i love…

…my parents.
…my sister.
…Misty Sheren.
…Martin Funmaker.
…Sarah Elaine.
…instant messages.
…massages.
…talking to interesting people.
…living in Australia.
…figuring out a complicated problem.
…chicken.
…barbeques.
…Dorito’s chips.
…Chinese restaurants.
…Indian food.
…smoking hookah.
…orange juice.
…wine coolers.
…bubble gum flavoured like grape.
…ice cream.
…chocolate pie.
…walks on the beach.
…getting mail.
…taking pictures.
…writing.
…spending time with Caleb Roy.
…hearing babies laugh.
…making babies laugh.
…talking to Caleb James and Trevor Branch.
…watching people from a distance.
…standing on the beach where the water hits my feet.
…the wonderful person I get to go home to every day.
…waking up next to him.

22 July 2009

I take a break today from writing poetry to tell my most recent activities in Australia. The following is the update that I e-mailed to my friends and family back in the States. I try to let them know what I am up to and that everything is okay, even though I am 9000 miles away.

//I figure I should do one of these since it’s been over a month. And for that I am sorry for not keeping you guys updated with my adventure. My apologies.

So, I have officially ended my first semester of uni. And I passed with a GPA of 4.5. Not too shabby, if I say so myself. I hope to bring that up quite a bit though, and I expect I shall in the upcoming semester. All science classes. Yay! Speaking of which, I should probably explain that whole…ordeal.

The day of my last final exam, I turned in the form for an internal transfer. This is where you are still studying at Griffith Uni, but you are in a different school (also known as department). I transferred from the School of Human Services and Social Work to the School of Environment. I will attend classes at a different campus. Thank God it is closer to where we live now (that story in a few minutes) and I can just bike my way. The bus isn’t very expensive, but I would rather get some exercise. Sorry for the tangent, back to uni. In order to still complete a degree in the time allotted until my visa expires (March 2012) I will have to either take an extra class each semester OR have my credits from Missouri Southern State University transferred to Griffith. In order to have my credits transferred, I had to fill out another form and turn it in along with my transcript and course outlines (seeing as how MSSU is not strongly affiliated with Griffith, they need to know what is taught in the course in order to grant the correct class completed). No problem, right? I was very much wrong. I got the course outlines from the university and turned them in with my application. I figured that since Griffith already had my transcript from when I first applied that it would be no problem. Also, I found out that the outlines I printed out and turned in where not signed and I had to forward the e-mail to the guy who is taking care of my case. The outlines were taken care of rather quickly, the transcript is another matter. The copy the guy is getting is so crappy that he cannot read it. And I cannot just have MSSU e-mail me a copy because they suck and do not deal with these matters via e-mail or phone. So, I had to take a picture of my driver’s license and send it to my mother via e-mail along with a form that she had to forge my signature on so I could request a transcript. MSSU called my parents’ home and said they could not read my identification and we would have to resend it. In the mean time, the guy who is taking care of my case has e-mailed me and said to just call him when I am ready to get this taken care of. Oh yeah….classes start next week.

So, I am going to use my phone credit and call MSSU Registar’s office when they open and speak to them directly. I cannot wait for this matter to be dealt with.

Now that I have typed more than enough to send…I should enlighten the few who were worried about my moving. It’s simple really. This past Sunday we moved out of the unit at Beachcomber (the one right on the beach, with the spa and sauna and indoor pool). I have no idea really why Markos said we had to move out, but I think things were just getting a little to…awkward. I thought things were fine, honestly. He had taken a week off of work and he and I spent some time together and really got along just fine. Then he went back to work, Caleb and I went for a walk on the beach Saturday and ate at a really nice little Italian place down the street. Sunday morning comes, and Markos thinks we should move. So, we did. We packed up and left that day. It was not the most ideal parting we could have had, but we cannot change that now. Caleb found a few places that looked promising and we went out and saw one. After a while, we decided it was satisfactory. We have our own room (and I have a whole closet to myself and not nearly enough clothes to fill it!) with a lock, a rather large bathroom we all share, and a nice kitchen, not to mention the huge television in the living room with two sofas and a lazy-boy chair. Plus, we get the added bonus of bikes we can use. We all get our own. It’s pretty cool. We are on Chevron Island (it really is a little island here, two bridges total and no other way to get on or off it) and there are heaps of shops and two butchers and whatnot just down the block. And Surfers Paradise (the place we were living in before) is like 10 minutes away if we walk.

So, we are pretty happy where we are now. Even if we have to pay rent and have to ride a bike for like five minutes to get to the beach. Things are okay here.

