“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”

Flora Whittemore is the author of the blog title and it really makes me think about the choices I've made. If you never open a door then how can you say you've lived a fufilling life. I'd rather open the wrong door than not open the door at all. I guess I thank God for the mistakes I've made because I can't imagine who I'd be without em.

Neway I'm done with my wild tangent. I thought I would be more consistent with the blogs but not so much. So Easter was not the usual family scenario. I spent the day with my friends at a basketball tournament.

I then went to evening mass and chilled out for the evening.

After Easter I flew out to
Sydney to hang out with Yewande during my Spring Break. As always, I was not disappointed. I learned how to take the train, subway line. I’m always excited when I get the hang of things like that because I’m one of those people that gets loss in a circle. We did the usual things. We checked out a few clubs and restaurants the first couple of days. We went to this place called Scary Canary that was hilarious. The music was okay, but we tried to win an adventure trip. Unfortunately they didn’t have a runner-up prize for me.

I went sightseeing as well. It’s a really pretty place in certain spots. I did enjoy myself, but I’ll always be a small city kinda girl. I can’t imagine what life must be like in NYC. I’m sure it has more options but I love the fact I can go to Walmart and know I’m gonna see someone I haven’t seen in forever. Or the fact that if I say lets meet at Chili’s everyone knows which one you’re talking about. It’s comforting. 

Newho back to the trip. So the picture on the left was a street performer...Bendy Em...it was really freaky. She stuffed herself into a box.

The museum was really awesome and the art gallery was even cooler.So the art gallery had this living exhibit in which the woman asked people questions and they answered but all you saw were the responses. It was unlike anything I’ve seen and the themes varied a lot. One that stuck out was the video where she’d gone to a ghetto of Paris and asked the individuals to make a sentence on their shirt and convey the message with there face and not words. Some of the shirts were happy while other confronted really sad issues. Needless to say I got a better mix of culture and party in Sydney.

Then it was back to reality. I had to write a paper that I meant to write before I left. We had a kayaking trip planned the following week but the weather was bad so it got canceled. Therefore, the other study abroad students and I went to a winery. It was nice. Lots of taste testing. I realize I loathe red wine. It’s just not my cup of tea. However, I’m in love with white wine. I even bought a bottle. 

Sooooo the best part was Lloyd. Do you ever meet people that just make you smile? At first I was a bit turned off, but by the end of the day we were sharing life stories. Just an fyi Lloyd is a very fit 70 year old. :) But he didn’t look a day over 57.

So April and May are plagued with work assignments, projects, and papers. But we all know I am going to squeeze some fun in. It’s getting to that point where I have to buckle down and study. I have travel plans at the end of May and hopefully the end of June before I return in July. Things are winding down quicker than I expected. Some days I can’t wait for July and then other days I want things to creep by.

Life quote time:

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”- Ashley Smith

I don't want to wake up one day and not realize the beauty around me. Sometimes when I'm walking I stop and look up at the sky and it's never the same. Some days it's a pale blue, other days it's a violet, and some days it's the purest thing I've ever seen. I thank God for the ability to enjoy those small moments and I try not to take it for granted. I want to live my life with observant eyes and enjoy every moment of it. :)

Until next time

~*Southern Gal*~

Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise.

The quote above is from Alice Walker and it really describes how my trip has been thus far. I’m really surprised at myself for taking so long to write another blog. The last time I wrote I was still feeling sad and a bit more optimistic about Australia but I have finally found my niche. But first let me backtrack!!

                The first week of school starting I was still getting lost and unable to remember my schedule but by that Friday you might have thought I’d been going there for ages. The following week my friend Yewande came. We had an absolutely fabulous time. Nothing makes a friendship stronger like being together 24/7 for one week. We went to the zoo which wasn’t my favorite activity but I saw  the famous pandas. We tried new restaurants, cafes, and of course night clubs.

I was thinking the other day that if ever I have a day where I feel down about my looks I can definitely think of my trip here. The guys are so funny. I have so many random pictures of us with people. If I had the entrepreneurial spirit of my youth… (Yes my youth) I would start charging money.

