G’day mates… I’m back–both in the sense that I’m home and that I’m finally updating this. I extend my sincere apologies for the delay. I really don’t have any excuse, besides the fact that summer makes me simultaneously busy and lazy.

So. I feel like people expect me to say that it’s been really hard being back, what with getting adjusted and all, but that hasn’t been the case, at least not for me. I always tried to look at Australia as what it was: a brief time period to explore another place and do a little getting to know myself, not to mention other people. I think because I kept the idea of the trip’s brevity at the front of my mind, I was able to accept the fact that it was over. Also, I had a really distinct picture of what life would be like when I got home in my head, and it turned out to be exactly what I expected: warm welcome homes, reunions that exciting at first, soon melded into another comfortable hangout, etc. AND I’m taking some of my best friends home with me, so basically, little to no adjustment neccessary.

OH something I’m really proud of: being that I enjoy both surprises and mischief, I changed my return flight to the 26th of June instead of the 29th….and didn’t tell my parents. I had my brothers in on the scheme, and after a harrowing journey home (even though I had Casey with me for the long part) my younger brother picked me up from JFK, and I snuck up to my parents room. The looks on their faces…priceless. Well, almost. It cost 35$ to switch flights.

New Zealand, as predicted, was breathtakingly beautiful. Glaciers, lakes, rivers, mountains and sheep. TONS of sheep. Christchurch was pretty….and pretty small. You could easily see its entirety in a day, two if you walk slow. Ya know how New York is the city that never sleeps? Christchurch is its exact opposite; Tracy and I got there at 11:30 pm on a Thursday night and not a soul was to be found. We skipped around the streets for a while.

 Christchurch actually has a church. Well, a cathedral.

 Tracy chillin at the base of the biggest tree I’ve ever been under in the botannical gardens.

This I’m also really proud of. The most currencies I’ve ever had in my possession. Clockwise from top left: Australian, Malaysian, New Zealand..ish? (I still don’t know the word for that) American and a Mexican peso in the center.

 Now, for the first stop on our trip: Hanmer Springs, northern South Island. Natural hot springs. It was like having a bunch of earth-warmed, organic hot tubs at our disposal. Mondo relaxing.

It’s too bad it was our first stop…Casey could’ve used some lazing after driving over countless of these bad boys:

Yes that’s a one lane bridge with a train track running through it.

 This is Brandon trying to figure out the cushy puzzle that was our sleeping quarters. Once we got everything settled, things got a little better for everyone. Except for the fact that it went down to easily below freezing during the night. If not for the extra blankets the campervan place lent us, I wouldn’t be typing this right now because I would’ve lost my fingers to frostbite. And most likely my nose, too. Anyway.

Peaceful:  

Nerdy:

Glacial:

Exploratory:

Frighteningly Foggy:

Other highlights include Queenstown, which although it was the most commercial, was still really naturally gorgeous. We went on a gondola up to a mountain that looked over the entire lake.

Once at the top, we enjoyed a sweet street luge ride. Queenstown is one of three places in the world where you can do that, so we took advantage.

Other Queenstown shots:

Random Llama sighting:

All in all, good trip.

Once we got home, (home being Melbourne) Casey and I only had a day left in the city. Somehow, we got a sunny day, which we spent wandering through the bottanical gardens before enjoying our only trip to Crown Casino. (No I did not win anything.)

And now here I am, back in New Paltz with classes only a few weeks away. I’m definitely excited to get back to the familiar class setting. I honestly cannot believe this is my last year of college. Watch, soon as I graduate I’ll be running for the hills….of New Zealand.

About a week before I was due to come home, I either got pink eye or some weird bruise on my right eye.  I know, story of my life.  Either way, I was forced to take out my contact lenses.  Although I had glasses to wear, I never see as clearly through them as I do when I have my contacts in.  Everything was blurry. 

It’s been a few days since I’ve been home.  I’m not going to lie; it hasn’t been easy.  The entire time I was organizing myself to leave Australia, I kept saying things like, “Well, I know I’ll be fine, because I have a great home life.”  And while this is true, I completely ignored the fact that coming home might take some adjusting.  So when I got here, I was ill-prepared for the reality of the situation.

