As many already know, but maybe a few may not, I am headed to Australia in a couple short weeks! I figured I should start a blog to help you all keep up with my hopefully hectic, studious, but exciting adventures.
To start out with, I have, of course, never lived by an ocean, but have always dreamed about what it would be like. I am also very keen on the thought of travel. I love different sights and having the ability to meet new people. Living in Utah and going to the University of Utah has so far been a good experience. I have had my independence and the chance to live on my own, but I have always had the option to call my parents up when I am having a bad day or just need a hug and know that they are only a short few minutes away from helping me out. Australia will definitely challenge my independence and strength. I will not have that quick protection and help, even though I know they won't mind if I call them at 3 AM just to talk if I absolutely need it (but I shouldn't make it a habit.) I will have to find my own way and rely more on my friends that I meet there, but I am excited for the challenge. It will definitely show me how strong I can be by allowing me to be truly independent.
I start school March 3, 2014 at Griffith University - Gold Coast, so I will be arriving about a month before then. My mom and I will fly over to get me situated in my apartment, and shortly after my Dad will come meet us in Cairns so that we can enjoy some scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and of course some sailing and kayaking. After that, we will all fly back down to Brisbane, take the hour and a half train back to Gold Coast, and enjoy a week of sun and surf at Surfer's Paradise. My parents will leave on February 21st, so I will have the weekend to be on my own before starting orientation on the 24th. I am pretty excited for orientation week (also known as O-Week). There will be lots of activities going on and it's when most students start moving into the apartment village. I even signed up for an orientation that takes me down to the most Eastern point of Australia: Byron Bay. When they pick us up, they take us to a Wildlife Sanctuary (where we can pet kangaroos and hold koalas!) After we head to Byron Bay where we will spend 2 nights on the beach, we get to learn to surf, kayak, skydive, hang glide, hike to a lighthouse, and basically just whatever our heart desires! I actually already met a girl from Bend, Oregon who goes to Boise State University and will be attending Griffith with me this semester. She, too, is going on this orientation trip, and we could not be more excited!
Anyways, after these short crazy adventures, school will start and I'll be able to settle down. I have classes Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and I have an internship that will allow me to travel into the mountains of Australia in their National Parks and help with conservation and re-vegetation. I will be taking an Intro Psychology class, a Sports Management class, and also an Aboriginal and Strait Islander's health class. My classes are very different than the nursing classes that I have been taking at the University, but I am excited for the change and hopefully a more relaxing semester.
That is all for now. I've enjoyed my month off of school, but time is starting to crack down. My mom and I have been packing like crazy, but I feel ready to leave. I'm excited but nervous, but like I said before, it'll be a fun adventure!
By the way, I promise my blogs (hopefully) will have less writing and more pictures! I do not think you want to see pictures of my so-far two 50 pound packed bags, but I will post some pictures of where I will be.
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This is the Griffith University Village where I will be living.
This is supposedly what my room will look like.
And what the living room looks like.
This is Surfer's Paradise at night. It is about 15 minutes by bus from where I am living, and where my parents will be staying for a week.
This is Byron Bay, where I will be doing my orientation trip. This is the lighthouse that we will be hiking to!
