Welcome to the first post in a new series on my blog, Travel Wednesday! I am currently working on a travel page and thought that a weekly series would be a fun way to share my past travels stories, some of my must see and do tips, and of course lots of pictures.
3 years ago I had never been to another country. The furthest I had traveled from my home in Oregon was to visit my grandma in Hawaii (I know rough right). At 20 years old I found myself fantasizing about traveling and was determined to find a way to get out and explore the world.
At the time I was a college sophomore so I began looking into different study abroad programs and spent the next year going through the long application process. After a few failed attempts to find a program, I finally found an internship in Sydney, Australia. Finally, my dream to travel was coming true and I couldn’t have been more excited.
The day I was leaving for Australia was when it started to sink in that I was leaving my home, my comfort zone, and my friends and family. I will never forget how nervous and sad I was when I said my goodbyes to my family at the airport. I remember calling my mom in tears begging her to come back and pick me up, there was no way I was going to Australia. Her response, “Call me when you land in Australia”, and after that, she turned her phone off. Thank you mom for giving me the tough love that I needed that day!
After a 17 hour flight where I spent my time throwing up, fainting in the airplane bathroom and having an oxygen mask given to me (did I mention I have an issue with motion sickness and this flight was extremely bumpy) I finally made it to the land down under.
This was where it all started for me and I am so grateful for my three months in Australia. I had so many first-time experiences and I came back home a different person with a new outlook on life and a stronger desire to travel more.
While in Australia I worked as a marketing intern in downtown Sydney right by Darling Harbor.
To get to work I had to ride the subway. This was the first time I had ever used the subway system and it took me a few days to get the hang of it. This picture is of me waiting at the train station near our house. I now understand what it feels like to be jammed into a train during the morning rush in the middle of the Australian summer, not so glamorous.
During my time in Australia I lived in student housing with over 100 other international students. It was my first time being surrounding by languages than English, oh and being one of two Americans in housing full of mostly European students.
You can’t go to Australia and not see their famous animals. Yet another first for me, feeding a kangaroo.
No trip to Australia is complete without scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef. A terrifying first for me but I am so glad I conquered my fears and went scuba diving while in Australia.
This new adventure like I said forever changed my life. Here in Australia was the start of my adventure that has brought me to this new life here in Iceland. Yup, Australia is where I met H and our relationship began.
Awww so young and so cute, our first pictures together. If you would have told me during this time that 3 years from now I would be living in Iceland with him I would have thought you were crazy.
Amazing how just one decision can change so many things in your life. My decision to study abroad set me out on a completely different life path than I had imagined. Travel is something I am so grateful for and it is forever shaping my life in amazing ways I never would have dreamed of.
I hope you have enjoyed the start of Travel Wednesday. Next week I will share my list of must dos when living in Australia. I am looking forward to sharing all my travels with you all and of course recapping all the great times I have had.
Question of the Day?
What was the first country you ever traveled to?