I forced myself to see some friends the night I got back.  This was my first mistake.  Through my fuzzy vision and my sleep-deprived state of mind, nothing was making sense.  Each time I thought of Australia, I would tear up.  My friends joked about it because they thought I was just delirious from the flight, and that may have been part of the problem.  But what I realized after careful consideration was that this wasn’t just jet-lag.

I realized life had gone on without me.  Some of my friends had formed new relationships, while others had completely rid themselves of old ones.  Is it possible that all of this occurred while I was across the world?

The next day I completely isolated myself.  I went for a long run to try to sort out my thoughts.  It helped, but not by much.  I then did as much research I could on what is commonly called “reverse culture shock” or “re-entry shock.”  Finally, things started making sense.  When I left here to go to Australia, I obviously knew that things were going to be different.  I was as ready as I could be to come face-to-face with a new culture.  It was, after all, the reason I wanted to study abroad in the first place.

What I didn’t think enough about was the fact that, after almost 5 months, Australia had become my new home.  I had become accustomed to its culture.  So, in a sense, coming back to the United States wasn’t a return for me; I was actually going somewhere new again.  And unfortunately, it took me a couple of days to come to this conclusion.

Now that I’ve done some research and finally gotten a full night of sleep, I think I’m ready to face this situation.  It’s not going to be easy, but I’m going to slowly reintroduce myself to this town, this island, and this way of life. 

Today my eye is feeling better.  Whatever bruise or infection was hurting me is at last gone.  I’m ready to put my contact lenses back in and see clearly again.

Clementine: This is it, Joel. It’s going to be gone soon.
Joel: I know.
Clementine: What do we do?
Joel: Enjoy it.

–Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A good friend once told me that, while it’s normal to be sad about good-byes, endings are really just a part of life.  Childhood must end, you have to graduate high school, and you can’t stay in summer camp forever.  In preparing to leave Australia, it’s been really difficult for me to wrap my head around this idea.  I have spent every day here growing closer and closer to people that I now consider family. 

One or two months ago a friend and I had been discussing how Australia wasn’t exactly what we expected it to be.  And for a minute there, I actually considered the fact that I might not have chosen the right location to study abroad at.  But as my friends slowly move back to their respective countries, I’m realizing that a place is only as good as the people within it.  Sure, studying in Melbourne didn’t turn out to be one long summer vacation, but that’s not what it’s about.  If I visited a tropical island and the people there were terrible, would it be amazing simply because of the warm weather and surfable beaches?  Probably not.  And what I’m beginning to learn, however late it might be, is that this experience has changed my life.  I’ve met people who have had more of an influence on me than they’ll ever know.  To be yanked from this situation is something I wouldn’t wish upon anybody. 

But I’m teaching myself to take this one day at a time.  This experience is ending.  I may never step foot in Australia again (although I really don’t think that will be the case). Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that the bonds I’ve created with people here won’t last forever.

Saying good-bye is insanely hard.  I have no idea how long it will be before I can see my new best friends again.  But if my childhood never ended, if I never graduated high school, and if I never left summer camp, I wouldn’t have ended up here.  You have to say farewell before you can come across more good people and other beautiful places.  If you stay in one spot forever, you’ll never get the chance to appreciate all the beauty the world has to offer.

New Zealand was stunning.  In some ways, this trip changed my way of thinking.

For instance, I realize that a vacation doesn’t necessarily have to involve a tropical island and 80-degree-plus temperatures to be beautiful.  This may sound like a joke, but I’m not even half-kidding.  My whole life, if my family has tried to organize a trip to somewhere in the Midwest, or even Europe, I’ve been outspoken about my disapproval.  Last summer, I convinced my mom to book a trip to the Dominican Republic instead of going to Canada like my brother wanted to.  But after this journey, I’ve realized that a solid vacation doesn’t have to be based around the idea of lounging on the beach; it can be full of glaciers, mountains, and temperatures only slightly above freezing.

