I’ve never felt more proud to be an American than I have since I’ve been here. I am so grateful and blessed to be apart of the greatest nation. There are so many thing that I am going to miss about Australia though. Most of which I’m sure wont hit me until after I get back, but here are top 10 things that I’ll miss:
10 Laneway culture.
So in most cites, laneways are sketchy dangerous and avoided at all costs. I’ve been lucky (questionable word choice) enough to experience some of Allison Hill’s back alleys and can attest that this is definiately a warranted attitude. BUT in Melbourne, it is COMPLETELY the opposite! They are full of cool little cafes, great cheap food, and last but not least awesome street art! Its not even graffiti. There is one alley specifically that is constantly changing and you can go there every day and see people creating new things there.
9 Street Performers
This had to get its own category from the street art cuz again like in a lot of cities in the US the people you see on the side standing on the side of the street are mainly beggers, occasionally you’ll catch a few that are trying to offer their talent in singing or playing but are still clearly in unfortunately economic circumstances. Not here my friend. One of my favorite things that I actually didn’t do as much as I would’ve liked is just walking around the city and stopping ot listen to all of the great performers playing on like every other block. Some do actual shows like magic, comedy, dance, etc in larger areas like Federation square and some just sing and play instruments because they love it.
8 Cheap sushi
Okay so sushi here is more equivalent to like a premade wrap shop in the states. Everywhere are tiny takeaway counters with about a dozen roll choices for usually around $2.50 each and you pick one and they hand it to you un-cut. Took some getting used to but now thrives on my lack of self control. Anytime I’m the least bit hungry even when I’m on my way home to eat, I grab one.
7 Pot Lucks
While I’m on the subject of food, I’ve love love loved cooking all of my meals. Even more than that I love making food for my friends. That’s why number 7 favortie thing of Australia is that we make dinner together ALL the TIME. If I look 500lbs when you see me its because when you 10 people bring a dish to one meal, there is a lot of food to consume… Being the team player that I am I tried my darnest to avoid left overs ; )
6 The beach
Ok, so to be honest I did not live in the beach atmosphere that I had anticipated, but it was still sooo great to be able to just hop on a tram and end up on a beach in 20 minutes. You might think after 5 months of being near the beach I’d be over it, but oh no I still love it and want to live near one again some day.
5 The weather
To my friends in Australia reading this you’re going to think I’m being a huge liar again cuz its winter here but I’m serious! Their winter is generally like a nice Autumn day. Throw on your northface and a scarf and its beautiful! Leaves are falling, flowers are blooming (yea I don’t know how that works exactly but take my word for it). And besides that apart from the abnormal amount of rain we got the first 4 months were sunny and warm!
4 The animals
Keep in mind I live in the city not the bush. So I have to go out of my way and make an effort to see these creatures but they’re awesome! I was so stinkin excited when I discovered that there are penguins that live like 20 minutes away from my on St. Kilda beach. Kangaroos were fairly common to see when we’d travel out in other areas of Victoria, but koalas were a rare jem to stumble upon a few times! I even loved the birds, and I HATE birds. Probably because all of them are ugly and scary, but here its not crazy to see parrots, cockatoos, kookaburras etc out and about.
3 The no worries lifestyle
Ok I admit I don’t if I’d adapt to this well for my whole life, but its exactly what I needed for these last 5 months. Probably being the only 5 months since I’ve been 15 that I’ll ever not have to work, and not having to care much about school since all of my classes were easy, not relevant to my career, and transferred as pass/fail I had not a care in the world here.
2 The accent
No, I don’t have an aussie accent. I like using some of their lingo, like “no worries mate”, “I reckon…”, “Good on ya”, “Rock up”, “You’re okay” (In response to thank you). Etc. But I’m going to miss listening to them.
1 The people that have the accent
I’ve met so many amazingly wonderful beautiful people here that I am going to miss so much. Student life and Arcadia people make up a good portion of these people.I’m too consumed with excitement to see everyone back home that I’ve been missing for 5 months to fully realize the magnitude of this, but I kno I’m going to be so sad in a few weeks with every memory, advice, and inside joke I have with all of them. Its so cool to step back and think about how I now know and hopefully have positively influences people from literally all around the world. Also less realistically but still fun to think about that anytime I ever want to pick up and travel somewhere I can spin the globe and pick one that I’ll probably know someone to stay with.
Goodbye Australia, I must return to the mother land. The Land of the Free and home of the brave!
Where I was born where I was raised where I keep all my yesterdays : ) - My town!
