Australia: The Next Chapter

I'm speechless. I have been trying to verbalize how I feel about this move to Australia if I even do feel a difference, and nothing has settled in yet. Every moment leading up to now was so exciting, the idea itself was full of promise- taking control of my life and conquering a life in a new country for a year on my own. I'm no longer at school, I'm just a person that floats around and I have to create my own pah. There's no environment like a university campus where I can choose to be and flourish. I have to make a name for myself in my own way, without the boundaries that have usually been set for me. Perhaps alternatively the boundaries I set for myself to make it seem easier.

I think when you finally feel alone, there's a sense of uncertainty and freedom- so much so that you may not know what to do with it. The good thing is that I'm not alone. The farther away you are, the closer you hold on to your family and close friends. The uncertainty aspect for me makes me more withdrawn, I turn into this strange timid version of myself that smiles and nods and then the real Amanda may come out in 2 second outbursts, because she's being suffocated. Once I finally find my feet I'll be letting real Amanda out a bit at a time. As of now, only my friend Nate experiences the uninhibited Amanda. Everything else will come in time.

So for now, I've been an Aussie for a week maybe more. I love my internship in Sydney. I love Sydney. I walk around a lot and find my way by getting lost a little first and more often than not just letting vague directions take me where they may and along the way I have met many interesting people and had memorable yet meaningless conversations.

Everybody has a story for how they got to Australia whether this is all they know, or if this was at one point uncharted territory for them as well.