(no subject)
Considering I have a little under a month left here in the beautiful land of Oz, I've decided to do a bit of
When I first arrived here, despite the pouring rain and shitty mattresses, I honestly thought that nothing in the world got better than this little dot on the globe. When the sun finally surfaced and I was able to go to the beach fairly often, ...okay, let's be real: everyday... I really came to love the lifestyle of living in a beach town. Despite the fact this school is unorganized, and the food is even worse, I really fell in love with the little town of Manly, the big lights of Sydney, and of course, Australia.
What I didn't expect at all was to also fall in love with America as well.
One of my tourism professors asked us during week one "why do people travel?"
Is it to take pictures?
Is it to "see the sites"?
Is it to experience new and different cultures?
Yes, yes, and yes.
All of those basic answers can be rambled off without hesitation, but people rarely notice the understanding of their own life and culture that literally falls into their lap while they're patting a roo, or watching Aborginals play the dijeridoo in the Quay. Since coming to Australia, I have learned more about myself as an American than I ever thought possible.
When Michelle and I hiked up to North Head and watched the sailboats coming in and out of the harbor, it really hit me that I wouldn't live in this place forever.. and that I didn't want to. We met an Aussie couple and their friend and they started up a conversation about America. I realized, as we told them about the amazing fall colors and the immense amounts of snow, that I'm really, really proud of where I come from. There is so much beauty in the world, and to hear people talk about the Grand Canyon or Chicago, the way I do about the Harbor bridge and the kangaroos, makes me really proud to say I come from a country that owns and protects those things.
I guess I've just come to realize what a blessed life I've had; how all of the beautiful things around me: my family, my friends, my hometown, my state.. all of it, is very much a part of who I am, and that I'm really proud of the world that surrounds me.
Alright. Enough of that.
I miss you.
29 days.
When I first arrived here, despite the pouring rain and shitty mattresses, I honestly thought that nothing in the world got better than this little dot on the globe. When the sun finally surfaced and I was able to go to the beach fairly often, ...okay, let's be real: everyday... I really came to love the lifestyle of living in a beach town. Despite the fact this school is unorganized, and the food is even worse, I really fell in love with the little town of Manly, the big lights of Sydney, and of course, Australia.
What I didn't expect at all was to also fall in love with America as well.
One of my tourism professors asked us during week one "why do people travel?"
Is it to take pictures?
Is it to "see the sites"?
Is it to experience new and different cultures?
Yes, yes, and yes.
All of those basic answers can be rambled off without hesitation, but people rarely notice the understanding of their own life and culture that literally falls into their lap while they're patting a roo, or watching Aborginals play the dijeridoo in the Quay. Since coming to Australia, I have learned more about myself as an American than I ever thought possible.
When Michelle and I hiked up to North Head and watched the sailboats coming in and out of the harbor, it really hit me that I wouldn't live in this place forever.. and that I didn't want to. We met an Aussie couple and their friend and they started up a conversation about America. I realized, as we told them about the amazing fall colors and the immense amounts of snow, that I'm really, really proud of where I come from. There is so much beauty in the world, and to hear people talk about the Grand Canyon or Chicago, the way I do about the Harbor bridge and the kangaroos, makes me really proud to say I come from a country that owns and protects those things.
I guess I've just come to realize what a blessed life I've had; how all of the beautiful things around me: my family, my friends, my hometown, my state.. all of it, is very much a part of who I am, and that I'm really proud of the world that surrounds me.
Alright. Enough of that.
I miss you.
29 days.