I’ve also realized from this trip how little I need a cell phone.  None of us (except Tracy for about one day) had service on our phones whilst frolicking through New Zealand’s landscape.  It was strangely liberating to not have to worry about the outside world.  All we needed were each other, our camper van, and the gorgeous New Zealand landscape.

One final realization I came to after the New Zealand trip is that I legitimately love traveling at this point.  There is so much out there to see, and so much that I have no idea about.

Anyway, here are some photos from our beauteous  voyage:

Inside our camper van.

Outside view of our camper van.

Hamner Springs.

Again.



When a herd of cows rapidly came toward us.


Glacier.

Tracy jumpin’ for joy.



Queenstown.

Again.

Kiwi statue!

Christchurch.

We saw so many different types of landscapes in just a few days.  It’s amazing how little I knew about New Zealand and how much I ended up liking it.  Basically, the moral of the story is that, if given the opportunity, I would now travel to Europe, Canada, or even the Midwest in a heartbeat. It’s amazing how a 6-day trip can have such an impact on one’s way of thinking.

Finally back in NY.  It’s so strange to begin another chapter, but that’s life I guess.  It’s already been 2 weeks since I’ve left Argentina, and I still miss it like crazy.  My last 2 weeks there passed in a blur.  I went with Steff on a weekend trip to Salta, to see the salt flats, bungee jump, and get a taste of the Northern side of Argentina.  It was one of the best trips, a must-do for anyone visiting.  After that, I tried to get together with as many people as I could, and then spent my final day with Steff, shopping for presents and enjoying my city for the last time. 

Leaving was the hardest part, that feeling sitting alone in the airplane, not knowing when I’d come back or see my friends again was the worst.  And then looking out the window, seeing Buenos Aires from the air, with all its lights and buildings gave me such a nostalgic sadness.  After a combined 12 hours flying, finally seeing my family in the airport for the first time in a year was also harder than I expected.  I was happy to see them, but I didn’t want to re-enter the English speaking realm.  I wanted to explain things to them in Spanish and they couldn’t have understood.  It’s hard to explain, but I felt a sense of disconnect with them. 

On the way home we stopped in a McDonalds for coffee, and I was seriously fumbling trying to order.  I wanted a café con leche, no questions regarding the size, sugar, and such complications that we have here!  It was hard to have to think again in English, and then when I actually got the coffee, it seemed huge!  Later on that night, we went to dinner for a friend’s birthday, and it was the same story.  I couldn’t stop staring at the size of the bread basket, and the Coke glasses were about the size of a flower vase.  We hear so much about supersize American portions that it’s become mundane, but live abroad for awhile, and you’ll really notice the difference.

 I spent a little over a week at home, making up for a year’s worth of doctors and dentists appointments before moving, yet again, to NYC for the start of an editorial internship with Men’s Fitness.  So far it’s been really good, and all the activity is helping me cope with the loss of Argentina.  I miraculously did the impossible, moving into a Manhattan apartment 2 days after I arrived, and already have made a couple of new friends, so it seems like many of the awkward adjustments are behind me.

But re-adjusting to American life hasn’t been so easy.  It’s funny, I remember blogging about how horrible the grocery stores were in Argentina, and now I feel so overwhelmed with the ones here.  Do we really need to choose between 100 types of cereal?  And does the produce section need to be the size of a modest home?  I ended up leaving with just a couple things, I was too weighed down from all the decision making.  I feel like my older sister, who for years would always want to order from the kids meal just for its simple selections.  It can be a lot easier and less stressful to only have a few things to pick from. 

The people here also seem a lot colder.  For one, the handshake I think now is a weird formality.  In Argentina, we say hi with a kiss on the cheek in between girls, and guys, and between guys it can be a hug or also a cheek kiss.  That’s an unspoken rule between everyone, and it really simplifies greeting someone.  Here, its like you awkwardly wave at a friend, and sometimes you feel too formal shaking someone’s hand if they’re your age.  I’m having a lot of trouble adjusting to this.

