Aussie Addie

Australia, you were a dream.

As I sit on my bedroom floor at 5:00 am (yes, I’m still on Aussie time and am severely jetlagged), I feel as if I left a piece of me behind in Sydney.

During my three and a half months abroad, I became an Australian version of myself. This version of myself is more outgoing, adventurous, and thankful. As I sit here trying to put my experience into words, I’m finding that there are none that can totally capture just how much I have grown, so I figured I’d start with a few words of thanks.

To my Whitsunday crew, thanks for being my rock during this process. From the late nights to the never ending laughter, you all became my family. Let’s have our reunion at Funnel Bay in a few years. I hear it’s something like we’ve never seen before.

To my internship, thank you for challenging me every day. I interned at AltMedia and wrote for an independent newspaper. I figured I’d be helping the staff with mundane tasks, but I worked as a real journalist, interviewing local politicians, residents, and activists. I’m not going to lie; there were days when I felt like it was too much. My boss and editor expected a lot of me, but this was just because they saw my potential and wanted me to get the most out of this experience. I feel prepared to take on a career in journalism because of this internship.

To my CCI Global Scholars, thanks for being my support system. It’s hard to believe we started out as strangers, because now I consider each one of you a good friend. I cannot wait to catch up on campus and for our reunions.

To Dr. Swan and Dr. Miller, thank you for making this opportunity possible. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has shaped my early adulthood. Because of this trip, I feel as if I am ready to take on anything that comes my way.

Australia will always have a piece of my heart. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to live and learn on the other side of the world. Until next time, Syd. You will forever be on my mind.

Signing off,

Aussie Addie