So, I start classes soon. And if things aren’t taken care of in time, I have a full two weeks to change classes and not be charged for it. I hope it doesn’t come to that. I need to get my books soon…

Update

I’ve been slacking horribly with this thing. I was doing so well there for a while…and I have no idea what happened. The video that is up directly below this post was created quite a while back. I had intended to have it autopost when I got on the plane, but things changed. I showed it for the first time to three of the guard girls after our last football game. It just seemed fitting.
::I saw my friend cry. She is in the video quite a bit, and she cried. The sad thing is…I didn’t feel like crying with her. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to miss her. But, it just didn’t seem fitting to cry at that point. Our time together is going to be limited now that band is over and we are both working to get money for trips. That makes me sad, but I just can’t cry.

I have two weeks of school left. Well, school in the United States. Last day of classes: December 5th. Finals the following week. Then work, lots of work.
I get paid tomorrow. Best check since I’ve been there. I need it, I went shopping. I couldn’t help it, the sales were good. I got four pairs of shoes, five shirts and a bra for under 25 dollars. Can you beat that? I didn’t think so.
I went to donate plasma today. And they wouldn’t let me because I didn’t have my social security card. Ingrates.
I go back to Arkansas next week for Thanksgiving. I have the day of and the day before off, so I am going to have time to see a few people. I need to get some things done while I’m there, too. Eye exam. I want glasses that aren’t prescription lenses, but have the transition coating. I’m tired of getting headaches when I walk outside. And I don’t want to worry about sunglasses every time I go to the beach. It’d be easier to just have glasses…and they look cuter too.
I have two papers left for the year, then I will be done writing. For grades anyway.
I am going to work up until January 24th, 2009. I need to get the extra cash so I can pay for the visa now. I have almost enough to pay for the ticket, but I forgot about the visa when I went shopping. I’m not too worried about it, but still. I’d rather not leave the country in debt.
My sister owes me a birthday present, so while I’m staying with her in Texas before I leave, she’s going to take me bathing suit shopping. There’s apparently a store that sells them year-round, and I need a new one. I don’t want to be wearing the same suit for a week at the beach, so I’m up for it.
::I don’t know how I’m going to handle saying goodbye to everyone. That is the one thing I am dreading…even more than the flights. It’s going to be one of the hardest things I’ll do in my life. Part of me wants to get it over with, but the other doesn’t ever want it to come. Then, I start arguing with myself. And I feel like I’m going crazy. So I stop. Maybe that’s why I feel so numb. No stress, no worries, no real emotion at this point. I’m just kind of there…

…I smell blueberries.

My turn to be brave

Mom,
Please don’t worry so much about this. I have thought this through, believe me. I don’t want to be out of money, but I want to get out of the country. I’m going to school, I’m going to graduate. I told you that. I never said it would be here though. But I will graduate. I’m doing research about this. I feel horrible that you and dad are still paying for my school, but I’m so grateful for it. I would seriously be up a creek if it weren’t for you two. I know how lucky I am, I really do. And it’s not like when I’m over there that we’ll stop talking. I’m completely aware of the fact that the family won’t do that. They just can’t walk away from such drama. And I’m okay with that too. You’re going to have to get a little more computer-savvy though. I’ll help with what I can before I leave. I want video of Hannah and Caleb and Trevor and you and dad and Amber and Robert…and I will return the favor. I’ll send you updates on a regular basis with video and pictures and everything. I’ll even send you a Christmas card of me on the beach! I want one of the house if there’s snow. We’ll keep in contact, it’s just going to be a little different because of the time difference. I love you and all, but I can’t be up at 3am talking to you when I have class in the mornings. I’m going to stay busy, I’m going to graduate from college and get a job. And you and Dad will have to come visit me. I’ll show you around my home and we’ll go to the beach. Maybe when it’s snowing, wouldn’t that be cool? But please, don’t worry. I know you won’t really, but at least trust in me. You didn’t raise an idiot. I don’t know if it will help you, but I am scared. That’s why I’m over-preparing for this. I want to have more than enough money and support before I go to a different country knowing absolutely no one. It isn’t like when I went off to school in Missouri, and I know that. I won’t be able to hop in my car and drive a couple of hours to see you, do laundry or whatever. I will basically be on my own…for real. I’m excited too. I’m looking forward to it. I want to go out there and not know anyone. I want to be thrust into a new country with new customs and new everything, I want this. More than anything, I want this. I will do whatever it takes to get there. It’s my turn to be brave….
If this is the moment, I stand here all alone…
Everything I have inside, everything I own,
I can’t be afraid, ’cause it’s my turn to be brave….
I love you….

This week the trend…

I will follow suit from early July. I am going on a road trip.

I think I’m going to go down to Georgia. I want to see the ocean again. It’s only 10 hours away from my current location.
::I want to sit on the beach. I want the waves to consume me. I want to float away.

So, I will leave tomorrow and drive. I have no idea really where I’m going. It’s going to be so much fun.