Nonetheless, we then ventured off to Melbourne. Yewande says it has an NYC feel, all I know is that the shopping was amazing. I loved the prices and the clothes and the food. It was def a place to see granted we did more partying than sightseeing. I think the best part of the trip was when we went to a nightclub and they started playing African music at the end of the night. It was like being back home for a quick second. I didn’t want the night to end. But as everything in life all good things come to an end and Yewande and I parted ways.

                On my return I was met with a fatigue I didn’t know existed. I slept all Monday. And don’t worry I didn’t have class so it was fine. The rest of that week was a blur. Not quite as spectacular as the week before but I couldn’t complain. Fast forwarding to the present things just started to pick up. I got an A on my first project. I turned in my first paper and I have another due next week that I should be working on now. I’ve been doing dinners with people and trying to keep myself busy.

I am all over the place. Yes I know. But anyone who knows me realizes that when I talk I talk in circles because I just have so much to say. 

The following weekend we went to Kangaroo Island. Now I had such high expectations for this trip because of the name but it wasn't quite what I'd expected. Granted I had a good time. They had this bird show there that was really cool and I saw so many exotic birds. I even had one sit on my lap and one that flew on  my arm. We did see kangaroos but we weren't that close and we saw koalas as well. I think the seals were the coolest though. I have never been that close to a seal before but in all it was a nice Saturday. 

Last weekend was fun. Friday night we set out to do karaoke but were disappointed to find out that karaoke here consisted of you and your friends in a room. Now why would I pay $44 dollars for something I don’t mind doing for free in the middle of the street? Needless to say we made our own fun. We ended the evening by getting ice-cream and taking random pictures down the street. We saw the northern lights which are these lights that reflect off of different buildings and then change colors. The picture on the right.That Saturday I went to a house party. It was like Halloween in March. Lots of dancing and craziness. Very much worth going.

So this week is Easter. In the mist of all the fun and parties and craziness I haven’t forgotten that we are celebrating and commemorating the death and resurrection of our savior. I’ve been participating in church activities as well as I’m very excited for Easter. The individuals in the Christian campus ministry invited me to their service again so I decided I should spend Easter with friends.

So things to look forward to…more frequent blogs by me, my spring break stories, and church camp. I woke up the other day a bit sad because I have approximately 3mnths left. It’s crazy how much I wanted to leave when I got here but now that I’m making friends, going out, and just enjoying life I don’t really know if I want to leave. 

Lastly my quote for this blog is:

“Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are.” - Bernice Johnson Reagon

Life is short. And I dedicate this blog to a schoolmate Dorothy Legros who passed away. During Yewande’s visit we were both really devastated to hear the news. It’s so sad when young people who have such promising futures are taken away at what seems the beginning of their life. For that reason I say that we must face our adversities head on and not allow our fears of failure to stop us from living. Tomorrow is never guaranteed so we have to make the most of every moment and learn as much about ourselves in the process. So don’t let your challenges stop you, rather let the experiences shape you into who YOU want to become no matter how old you are. YOUR life begins with YOU.

*~Southern Gal~* 

Jump out and experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"What we see depends mainly on what we look for"

John Lubbock is the author of the quote to my title and he is so right. Think about it for a second. If you look into a clear sky and all you see is a clear sky then maybe you're not looking for something more. Look closer into the sky and you just might see a rainbow. Life is not black and white. It's not as simple as yes or no. Life is an abstract canvas and you're in charge of the colors. If my life were a picture I would want yellow to be the base and I'd fill it with as many bright colors as possible, I'd have a little black in the corners because everyone has bad days but I'd keep it minimal. I say all this to say I've been looking out of the wrong eye this last week. We as humans have a tendency to hold on to the negative and forget the positive. Kind of  like the psychology studies about fortune tellers. As humans we will ignore the misses because we want so badly to believe that they're right and they have some way of telling us things they couldn't possibly know.

Well I'm here to say life is too short and my trip is to short for me to be sulking around about circumstances I can't change. I miss my friends and family but they aren't here with me and while I'm sitting here sad I'm missing the point of my adventure. The point is to make experiences and discover new things and it wasn't until Ms. Tate wrote that on my facebook wall that I actually thought about it. I've done a lot more than I've let on these past few weeks and it was because I was too busy sulking to share and so I must catch you up on my time here.

