Goodbyes and Welcomes

On November 14th, 2012, the last week of the best semester of my entire college experience, it occurred to me that I wasn't quite done with Australia. After most of my study abroad friends left, after I moved out of my apartment, and after classes were finished, living there was a little eerie. i was still in the same places, but not living my old life anymore. Coogee beach felt a little different and buying gatorades at the convenience store at 3am on Arden street just didn't feel the same. So for about a week i was in a weird in-between stage in my life, which eventually led to my final decision to stay in Australia. I came to the conclusion that since i already had taken the semester off from connecticut college and didn't have any commitments back home, that i would stay where i was and make sure i got the most out of the country that i had grown to love so dearly. And a shout-out and thanks to Alex Haigis for spending that last week with me, the girl who loved this place almost more than me but couldn't stay, I wish you were still here, we wish you were still here!!!

The day we all moved out, from the left: Dana, my roommate; me, and Alex. 

 Our room, farewell you uncomfortable beds!!

Evening walkway in Coogee, one of the last nights. 

New Zealand was spectacular, a few sentences wouldn't even begin to do it justice. Nell and I had such a great time hiking, camping, hitch-hiking, meeting travellers, being in Wellington the day "The Hobbit" premiered, meeting up with my Aussie friends, and overall just feeling ALIVE AND YOUNG! Here's a photo of us in Tongaririo National Park with the Emerald and Blue Lakes in the distance. 

After three and half weeks backpacking, I returned to Australia. And when I walked through the arrivals gate in Sydney, I did feel like I was coming home. 

Final photo of me on Christmas Eve, Santa costume, 6am morning surf! 

And just so that my parents can sleep at night: I will be coming home to the Berkshires, Happy New Year, I love you, and I miss you more than I may let on. xxxx

21 years later...

On the eve of my 21st birthday, with 1.5 hours left of "childhood," I sit in my room alone, more thoughts running through my head than pairs of shoes in my closet. Now that's a lot. 

In the past week (and probably the week to come) I have been so conflicted about what i'm going to do next month, next semester, next year, and the next 50 years. I am blessed to have so many options, and I truly am grateful for this, but it's actually terrifying. Every day I have a new idea for my life, a new perspective, and now i have no clue what to do with all of them! let alone just one… 

it seems that i can't even begin to get started on one idea, because i'm overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with trying to make a real place for myself here among my new Aussie friends, overwhelmed with school work, overwhelmed with thoughts of love, overwhelmed with being completely broke, and overwhelmed with the reality that the semester is coming to an end here and I feel like i've just finally settled in. Part of me wants to come home and tell everyone about my trip, but a much larger part of me looks around Sydney and Coogee and can't believe it has to leave this place - the place that has brought me such happiness in a time when it was so desperately needed. 

But I also have to remind myself that I am Lily Michaels, queen of adapting to change, queen of working things out with humor and grace (Hey i'm allowed to brag, it's almost my birthday here!), able to charm thousands with just a smile… (too far?)

In any event, I venture into the world as a full fledged legally drinking adult, feeling a little alone and scared, and as I tip toe on, I want to push myself out there yelling "GO, DO IT!", so that's what I'm going to do. Done. 

Lots and lots of love to everyone out there! 

"We'll be coming back for you someday, we'll be coming back for you someday." 

Boree Log!

Just had a fantastic weekend. It was the outdoors club's annual weekend adventure trip to the Blue Mountains (North of Sydney) in Boree Log. The weekend was set up with two full days of activities and then a bonfire party on the Saturday night. There were tons of activities planned such as canyoning (think sliding down waterfalls in wetsuits), bushwalking, climbing, abseiling, and the club's favorite - slackling (basically tight rope walking between two trees). I had a field trip for my marine environment class on Saturday morning so I couldn't join until Saturday night. Charlotte took the three hour train ride up to the mountains on Friday night and got to canyon for the whole day! So jealous, she said it was great but the water was pretty freezing since it's still "winter" here.

We joined back up Saturday night for club festivities - helped cook a mexican themed meal for about 50 club members at the campsite. I made a delicious guacamole in the dark with only a spoon and some spices! But then again everything tastes better when you're camping! Such a great night with singing and dancing around the campfire, meeting new people, and hearing about stories from past Boree Log adventures!