Back in NY, I’m still living like an Argentine in a lot of ways.  Toast and café for breakfast, simple salads, (but now thankfully more sushi), working out before dinner, and then eating around 9 or 10.  It’s a routine that I’ve gotten to really like, and now that I’m not at home with my mom who insists on eating before 6 :30, I feel like I can get back to how I feel comfortable.  The other day, I was walking around Manhattan yesterday wearing my Argentina rugby jersey, trying to get a feel of the neighborhood, when I stopped in a deli.  The woman at the counter asked me if I was from there, and I had to say yes!  In some ways I don’t see myself as American.  It’s a hard adjustment to make.  A couple of months back I went to dinner with Steff, and we had to listen to two American girls going on and on about all their problems and how difficult their lives were.  It was horrible to sit through.  Now walking down the street, I hear the same conversation all the time.  Who knows, maybe I was even one of ‘those’ girls before this experience.  I didn’t really pay attention to this kind of thing before, but now it’s become much more noticeable. 

Now that I’ll start waitressing here again, I’m sure I’ll be hearing a lot more of it.  I snuck out during my lunch break at the internship and had all 3 interviews at Hard Rock.  Everything went great, and tomorrow I start my first shift.  It’s a lot bigger than the Buenos Aires location, and I’m cringing a little with the thought of learning a whole new set of co-worker names.  Not a particular strength of mine.  And then I’m already thinking of how fast the summer will go by.  In comparison to spending a year in Argentina, which felt like two months, what’s two months in NY going to feel like?  Two weeks?  It’s a good feeling to be so productive, but I know the time is going to fly by.  And the thought of moving again…not something I want to face just yet. 

So now I’m off to make a new set of complicated grocery store decisions, and to the bank, where I probably won’t have to wait for a half-hour.  It is nice to be back in some ways.  I still marvel at the fact that here, not only are there tvs, but you can pay with a credit card in a taxi!  Amazing. 

But for anyone with the slightest doubt about studying abroad, don’t even think about it.  Go for it.  If anything, I’d say go for longer than you’ve considered.  A year was too short for me.  Without a doubt, it was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I can’t come close to explaining how much I value the time I spent down there.  Good luck to everyone about to embark on their own adventure!  You’ll do great.

There are only 13 days left before I am back in the US.

I can’t even begin to describe how I feel. Mostly because I have no idea. All I know is that I’ve never been this torn about leaving a place in my entire life. This is the most I’ve ever felt like I want to stay and go home at the same time.

It’s not that I like Australia more than my home. Actually, I’d much prefer to be on sunny, warm Long Island right now. But, at the same time, being here place just feels right. See, I’m attempting to describe how I feel, and I’m making absolutely no sense. I apologize to anybody reading this. It’s probably really hard to follow.

All I know is I will NEVER regret coming here.

Anyway, I handed in my last paper today. That means I only have two finals left. I’m leaving for New Zealand on Wednesday. That should be amazing. Although, I’m beginning to wonder what we’ve gotten ourselves into; I was recently advised to invest in some chains for the tires on our camper van in case it snows. What? I hate snow. And winter. I’m sucking it up, though, and going with it.

I’m just glad to be spending my final days with these new people I’ve fallen in love with.

The last post from Australia. (Internet gets switched off tomorrow.)

 You know, coming here, everyone tells you “oh god, study abroad’s gonna change your life,” but you don’t actually realize it changing. You don’t see your life taking place through one of those time-elapsed shots where the clouds roll through really fast and shadows dance around on shaking trees. You live life normally, a minute at a time. But then those minutes become sparser and sparser, and you turn around to see all the memories you’ve made piled up on top of one another like toys in a toybox. And then you realize what it’s all meant.

I don’t know if I can pinpoint how it is I’m feeling right now–there’s a lot goin on. I’m leaving for New Zealand tomorrow for an 8-day trip with Case, Brandon and Tracy, three of the best friends I ever could have asked for; I have to pack up my entire room and material life back into the two suitcases I brought here; and I have to say goodbye to some insanely amazing people, all the while knowing it could be years and years before I see them again (if ever, for the pessimists).