I participated in the Fringe parade. I was a volunteer but really I just had a front row view of the action. It was the craziest mix of things you could imagine. Roller Derby girls, people on stilts, children groups, people advertising performances. It was nothing like I've seen before and thousands of people lined up to see it. This was the same night that I tried to go out to my first bar excursion. I got all dressed up in a new dress and I was ready to hit the town but I must say it ended up being a bust. I am not a bar kinda gal. Even though I am considered legal here I didn't even want to drink that night. I think I was just disappointed that not much dancing was going on and by the end of the night i curled up to a pizza that was quite tasty I must say.

Besides that I've been doing a lot of shopping and for that I'm going job hunting tomorrow. I wanta work in a clothing store. I think it's were I'm most comfortable and although fast food joints aren't that bad on the pay scale. I will def blowuptuate (yes I quoted Jamie Foxx) if I worked at one!

So the best part of it all was this Christian Campus Ministry group I ran across during the organization fair. They were really nice and had food so you know I had to stop. Anyway they had a function Friday and everyone was so nice. We did a scavenger hunt and heard the word of God. I've never really been the charismatic type when it comes to religion. I'd say I'm pretty by the book but when the pastor prayed over me I honestly felt something encompassing me. Take it how you will but it felt so real and I'm taking it as God touching and telling me things will look up and they have been. I ended up going to church with them today and although it was waay longer than I'm used to, the music and fellowship was nice. I def see myself being an active member.

In all I'm having a good time. I've made a friend. She's really nice. I'm totally not sure what's next but you know what they say:

“The best things in life are unexpected - because there were no expectations.”

Eli Khamarov

As always

*~Southern Gal*~

** So for lent one of the things I did was give up meat and I will say after you get over the first hump it's not that bad...neway this quote made me laugh,

Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian."

Dennis Wholey

 

See what I mean. At first glance it looks like fog and trees but look a little closer and you see the rainbow in the middle. That's life! :D

(Taken in Guatemala by moi)

“Judgements prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.” Wayne Dyer

I really wasn't sure what I wanted to write about because this week has just been a mix of emotions.

It’s been two weeks to the day since I arrived in Australia. I don’t have much to tell today but I’ve been thinking a lot. Classes start next week and you wouldn’t believe how excited I am for that. It will be nice to get back into the swing of school and hopefully it will be the stepping ground for building friendships. It’s a lot harder than I imagined it would be but I guess if I’d really thought about it I would have realized going abroad was a lot more than just packing up and leaving. It’s a new culture, a new group of people, and it’s unfamiliar. It’s a lot scarier once you’re here and you realize that your friends are not across the hall from you in the next dorm and you have to completely come out of your shell and meet people, introduce yourself, and try to build relationships. As outgoing as I thought I was and some would say I am, I still haven't quite put the pieces together as quickly as I would have hoped. Am I homesick? Not really. Am I lonely? Just a bit. But with each day it gets better and I can’t wallow in self pity. I am in charge of this journey and as the captain it is up to me to decide how I want this journey to go. I like going to sleep because when I wake up a new day will have begun and the past will remain unchanged but the next move I make is up to me and is my choice. It’s refreshing when you think of each day like that. I’ve only been here two weeks and some may have expected a lot to happen in that time and it has but not in the way I thought it would. I’ve learned a few things about myself and my personality, as well as, made a few changes.
For lent I came up with a number of things that I thought would help make me a better person. I made changes to my diet as well as added on a few things in hope that I would start to feel better from the inside out. It’s been hard and it has only been 5 days. I read a passage that really inspires me to push through;

16"When you fast do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18)

So though some days seem daunting as I try to become better I must remember who I am doing it for.

Therefore, I say all this to say I’m adjusting to being abroad right now and I foresee better days in the near future!

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson
~*Southern gal*~

My first 4 days in Oz

Written: Feb. 12

I’m sitting in Australia listening to music. It still hasn’t hit me that I’m here. Maybe because I haven’t started classes or maybe because I haven’t meant many Aussie’s yet.

