to tell you how much fun I've had with this Aussie! We first met at Fraser Island where she was my tour guide, then we partied it up in Surfer's Paradise! She's a ton of fun, and I hope and pray that we can meet up in Chicago next spring when she is abroad in Canada.

Aussie language has rubbed off on me. I say "heaps," "uni," and "no worries" all the time. What can I say? Six months will do something to ya. I'm sure I've picked up other Aussie tendencies, but I am not noticing them. I'd lay money that you'll point them out to me.

That reminds me. When Adam was visiting he asked me if I still notice the Aussie accent. I had to admit that I don't any more. Makes me wonder what it'll be like to hear American accents when I get home.

The following is a quote that I totally relate to. I found it in some reading material I was given before I left the US.

"As time passed, the way we referred to this place changed. Before we arrived in China, we referred to it by using its formal, commercial name. But after we arrived, no one in our group called it anything but 'the hotel'. And after a couple of months in China, we all found that if we were out in the city and getting ready to go in for the night, we were all referring to the hotel as 'home'". -Study Abroad Student Handbook

Substitute Australia for China, flat for hotel and you've got me. 65 Boundary Street became my home away from home. I often refer to it as home. I'll miss this place. Even if the kitchen is always a mess.

I've thoroughly enjoyed keeping this blog. I hope readers have enjoyed it, too. It's been a great way to record thoughts and activities. I'll be printing it into book format when it's completed. And, certainly, photos have been a great way to capture the moments. I have gazillions of photos, haha. You guys know me, "the Photo Queen." I think I'm over 200 photo albums on Facebook now. Crazy, I know. I also have heaps of videos! I'd never been too into taking videos, but I've learned how much fun they are!

Never in my life had I ever experienced "homesickness" before Orlando last summer. That empty, chill hit me in the last two weeks of my internship; that summer of 3 months was the first period of extended time I'd been really far away from home. Now Florida seems like a short drive away from home in Indiana. This time around, on this trip, I didn't feel homesick at all until after Adam left from his visit out here. So, I lasted about a month longer before the homesickness kicked in. The feeling hasn't been too terribly overwhelming; I've only cried once. I remember crying about 5 times in Orlando last summer, so I've been doing pretty good. Any way, homesickness isn't fun, but it's part of the whole package of picking up and moving away for a while.

Similar to homesickness, I've also experienced "Adam-sickness." Yes, I do believe I coined that term. I miss Adam so much it hurts inside. My being gone has made this the first long-distance relationship for both of us. Of course neither of us knew exactly how to handle things when I left, but we have come so far together! We are closer than ever, and I thank God that we are still together after such a long 5 months. I love you, Adam.

What am I going to miss the most about Australia? The accent (I remember how cool it is from before I became immune to it), the weather (bright blue skies, such a warm sun), Punjabi Palace, Ouzeri, the cinemas (HUGE theaters and really nice), the Three Monkeys (it's right up there with Vienna), Nutella (there's nothing quite like hazelnut spread), Cadbury (they get it here all year around, not just at Easter), QUT (home for a semester), West End and all of it's personality, South Bank (so many hours spent walking through there, running by, tanning, reading, enjoying life), the Queensland State Library (another place I've spent a lot of time at and usually it was when I was Skyping back home), Inga (she's the coolest Norwegian I'll ever know), Tim Tams (simply irresistible), Mint Slice (see previous), rugby (so much fun to watch), Tamara (she does the best Killer Kangaroo), $0.69 1.5 liter bottles of water (what a steal!), clothes lines (it's an Aussie thing that's grown on me), the Pancake House (can't go wrong there), Boost (the best smoothies ever - besides yours, Momma), the train (so cheap, reliable, fast, and good for the environment), kangaroos, koalas, Tasmanian devils, and frangipanis (so beautiful and aromatic).

What am I going to do when I get back to the US? Steak "n Shake, IHOP, Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, Taco Bell, Wendy's Frosty, BW3's, enjoy freshly dried clothes' warmth and softness, soak up the summer sun, appreciate 24-7 convenience, enjoy our ice cream (Australia hasn't quite figured it out yet), grind with Adam on the dance floors, walk on the "right" side of the sidewalks, have a glass of milk with Double Stuf Oreos, munch on Cheez-Its, have a Tootsie-Pop, enjoy a hot bath, and work on my scrapbook for my trip in Australia.

The following is a quote I found on the Purdue Study Abroad website.

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered." - Nelson Mandela

I can't wait to see how I've grown in the last six months!

-Amanda