Woof. Heavy stuff, I know. Now I understand why I’ve been listening to “Do You Realize” by the Flaming Lips so much these past few days. (look up the lyrics). But! the light on the horizon is that I know I will definitely see my Canadian friends in the Fall, and Liam’s planning a trip to the US for January. So it won’t be too long before I see him again. I want him to experience our homes the way we did his so badly.

Ugh. Part of me wishes I could just go to sleep and wake up in my bed at home without having gone through all the hard stuff like packing and goodbyes, but the smart part knows this is all part of the process that’s going to make me the person I’ll be when I step foot in the US in a few weeks. As much as I had no idea what Australia was going to be like, I have no idea how being home will feel. I’m so excited to see my family and my dogs and my friends and the beach and the mountains in NP.

 Throughout all of this I’ve just felt so lucky. Lucky to have this opportunity, lucky to leave knowing I made the most of it, lucky to have met so many different and amazing people, lucky to have these memories and lucky to have a great home to come back to.

 All for now from Australia. Next post will be from America.

 What.

Anyway, cheers mates!

People say that with every ending comes a new beginning. And I guess that the ending of this trip is pretty near. I have about three weeks left until I travel back home; that’s absolutely nuts.

Classes ended May 30^th, and since then my time has been pretty much consumed by studying for my structural kinesiology exam. Casey and I took the test on Friday. We both think we did relatively well. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this was the hardest class I’ve taken in a long time. There was so much self learning involved. We seriously had to know almost all of the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and systems within the body having to do with movement. You have no idea how in depth this class went. But hopefully we will have passed with flying colors. Unfortunately, we won’t know until July. I might be OK with not worrying about that for a while, though.

Now that that test is over, I’ve had a bit of time to relax. I have a paper due next Monday and after that, nothing until June 23 and June 24. I make it a point not to waste my days away, though. I’ve been getting up relatively early (for a college student), going running, keeping my room clean, studying a bit, and trying to appreciate my last few weeks here.

On June 18^th, Casey and I will be flying to New Zealand for a few days and meeting up with Tracy and Katie. We’re renting out a camper van type vehicle, and hitting the road. We’ll be traveling all around the south island. I’m convinced that half of the trip will be made up of us laughing at ourselves. I have a feeling that the four of us driving a huge van, trying to navigate our way through an unknown country, and all the while reminding ourselves to drive on the left side of the road will prove to be very interesting. After what I’m hoping will be a grand trip, I’ll have about a week left in Melbourne, and then I’m headed home to USA.

As much as I’m looking forward to going home and being on Long Island for the summer, I know it’s going to be devastating to leave certain people I’ve met here. But like I said, every ending comes with a new beginning. And when I get home, my new beginning will be waiting for me…in the form of a black lab puppy!

It will pain me to leave, but that’s life sometimes. Nothing can last forever. You’ve just got to learn to see the best in every situation, and then you’ll be OK.

To quote my dear friend and suitemate, Tracy: “I have gone almost four months without encountering a mama spider…then I walked into my bathroom.”

 Last night, at around bed time (three a.m.) I hear a rapid soft knocking on my door. “Yeah?” I say

“Umm..I think you need to come into the bathroom,” Tracy’s voice said through the door. “There’s a big, big spider in here.”

“So get it,” I said lazily from my bed. (Since we’ve been here, Tracy, with her cup and piece of paper to cover said cup has been the resident spider catcher.)

“No, no,” she said and opened the door. “It’s huge and I THINK it’s the kind you have to be worried about.”

This was enough to get me out of bed. Warily, I stuck my head around the side of the bathroom door and looked into the corner Tracy was pointing at. Instantly, I got chills in places I’d never had them before. (Like my jawline. What?) Yeah it was that disgusting. It was big and furry and menacing.

Like a couple of 9 year olds, Tracy and I went back and forth between the foyer and the bathroom, panicking. “Should we call the after hours assistant?” I asked.

“Oh yeah and be the two American girls who called security to come get a spider for them. I don’t THINK so. I’m texting every boy we know right now.”

“Okay well I’m gonna keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn’t go anywhere,”I said. In reality, if the thing had moved even a fraction of an inch I would have run screaming out the door.