On Sunday everyone was pretty tired from the previous day so we decided to take it easy. I joined the slacklining trip which was supposed to be pretty relaxing. There's this guy in the club who loves slackling and wanted to try waterlining so we drove to a remote river spot. There were about 12 of us packed into 3 big trucks. No one really knew how long the drive to the river was going to be, but it turned out taking about two hours down the windiest, roughest road. I swear we drove the entire Blue Mountain ridge...it was crazy off-roading. Charlotte and I were in the backseat with the club president and his friend in the front. Windows down, music blasting, driving into the wilderness. And as much as I love the city and urban areas, I realized I love the outdoors much more. Not a better feeling than an adventure, enthusiastic company, and the wind blowing in my face. Finally we got to the river spot and walked 1 km to a bridge near the river. Slid down some waterfalls, tried waterlining (pretty unsuccessful), and enjoyed the sun with some new friends! "I cry just a little, when I think of letting go."

Perfect weather the entire weekend. Life is GOOD.

(Delicious burgers on the 4 hour drive back to Sydney, wow am I lucky! Yeeha! Pictures below!)

Simon and James slacklining!

   Our sweet ride!

The bridge- one person at a time!

Ridin in the back!

Blue Mountain range!

Sunlight Dripping from my face

Play by Play Spring Break:

Spring break started out with a bang as my name was called over the loudspeaker in the airport because I was at the wrong gate. Charlotte and I sprinted across the airport onto a very packed plane laughing hysterically. We checked into our hostel in Cairns that afternoon and walked around the area. Cairns is CRAZY. Huge tourist spot, not many Americans when we were there but loads of travelers from Europe- Ireland, France, Switzerland, Germany, etc. The whole place was packed with young people, partying every night because half of the hostel is a club. Needless to say it was hard to sleep there.

The first night we got invited on a pub crawl around Cairns and ended up meeting two guys who we spent the next few days with. Of course they were the only two other Americans in the area (from Chicago), and they were just on holiday. Loads of fun this first night - I actually entered a dance competition that night and had to strut my stuff to country music for a minute while the crowd cheered for their favorite dancer. I got pretty into it and kicked off my heels at the start which got me a few hoots!

Day 2: Here is a picture of our boat and where they let us off to snorkel over to a tiny sandbar...
Woke up at 6 am, exhausted from the night before. Charlotte and I walked to the marina for our reef trip! Beautiful boat, really friendly crew. It took about 2 hours to get to the reef and then we suited up for our beginners scuba diving lesson! It was actually more difficult than I thought! The crew kind of threw everyone into the water and then we were told to hold onto the side of the boat for some practice exercises. My mask wasn't fitting that well and I was trying to adjust it while being told to practice breathing, while being smashed into the side of the boat as the waves crashed over my head, while being ushered down a small rope, it was crazy! I started to hyperventilate a little which is probably the worst thing you can do scuba diving since it's all about your breathing, but I got it under control and ended up being fine. Once I started getting deeper my ears hurt a lot trying to adjust but there was SO much to see down there that I was pretty distracted from the pain. Multi-colored coral everywhere, Nemo, it looked pretty much like how I thought the reef would look like- only bigger and more exquisite. We snorkeled in the afternoon, swimming through whole schools of fish because the crew kept throwing bread out. We also hopped off the boat for a little marine animal informational tour on a smaller boat with a glass bottom!

Day 3: Slept in a little this morning and had a great breakfast at a little cafe in Cairns. Then Charlotte and I headed over to meet up with our new friends to go swimming. We spontaneously decided that swimming in the hotel pool was not adventurous enough so we rented a car for the day and drove two hours to the famous Cape Tribulation beach. Our friends had gone on a rainforest trip the day before and told us it was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen, truly a hidden jem in the rainforest. So we drove on the left side of the road, in a manual, on the most curvy, bumpy back roads to this beach. So for anyone who has seen the movie "The Beach," this beach we went to has the same allure. It's tucked into this massive forest, you have to cross a drawbridge to get there, and it's stunning. It was the type of drive where we didn't quite know where we were going but that was also the fun part. After about an hour and 50 minutes we started stopping pedestrians we saw along the way asking "is cape trib up here??" everyone kept telling us to just keep on going. Finally we arrived there around dusk, completely deserted from end to end. We set up a little bonfire, had champagne, went swimming, and explored. Truly the highlight of the break. Great experience, wow just reminiscing makes me want to be back there so bad.

 Scenery on the drive there....

Cape Tribulation during the day time...

Me and Charlotte! So happy!!

