Alrighty,

I'm in the process of buying plane tickets and sending the rest of my housing money. How do you send thousands of dollars without having to pay hundreds in foreign tranfer fees?? Anyway, I've been feeling like things have been going really slowly, but I know the ball is rolling and I'll be gone before I know it.

I was looking at Google Earth yesterday and typed in my Queensland address. The way it zoomed out so fast from Greenfield, TN and how the globe swiveled to fill my sight with massive blue ocean scared the crap out of me. I'm going to be really far away!! But I'm mad excited, though. It's interesting how you can be scared, but not be fearful, you know? Like, there's a part of me that makes my heart race and my mind starts thinking of bad things that could happen while I'm abroad, but at the same time, it's not even nearly enough to make me rethink my decision to go.

What I'm most apprehensive about is what to expect and I wonder what's going to be the thing that sends me into culture shock. I was thinking about how I wanted the first thing I did in Australia was to buy a sweatshirts from the bookstore. Then I started thinking, what if they didn't have sweatshirts? Me assuming that they have sweatshirts in their bookstores only to find out that they didn't would probably send me into culture shock. Maybe not likely to happen, but just think: it's not knowing that you're nearly ten thousand miles away from home, but little things like no right turn on red that could send you to the crazy house or into a deep depression.

Yesterday, I was wondering to myself, dang, they probably don't have a WalMart (lol) so I GoogleMapped supermarkets in Brisbane and Coles Supermarket kept coming up. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain how excited I was to look through their catalogue and see stuff like Nivea and Coca-Cola and Nestle brand stuff. May seem silly, but between globalization of markets and internet technology, I think I can make it. Like I said in the last post, even 50 years ago, I don't know if I could have done it. Aha! That reminds me: the next thing I need to do is put my phone on the seasonal plan and look for an Australian phone service.

Be easy

Welcome to My Blog

Hello love,

I created this blog just so I could keep you updated on my preparation for study abroad as well as my life in Australia (and you can comment). I'm going to miss you, but at least it's the 21st century and not the 15th century, or even the 19th century. Even though you and I will be 8763 miles apart, and according to Google Maps, you would have to drive/kayak approximately 15,201 miles and it would take about 56 days, we are just a computer screen away from each other.

I won't be leaving for like, 8 1/2 more weeks, but it's taking a lot to get ready to leave. So I'll be updating you on stuff like when I get my tickets and visa and stuff like that. Coolness.

I would like to start by saying that I am so thankful for the opportunity. I've wanted to study abroad ever since I knew it was an option, when I first started thinking about college. I also always knew that I wanted to go to Australia. I've literally dreamed of being there. And now I finally get to go. I've been blessed with the aid such that I don't have to pay and I just want to say that I am quite thankful.

Only you can prevent forest fires,

Audrey