21 days and counting...

With only three weeks to go till I leave, it's funny to think it still hasn't completely sunk in that in 21 days I'm going away again for 6 months. I'm doing all these final necessary pre-going-away things like getting my international driver's license, booking my domestic flight from Melb to Adelaide, packing all my stuff into boxes coz I'm moving out my stuff next weekend... And still, it doesn't feel quite real I'm actually going so soon. Two nights ago we had a two-hour power cut, so we lit all the candles we could find (it was actually lucky we had any, coz it's prohibited to light any candles in our flat for fire hazard reasons) and had a good old-fashioned games night with the roomies. It didn't seem real that in two weeks time, I don't really live here anymore for a while.

I was reading through bits and pieces of my old journals while I was packing them into boxes and it made me realise I was actually so young when I went away last time. Or maybe young is not the right word, maybe innocent is more like it. Not knowing what I was getting myself into and what it actually means to be going away from friends and family for a long period of time. Or what culture shock is... I tell you, that taste of Vegemite toast in one of my first weeks in Oz was pretty shocking, haha. Was talking about it with a friend of mine who spent quite some time in Australia too last night, comparing our horrible first (and it almost goes without saying it was also our last) Vegemite experiences :) Funny stuff.

Anyway, knowing I shouldn't be talked into tasting Vegemite again is great, but on the other hand there's also something comforting about being innocent of what things can be like. I now not only know how very awesome exchange can be, one of my main reasons for doing it again and I wouldn't want to miss it for the world, but I also know it's not all good times. Times when you have to remind yourself why you got onto that plane that took you halfway across the world. And then a beautiful new friend you made makes you smile, or you do and see stuff you had never thought you'd do or see and that's all the reminder you need... You do it because life would be a whole lot less colourful without taking chances and seeing where it takes you :) I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm getting really excited about my next Down Under adventure, but am trying to stay in a sort of denial that it scares me too. That being said, I'll miss 'my' Dutchies, but I can't wait to see 'my' Aussies again :) 21 days and counting!!
Love Carine
xxx