COUNTDOWN: 4.

I can't believe it...4 days left here! I am currently sitting in the Queensland State Library where I have practically been living the past 3 days. Tomorrow night I have my last final and I could not be more excited to be done with school and classes.

Today I got out one suitcase to start packing. In ten minutes it was half way full and that is just with bags, gifts and shoes. uh oh. haha I will figure it out though, I am an excellent packer.

My final tomorrow is in ecology. It is officially my least favorite class I have ever taken. The final is going to be 10 short written answers and two essays. oh joy. We were able to plan for our essays before hand (we were given three prompts) but only two are going to be on the test. Today I finalized my outlines and I will go over them later but I just hope I can remember everything!!

Blah. I hate studying. I have a terrible attention span today and the table I am putting my feet on keeps sliding away. I digress. <--haha I have always wanted to say that. neat.

Wednesday night I plan to go to the Casino and then Thursday is reserved for climbing Mt. Coo-tha, riding the Brisbane wheel, buying last minute souvenirs and going out at night.

It's going to be so weird to be home.
CANT WAIIIIT!

melis

"lucky to have been where I have been, Lucky to be coming home again" - Jason Mraz

I have exactly one week left here in Oz. I can't believe it. My friends have already started leaving and it's just sad. There is no other word for it.

This last week will be bittersweet. I still have one more final on Wednesday. It's my hardest one, but hopefully I will do OK. I am really nervous. Once I complete that I will be done with my Junior year of college! That's insane.

My last three days will consist of a lot of picture taking, last minute souvenir shopping and soaking in all that is Brisbane.

I really don't have much to say...It hasn't really hit me yet that I am not going to be here next week. However, I am so excited to go home. I miss everyone and everything!


Well back to studying :-/


Melis

“To live in Australia permanently is rather like going to a party and dancing all night with one's mother.”

So my time here in Australia is quickly coming to an end. I only have 2 weeks left here and I just can't seem to grasp that fact. My semester went by so quickly...it's just really sad to think I ever have to leave and go back to reality.

Anyways, I have taken my first final. One down two to go. I think I did OK, it was a little harder than I thought, but at least I feel that I passed, and really isn't that all that matters?
My attention span and wanting to study has been put off by my new never ending obsession of watching sex and the city, which started two weeks ago. Oh how I wish that was my life and that I had all those shoes.

Today I am going to my first rugby game in Australia...isn't that exciting?! I miss sports...hopefully I can follow along with the game...hah.

So yeah thats whats going on in my life, a little dull, but I love my Aussie life.

Everyone should move to Australia.
OK?

-Meliss

"Your girl is lovely, Hubbell"

“Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo..I do believe it...I do believe it's true" - Simon and Garfunkel

Oh hey, it's me...procrastinating AGAIN! Today I am putting off researching for my final paper that is due on Friday. Granted, I have been researching and reading articles since 11am today, so it's not like effort hasn't gone in.

Friday I went to the Australia Zoo, home of the crocodile hunter. It was sooo much fun. We didn't get the best weather, but that's ok. When we first got there we trekked through the snake house (Australia has 9 out of 10 of the worlds most poisonous snakes) and then made our way to Kangaroo Haven. We were lucky enough to get there when the zookeeper was feeding the roo's! She let everyone take a handful of food and feed them while she taught us about different parts of the kangaroo family structure. After that fun filled adventure we journeyed on to the Echidna exhibit. Echidna's are a type of monotreme (one of two, the other is a platypus). Monotremes are egg laying mammals. The Echidna looked like a porkeypink but had the cutest little face!

After that, we headed over to see crocodiles and Tasmanian devils before heading into the crocoseum for the animal show. The show was really entertaining and educational, but I am sure it would have been 10 times better with Steve :(

After a quick lunch, our group reentered the corocoseum for some zoo keeper lecturers. Keepers of koalas, snakes, birds and crocs all came out and gave 15 minute lectures about the animals and pressing issues concerning them. After they spoke we all got to have a pat of each animal except the bird.

After a very educational yet laid back morning, it was FREE TIME! My friends and I headed over to the Asia exhibit after taking pictures with "Steve". There we got to sit in on a tiger play session. It is amazing the bond these keepers have with the animals, the tiger keeper got right in the water with them playing tug of war and swimming! AMAZING! They are sooo lucky! Once the show was over we headed over to the elephant enclosure where we were able to hand feed the elephants! I fed Bimbo or Bambo, I dont remember his name, but he was a younger elephant and therefore didnt have the best manners while eating...basically my hand was covered in dirt from the trunk haha but wow what a great memory to have! Everyone picked up a piece of fruit and stepped on a yellow mat where the elephant would reach its trunk over the enclosure and scoop it out of your hand. The trunks are so powerful, muscular and rough!

We walked back to the zoo entrance where we encountered a wombat walk about. I got to pet the wombat and take some pictures...they are soooo cute! After some shopping in the gift shop, everyone hopped on the bus and we headed back to campus.

It was a great way to end the semester of field trips!

This week is my last week of classes!! I am so happy to be done with work (besides finals)! I am working on my final paper for my TV class ;) sort of.

Well there are only 27 days left for me here...bittersweet.


G'day,
Melissa

I will post some pics up later, but I haven't uploaded them to my computer yet.

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quiestest chambers. – Pat Conroy

Today is my one month marker until I come home. For the last month or so I have been so excited to return home. I have been so excited to see my family again, my friends and have all my favorite foods at my fingertips (chipotle anyone?). I am still excited for all these things. However, I have realized in the past few days how much my excitement was clouding my sadness and despair about leaving this amazing country that I have been living in for the past five months.

My sister is in Australia now and I am so excited for her to be here and experience everything I love about this country. I missed her. A strange thing happened though once she got here, I felt sad, annoyed, angry even. Not because she was here, I love that she is here (because she is the best...shout out: SUP HILY!) but because apart of home was here. A part of home was encroaching on what had become familiar, disturbing this amazing experience and I wasn't ready for that to happen. I am not ready to accept that in less than one month I will have to return to what used to be. I have grown so much, I have become so much more independent. I have changed.

Studying abroad is definitely the best decision I have ever made in my life and anyone who has the chance to do it, should. Anyone who has the chance to travel should. I found this quote that I really love about traveling:

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” - Mark Jenkins

I totally relate to this. I have seen so much while I have been here...successful cities with thriving and booming economies (except for right now because Australia's stock market crashed so now the US dollar is worth 10 cents more, which is SUPER) to extreme poverty on the island of Fiji. I have encountered the nicest of people and have experienced so many different cultures. I have tried new things and I just feel so much more well rounded, the world is no longer black and white and it will never be again.



Melissa

BIRTHDAY!!!

My Birthday has been so amazing so far and its not even half way over! I got a package from home with cute little goodies, my awesome roommate made me yummy cupcakes, I got lots of messages from my friends (thanks guys!) and the best present of all....my whole family singing me happy birthday :) :) :) That made me soooo happy!! I LOVE YOU ALL!



Let the celebration continue!!! 21!! yaaaaay!



Melis