(Fun fact one: Tracy and I are both women’s studies minors. Fun fact two: feminism doesn’t apply to Australian spiders.)

Luckily our friend Chris was awake. “Does it look like a tarantula but smaller?” he asked on the phone.

“Yeah…kinda…I think,” I said squinting at it.

“It’s probably a huntsman. They’re like daddy long legs. Absolutely harmless, but I’ll be over.”

During the agonizingly long wait for Chris, Tracy tried to take a picture of it but had no sooner stooped to focus the lens before she ran out of the bathroom. “What! What!” I ran out behind her.

“His eyes!!! They turned RED.” Hence, there’s no accompanying photo with this entry.

Chris finally got to our suite and went into the bathroom. He squatted down to get a good look at the thing.

“…..Yeah that’s not a huntsman,” he said.

“Well what IS it?” I asked.

“Will it kill us?” Tracy backed up.

“I don’t really know. There’s funnel webs here. They’re pretty gnarly. You got a cup?”

Though I admired his bravery, I waited in the foyer while Chris tried to capture our furry buddy. No luck.

In the end, Chris had to spear the thing on a FORK and bring it outside. I fleed into the bedroom upon seeing its bulbous little body sitting on the metal prongs. Eesh it still gives me chills.

In other news, my time in Australia is dwindling down to a few weeks. I can’t say I’m heartbroken to leave; home is calling my name. But I’m not going to be jumpin on a plane with no fond looks back at this place. If nothing else, living in Australia has given me what my friend JoJo calls “the travel bug.” I’m dying to see Europe now, and I’m a lot less intimidated by the thought of figuring out strange cities and meeting fellow travelers. Next destination: South Island, New Zealand.

Maybe it’s because I’m entirely too optimistic, but it seems to me that almost every time my friends and I decide to take a day trip into the city, the weather is beautiful. Yesterday was no exception.

Casey, Katie, Tracy and I thought it would be a good idea to catch a train into Flinder’s Street Station at around noon yesterday, and go from there to St. Kilda. We never really know what to expect outside of Flinder’s, but there is always something random going on. This time we were immediately drawn in by vibrant colors coming from some sort of attraction.

Notice the inflatable, colorful object to the left? Clearly the simple things grab our attention. Anyway, it turned out that we walked right into Melbourne’s Italian Festival! Hearing the Italian language being spoken around me was strangely comforting. We decided to stick around at the festival for a bit, and we stumbled upon a section of small kiosks made up of elderly Italians cooking delicious food. Casey and Tracy picked up some pizza. Katie and I were craving Diet Coke. We all felt somewhat at home because of the strong Italian presence in New York.

Feeling fairly saturated with the Italian culture, we then decided to go to St. Kilda. Apparently there’s a market every Sunday near the beach. We hopped onto the tram and made our way in that direction.

After slight travel complications (the tram line was being repaired), we arrived at the market! I thought it was going to be very touristy and full of “I <3 Australia” t-shirts, but I was happily surprised when I saw it was more of an arts and crafts market. Artists and small business owners lined the streets with their small tents and tables covered in beautiful hand-crafted products for sale.

The variety of things for sale was pretty overwhelming, so we didn’t buy much. But we did make a pact to come back another time. Plus, we unfortunately didn’t get to go into Luna Park, which is something I really want to see. So we’ll definitely have to get back to that area before we go home.

In between browsing, I forced my friends to pose for pictures. It’s just such a pretty location. There are a ton of palm trees, and it’s right on the beach. But eventually I left them alone and just took some photos on my own.

After wrapping up our time at the market, we were very hungry. The four of us went out to dinner at La Porchetta (the only Australian place I’ve been to so far that gives out FREE BREAD before your meal! Very exciting). After eating an insane amount of Italian food, we began our journey back to Flinder’s. There we met up with Liam, who was just getting out of class (he has weekend-long workshops — bummer), and traveled back to the Student Village.

Although I feel like I end every post similarly, it really WAS a great Sunday. And I’d rather be an optimist any day than to end every blog update with “…and all I want to do is CRY”, or something upsetting like that.