Day 4: Woke up at 5 am for white water rafting!!!! Took a two hour bus ride down the coast a little to Tully. Tully is famous for the big rapids in the area. We were thrown onto the river with a crazy New Zealand tour guide, two German girls, and two American girls. The rapids were not as intense as I would have liked but still exciting. We stopped halfway down the river for a BBQ, jumped off a giant rock, and passed under a nice waterfall. The girls in our boat weren't very good at paddling nor did the Germans speak any English so they kept paddling in the wrong direction...very amusing. An exhausting day in the sun but well worth it.

Day 5: This was our last day in Cairns and Charlotte and I were ready for one last adventure! We wanted to go for a hike in one of the national parks in the area but they were all pretty difficult to get to. We decided to hitchhike! Truly the student budget here --- it was a little nerve-racking holding your thumb out on the side of a busy highway but I did it (Sorry mom & dad!). Charlotte and I decided that if we didnt' get picked up within half an hour we would stop, so of course 5 minutes later a guy stops for us. Nice guy, told us he had given lots of hitchhikers rides in the last few weeks, we asked him to take us to the Skyrail. Skyrail trips are usually pretty expensive because of transportation there and all the tours included but since we just got there for free and wanted to self-guide our tours, it was a deal! We took a beautiful ride up through the mountains looking out over the whole city, to a tiny little rainforest town called Kuranda. Famous for the Kuranda markets, it's quite touristy. So we had packed some sandwiches and ate them as we walked through the town and then on a few bush walks in the area.

 Skyrail...

Hitch-hiking!! Sandwich in hand...

That night we took an overnight bus down the coast to the Whitsundays. A few days earlier, the travel company for the boat we were supposed to be on in the Whitsundays called and said that not enough people signed up for our boat since it was the off- season. The woman asked if we would like to be upgraded to a boat called New Horizons. This was the boat we originally wanted to go on but it was too expensive. Needless to say we were over ecstatic!! When we finally checked into the marina the boat company told us that New Horizons also got cancelled because not enough people signed up, so we got upgraded AGAIN! Our new boat, the Atlantic Clipper, had a hot spa, a water slide, a diving board, and is known as a "party boat", not a 'booze cruise,' just a loud boat. And oh boy were some of those people rowdy on our boat...About 50 people on board with 7 crew members. Lots of people from Ireland and other parts of Europe. A few too many creepy older European men as well...
We snorkeled a few times and saw a GIANT fish (will upload underwater photos soon), but the true highlight of this trip was Whitehaven Beach. This beach has been called the second most beautiful beach in the world after someplace in Thailand, but let me just say, I was speechless. 360 degree view of paradise. The sand is 98% silica so it shines your silver and exfoliates your skin. Charlotte and I rubbed tons of the sand all over us right before we left and IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!! Never have I ever felt so smooth in my entire life...unfortunately some woman was fined $3000 for trying to take some of the sand onto the plane so if anyone wants to experience it, you'll have to come to Australia. The boat was a lot of fun in the end- especially because the crew was so enthusiastic, not to mention gorgeous! One of the guys just got back from London because he was on the Australian men's water polo team! Drool....
But all in all it was a fantastic, fantastic break and I so desperately wish I was back there already.

Red Dress Mentality

Maybe, it's the ocean air, maybe it's the new environment, but something about this side of the world makes me think about my life in a much broader, brighter way. I have a fair amount of Uni work but I think about it in a very relaxed, realistic manner. I know I will finish it, I know I will study hard when the time calls for it, but I also know that the amount of effort I put into it will dictate it's successfulness. So if I really want something to happen, then it's entirely up to me. I always knew that, but it seems much more apparent to me here.

Actually, I think that's what it is about this place - clarity and independence. That's what I have here. So I can't complain about not having a huge group of friends because I haven't joined a million clubs or gone out every night trying to meet new people. And I'm okay with that because I'm still happy and exerting myself as much as I can. Well that's not exactly true, Charlotte and I made a pact that from now on we would be a little bit more adventurous. And that's not to say I haven't been adventurous (as my other posts show - I have been!) but personally, I know that I could be doing more. Not that there isn't a rush from new experiences any more but I have noticed myself become a little more timid compared to when the plane just landed and I was running around like crazy. But maybe that's just how things are, I'm settled in, I know my role a little more, and I've gotten comfortable.

But I'm ready to get uncomfortable. That might sound wrong, but I think you know what I mean. I'm ready to live up to the plaque I once had in my room at Conn that said, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." I've noticed a lot of people around me not quite doing that, still not taking advantage of everything around them. And I don't like that, and that's not me, so I have to make a change. I'm going to be more proactive because it's already mid-semester break, about half way done!

