G’day,
Well today is my last day in Sydney. It’s really hard to believe that this experience is over. I have had the most incredible time here and I have very mixed feelings about heading home. On one hand, I am very excited to see all the friends and family that I have missed SO much over the past 4 months. On the other hand, I have made some lifelong friends here and am going to have a really hard time leaving them, knowing that they will be on the other side of the world now when I talk to them and that it will most likely be a very long time until the next time I see them.
Spending four and a half months in Australia has taught me a lot about myself. I’ve learned that I am a much more independent person than I ever knew. I always considered myself to be a fairly independent person, but being on my own in a brand new country without knowing a single person really pushed me to do things for myself and learn how to adapt to a new environment.
Australian culture is very similar to the U.S. which was neither good nor bad. In one way, I sometimes wished that I had gone somewhere that I would experience a completely different culture with a different language and people with different values and traditions. However, in another way, going somewhere so similar to the U.S. made me really look deeper into the small differences between the two countries. Australians seem to be much more laid back in general which makes for a much more relaxed environment in school and in the work place. Also, even though the language is the same, there were times when I felt like I needed a dictionary to translate the slang words and terms that are so different from our slang. For example instead of “how are you doing” they greet you with “how are you going?” These slight differences aren’t very noticeable on the surface, but they are things that I will miss and will have a strange time adjusting to not hearing or experiencing once I’m back home.
Being abroad has been a life changing experience and one I will never forget and will always hold close to my heart. I hope that anyone who has the opportunity to study or work in a different country will take that chance because until you do, you can’t understand the emotional and life-altering effects of being on your own in a foreign place. I am going to miss Australia SO much and it’s really hard to leave all the great friends and acquaintances I have been here. I’m sure that someday I will come back and visit everyone and re-visit all the amazing places that I’ve been.
In 24 hours I’ll be landing in Boston, Massachusetts with a whole new perspective on life and a whole new appreciation for traveling. I can’t wait to see all of you and give you big giant hugs and kisses!! See you back in the U.S!!!
Love,
Lauren
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
FIJI
BULA!!
That's hello in Fijian :) (Once again my internet connection is not working so I still can't upload pictures...I'll keep trying though!!)
I got home from Fiji Tuesday night and had the greatest trip! Emily and I left on Friday and got to the Fiji international airport around 8pm. We were welcomed with shell necklaces and live fijian music and lots of people shouting BULA and asking if we needed help getting anywhere. Fijians are without a doubt the nicest, happiest most helpful people I have ever met! A man in a skirt and bright flower button down shirt helped Emily and I get a ride to our resort which was a 2 hour drive from the airport. On the way we learned the meaning of "fiji time" which is a phrase they use a lot to explain that something may take a long time or not be right on schedule...it's just a very laid back environment where no one is ever in a rush.
We finally got to Mango Bay Resort a little after 10pm. We were once again welcomed with loud BULA shouts and smiling faces. We signed into the resort and were taken to our 8-person dorm. Mango Bay is mainly a backpackers resort so they have big dorms with 8 beds and you just pick your own bed when you get there. Every bed has a mosquito net to keep out the bugs at night. Here's a picture of our place:
The first night we got there, Em and I went to the bar which looks out to the ocean. We got a drink and made some friends playing ping pong and pool. We met a girl named Heather from Canada and two Aussies named Leon and Godfrey. We all hung out for a while until everyone was tired and we went to bed. The next morning we woke up and it was really overcast and cloudy but we didn't let that stop us from enjoying the day. We ate breakfast which consisted of white bread toast and fruit (not ideal...but it was free!) Then we took a trip into the closest town to our resort, Sigatoka. When they said we would drive into town I figured it would be a 5 minute trip, but it was actually an hour away and the only thing separating our resort and the town were a few small villages. The rest was just open land and lots of wild horses, dogs and cows.
The rest of the week was filled with relaxing on the beach, going on hikes, playing volleyball and hanging out with the Fijians who work on the resort, and more. It was such a great experience and a wonderful vacation to top off all the amazing things I’ve done since I’ve been abroad!!
I absolutely LOVED Fiji and already want to go back!!
Next post will probably be the day I am leaving Sydney and it is going to be a really really weird experience! I’ll talk about all the things I’ve learned and how I’ve grown through this experience. For now, I’m going to get some sleep and get ready for final exams!
Love always,
Lauren
That's hello in Fijian :) (Once again my internet connection is not working so I still can't upload pictures...I'll keep trying though!!)
I got home from Fiji Tuesday night and had the greatest trip! Emily and I left on Friday and got to the Fiji international airport around 8pm. We were welcomed with shell necklaces and live fijian music and lots of people shouting BULA and asking if we needed help getting anywhere. Fijians are without a doubt the nicest, happiest most helpful people I have ever met! A man in a skirt and bright flower button down shirt helped Emily and I get a ride to our resort which was a 2 hour drive from the airport. On the way we learned the meaning of "fiji time" which is a phrase they use a lot to explain that something may take a long time or not be right on schedule...it's just a very laid back environment where no one is ever in a rush.
We finally got to Mango Bay Resort a little after 10pm. We were once again welcomed with loud BULA shouts and smiling faces. We signed into the resort and were taken to our 8-person dorm. Mango Bay is mainly a backpackers resort so they have big dorms with 8 beds and you just pick your own bed when you get there. Every bed has a mosquito net to keep out the bugs at night. Here's a picture of our place:
The first night we got there, Em and I went to the bar which looks out to the ocean. We got a drink and made some friends playing ping pong and pool. We met a girl named Heather from Canada and two Aussies named Leon and Godfrey. We all hung out for a while until everyone was tired and we went to bed. The next morning we woke up and it was really overcast and cloudy but we didn't let that stop us from enjoying the day. We ate breakfast which consisted of white bread toast and fruit (not ideal...but it was free!) Then we took a trip into the closest town to our resort, Sigatoka. When they said we would drive into town I figured it would be a 5 minute trip, but it was actually an hour away and the only thing separating our resort and the town were a few small villages. The rest was just open land and lots of wild horses, dogs and cows.
The rest of the week was filled with relaxing on the beach, going on hikes, playing volleyball and hanging out with the Fijians who work on the resort, and more. It was such a great experience and a wonderful vacation to top off all the amazing things I’ve done since I’ve been abroad!!
I absolutely LOVED Fiji and already want to go back!!
Next post will probably be the day I am leaving Sydney and it is going to be a really really weird experience! I’ll talk about all the things I’ve learned and how I’ve grown through this experience. For now, I’m going to get some sleep and get ready for final exams!
Love always,
Lauren
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