A-2

So Monday I finally received my travel package from the travel agency with all of my final flight plans and stuff, including a drawstring bag with their logo on it, which I packed to bring with me. That said, Monday I also packed almost all of my stuff except for the gifts and some things here and there that I may have forgotten at first. However, now for this week until I depart the States, I have to live out of my suitcase and make sure I put pack any clothes I take from the suitcase. I plan to do laundry Thursday and then I will double-check that I have everything that I plan to bring.

Then today I spent a long day getting things ready to go to Oz. This morning I went to North Haven's Rotary Club meeting and briefly spoke to the club and said goodbye and thank you for sponsoring me. From there I, after a doctors appointment, I spent some time looking for gifts and trinkets, making a stop at the Yale bookstore. Then I closed up anything outstanding with the Marine Cadets when I went to lunch with my CO. So after all that, I am just about set to go come Friday! Almost there!!!

A-6

This afternoon my family threw me a great going away party, with my grandma making banana split cake and my aunt making her great taco dip and hot wings! It was fun to see a lot of my family 6 days before I embark on a great adventure and I'm going to miss everyone a lot. My family helped me out and gifted me some moolah to use on my trip and now I need to take a trip to the bank to exchange some of it for Australian Dollars. Thanks to everyone who came, it was fun! :) I just only wish my mouth didn't hurt so I could eat more of the good food without pain. Who was the silly one who decided to give us wisdom teeth?

A-7

7 days, 1 hour, 45min. That's how long until my scheduled departure to Australia! Only one week away and it's getting very exciting but I'm also getting more nervous the closer it gets. I'm starting to pack now and finding it hard to figure out everything to bring for a whole year. I just need to pack and get my travel packet from the travel agency, then I'm all set to go! The travel packet has my plane tickets so it's a little important but they should be here tomorrow or Monday. I can't wait! :D

A-24 Days

That's Australia minus 24 days. I just felt like using the format they used for D-Day in WWII. Today I got my itinerary and I leave on 2 Aug to arrive in Sydney on 4 Aug. My flight was reserved and just have to confirm and pay, now. Now that I can count down to my exchange, though, the time left here is gonna go by fast and pretty soon, I'll be in Oz. I can't wait!

My Visa

I woke up this morning to my a FedEx envelope sitting on the kitchen table, addressed to me from the Australian Embassy in D.C. Upon opening, my application for a year-long student visa was approved! Now if only I had my travel plans set... I don't like waiting.

Do a blog they said. It'll be fun they said.

So, I guess I decided to do a blog for my upcoming exchange to Australia with Rotary Youth Exchange, and this is going to be it! When I can, when feel like it, I'll post along my journey in Australia. More often, though, I'll probably just post the many pictures I'll be taking. You'll get those under the pictures tab above. Now, I just have to wait until I launch, the most unexciting part of the trek. Enjoy!