This realization seems to have come at the perfect timing. Tomorrow I leave for the Great Barrier Reef and my crazy club hostel. I can only hope that I don't take what I'm saying TOO seriously because I just have this horrible image of myself up on a stage, covered in foam, yelling something obnoxious into the crowd - or worse, singing! But no, I will control myself with the utmost dignity! With maybe just a little fun...

But in any event, I must get back to researching doping in Australian cycling (surprisingly interesting!)...and then there's a mid-semester party for the whole campus later tonight which should be a good time. So ta ta for now, I miss you all from home - sending my wishes, xoxo as the summer comes to an end and my summer begins ...hehe.

Cheers!

"I got my red dress on tonight
Dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight
Got my hair up real big beauty queen style
High heels off, I'm feeling alive

Oh, my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above all sizzling like your stare
Honey I'm on fire I feel it everywhere
Nothing scares me anymore" 

Quick updates!

After more than 10 trips to the Apple store, most of my computer problems are over. Some quick updates on life down under in the past two weeks: 1. I made a new friend in my Psychology class. She's from Hong Kong and moved to Australia for high school. She is a triplet and very sweet. She was so curious about me and my life once I told her I was adopted. She said, "Wait, so you have white parents? You're so lucky!!" This made me laugh. She told me about her very traditional Chinese parents who make her come home before 12 every night. We chatted for a while and she invited me to her house for dinner! She asked if I ever tried very traditional chinese food and I said..."kind of?," and then she said she already told her mom about me and she wanted to meet me! So maybe I will be heading over to their house for dinner soon...! 2. I LOVE ROCK CLIMBING! The outdoors club goes to Sydney Uni every Thursday night and for the last three weeks I have been going. I'm addicted! It's great, such a thrill. And then there's lots of socializing at the pub afterwards. I surprised myself last night when I tried the "Red" route up, which some of the other beginners attempted (with no success), but after a lot of perseverance (and knowing this new friend was watching me from below) I made it to the top! What a great feeling. Definitely impressed some people. Never have my forearms felt so ripped. Yeeeha! Can't wait for a new challenge next week. Also, Charlotte and I finally made much better friends with the girl who is in charge of the club. Turns out we actually have a lot in common - psych major, interest in climbing, cycling, surfing, etc. She wasn't nearly as intimidating as we first thought - and she even said that most of the Americans that join the club are pretty cool...and we weren't an exception! Awwww 3. As for school work, I've been swamped lately! Just gave a presentation a couple days ago about the World Series Cricket (WSC) in Australia and the related court cases. Just for those of you out there who like history (especially Mom and Andrew), I'll give you some information on the topic: The World Series Cricket was created by a very wealthy businessman, Kerry Packer. It started as a result of many cricket players who felt upset with the previous administration. The players thought that their well-being was cared about by the current cricket associations. So when Packer offered them large sums of money and better contracts, about 35 players joined on. There were a lot of court cases around the WSC due to contract restrictions and around the fact that Packer wanted the exclusive broadcasting rights for Cricket for his TV channel. He inherited channel 9 network from his father and after finally gaining the cricket rights, sports on television became a sensation. Cricket appealed to a broader audience and revenue was good. There's the WSC in a nutshell! 4. I've been cooking a lot lately. My roommate even called me "quite the little chef" (Thanks Dana)! I made stuffed peppers the other night, butternut squash risotto (good ol' Julie Michaels recipe from epicurious.com), homemade BBQ chicken pizza (guilty pleasure), and tonight I made Eggplant rollups stuffed with a mix of veggies! Delicious! I'm having lots of fun playing housewife - minus the husband part... 5. GETTING EXCITED FOR SPRING BREAK NEXT WEEK!!! CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ALREADY HERE, HELLLLOOO SUN AND SUNSCREEN! No ozone here! 6. Guilty news update: treated myself to a movie at the largest IMAX in the world (supposedly China is working on a bigger one though, and if it's completed then will the one here have to add a "2nd" to all of their signs???) and saw The Dark Knight Rises. Must say, a pretty epic movie to see on the big screen. Also, treated myself to a certain book, mostly written for women, bestseller right now, for spring break beach time...and Hey - if you know what book I"m talking about then just shhhh..... xxoxoxo from down under!

Just another inspired day

"The skyline is etched in my veins You can never put that out, no matter how hard it rains... Now looking over the city, it's the only thing that keeps me calm/ Scattered thoughts jotted down by this pen in my palm/ It's like my city stands still, the world looks on. If I could only capture its beauty and put it in a song."