Friday, September 30, 2011

Australia: highlights










1.) At the Sydney Aquarium. iPhone photo, oh yes!
2.) Sand at some beach haha
3.) Sunset at a beach near by the to the previously mentioned beach 
4.) Ohmygosh so cliche Australian -- pulled over on the side of the road to get a picture..
5.) Leaves, ahh so tropical
6.) At the Great Barrier reef, I have NEVER seen water so blue, it was absolutely beautiful 
7.) Sydney Harbour Bridge
8.) Manly Beach
9.) View from our hotel room in Cairns
10.)  Low tide in Cairns (love this picture)

Australia was the most amazing experience that I have had in a while. Was it hard? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely. It still feels so surreal, it was the experience of a lifetime. I conquered so many fears on this trip it's crazy. 
Planes.
Plane Bathrooms.
Plane food. (not quite over this one..)
Going into the unknown.
Things being out of my control.
Eating new foods.
Leaving my family. 
and many more.

To say that it was just myself getting me through these things, would be a complete and utter lie.
Written while still in Australia:
"Most people would say that doing something they didn't think they could do and overcoming their fears would make them realize just how strong they are. I, however, beg to differ that statement. In fact, I have found it to be quite the opposite. Now before you stop reading this thinking that it will be a post about me complaining about how hard it was, don't, because its not. Not at all. Actually this post is about how I, a fifteen year old girl who has anxiety and has never been away from home for more than a week, was able to travel halfway around the world and live with a host family for a month. It's about how someone who used to cry and have a panic attack every single time she got on a plane was able board her 15 hour flight with hardly any fear at all. But most importantly it is about how I had the realization of just how powerful my God is. 

Now I'll try not to make it too preachy or anything, but I really feel that God has moved me to write a post telling about this experience. And who knows, this might even bring someone to him, I might make an influential difference in someone else's life.
Traveling halfway around the world with no one but a peer at age 15, is not exactly a piece of cake and I knew that from the gate. But the one difference is that I knew that even though I wouldn't have my mom and dad with me, I would have God. I have known since the young age of five, when I became a born again Christian, that God has and always will be with me. But it wasn't until this trip that I really started to see everything that he had laid out before me. When I got accepted to this trip my mom realized that God had been preparing me for this ever since fifth grade (age 10) when my teachers daughter was in Australia and we heard all about it. That truly is amazing. Even back then, five years ago, before I went to my current school, God knew that I would be going to Australia."

It's weird how something could be right in front of you and you wouldn't notice it. That is truly what happened to me -- crazy, I know. 

Australia was the best experience of my life, and I will never forget it.

P.S. My exchange student comes in 41 days! :) sooo excited
xxx


1 lovely comments:

Lidiya said...

These photos are amazing, Australia looks fabulous!! <3
http://cupcakesandtreacle.blogspot.com/