Packing was atrocious as expected. I was packing up until the last minute. One of these days I won’t be a procrastinator. Or at least I’ll get better at it. :) Regardless I made it. 23hrs and 3 stops later I was peering out of my window at the golden arch….oh McDonald’s I shall never escape you…from the U.S. to Guatemala and now here…nonetheless…I grabbed my backpack and started on my journey.

I will be the first to tell you overweight luggage is no fun. 4days later and I still have trouble raising my arms. They were not lying when they said you’d have to carry your own luggage. After finally meeting the group we all waited anxiously to see where we’d be for orientation.

Let me tell you when we arrived on the scene the 4H center or any camp center for that matter immediately came to mind… it had bunk beds and all. It was nice though. We split into schools and proceeded to eat lunch...BBQ style….I’m starting to see they are quite fond of those here.

In a nutshell the first three days were cool. Day one we went to the zoo, had a nature walk, and a boat ride. Day two another nature walk and lots of dancing. Day three we went surfing. My inability to swim held me back from surfing but it did look lots of fun and when I become a confident swimmer maybe I will try it again. J

Now I am at my school and I have halfway unpacked. I’ve met some of the older students but most students don’t move in until the following week. It’s so strange being an international student. Several people have referred to us as the “Americans”. Monday starts orientation and I hope to meet some more people soon.

I will say I miss my family and friends but I’m not quite homesick yet. I’m a new kind of anxious. Ready to get this thing started but since I’ve arrived at school everything is just really slow. So I currently don’t have internet in my room which wouldn’t be so bad but I want to Skype and such. This is really nerdy but I really want to get on facebook…lol...by the time this is posted I will have been on but right now I’m suffering from withdrawal…well I’m going exploring soon but for now my analysis of my city is “quaint” for lack of a better adjective. My neighborhood is quiet but like I said the students are not back in town yet. We shall see…

Anecdote of the week:

I was walking to the atm when 3 guys sitting at a table called to me. I didn’t know if I should ignore and keep walking or just stop and talk. I had only been in the city 15hrs at this point and met a total of zero Australians. My friendly side won the battle and I decided I’d stop and chat. Guy 1 proceeded to ask me in a slurred manner, “Do you think I should buy my friend a new couch.” (In my mind I was thinking you stopped me for this how the heck do I know.) Then Guy 2 says “You see my friend got really drunk last night and slobbered all over my couch...just left a huge puddle. I think he should buy me a new one.” By now Guy 3 is eating it up and just laughing. I still can’t tell if they’re serious or joking so I say, “I think he should clean the couch or hire a maid for you.” In unison they agree and I smile and start to walk away while they yell more things at me. In my mind I’m thinking this can’t be normal. Well I happen to meet a lady who stops and chats with me and tells me they refer to these types of men as “yobbos” and that this is not a typical scenario. I think, is anything ever typical with me? Nonetheless it was if these men were everywhere. 3 blocks later I meet them again and they tell me my walk is suspicious…is it?? Who knows?? The moral of the story is if you’re sloshed stay off the streets and when in Australia, steer clear of the Yobbos!!

Oh and happy Valentine’s day!! I’m going to buy myself a huge bag of candy and sing love songs all day cuz this southern gal is still a lone star….One these days some guy will be able to hold handle the reins!! 

Until next time!!

~*Southern gal*~

Packing Woes

When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money.  Then take half the clothes and twice the money.  ~Susan Heller

How does a person pack for a semester?

Rephrase: How does a person who loves bright colors, skirts, dresses, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and flats limit herself to a 50lb suitcase and a 15lb carry-on??? You say impossible, I say I'm up for the challenge. 

I've had all month to pack and I am yet to get that suitcase. Do I think time will wait for me? No, I'm not so naive; rather I believe my procrastination will cause me to leave the unnecessary items and pack the essentials.

And besides like I told my friend if I leave a few things I'll have justification to buy more...the rational of a shopaholic. 

NEhoozers I hope that my blog will be sort of an online diary for what I do, what I see, and how I feel. In all I hope that my study abroad will open my eyes to something new, maybe even change my thinking habits...cliche...a tad, but it's true. 

I can be pretty outgoing when I wanta be so I hope that works in my favor. Who knows, I may even meet a hot bloke along the way. hehe jk

All in All wish me luck and I'll keep you posted!! :)

*~Southern Gal~*