Eat. Laugh. Drink.

I've been sitting here for the past hour now trying to figure out how to begin this post. It's been a while, I do admit and frankly I almost (emphasis on almost) have forgotten how to begin and whether it'd be much more appropriate to begin with a greeting.

I have so much that I could probably talk about and I could honestly sit here and just pour out to you everything on my mind, but then you'd be sitting at your computers for hours just reading a single blog post when I am sure you have many other exciting blogs you've been dying to catch up on. So I think as my first official post back in the bloggerverse, I want to share with you how I have been doing and I mean truly and honestly.

If you haven't found out already, I am in the Great Down Under and have been since the very beginning of April. In the last two months I have seen a lot, eaten a lot and worked a lot (although, with being an AuPair, sometimes it seems as if it really isn't work at all). One thing I have realized in the past two weeks while in Brisbane (I was working in New South Whales, but that's a story for another day), I have met more people in such a short period of time than I have the entire time I have been in Australia. I have laughed more. Eaten more. Drank more. I haven't experienced more just yet, but it'll come.

I don't think I have felt happier here, or anywhere for that matter. As cheesy and cliche as it sounds, I feel like this is where I am meant to be (cue cheesy movie scene with lots of talk about the meaning of life and where we are meant to be in this world). Being way out in the boons of Australia, where the weather is basically like Canada's weather....woohoo...I have been able to see things that other tourists would never see, let alone think about seeing, like maybe 12 Kangaroos in one day in their natural habitat...it's pretty rad! I am pretty grateful for that. I have gotten to see a Celtic Festival, historic landmarks, ANZAC day, met a British AuPair who took me to see some of the big things of Australia and have seen landscapes much more beautiful than anything I have ever seen back home.

On the other hand, being in Brisbane has opened the door to so many things. I have made friends with a 6 foot 8 Swede (I hope that isn't offensive), two Texans sans the accents, a handful of lovely flamboyant (is that more appropriate than using the term gay?) gents, a tatted up Aussie who collects really awesome and creepy things....(it's not too often one would put awesome and creepy in the same sentence) and became acquainted with lovely hostel staff and a handful of intercontinental individuals...AKA, backpackers.

I don't think I have experienced so much in the past year as I have in the last couple months. My last year was miserable. I rarely saw my friends. Was a workaholic and never ate right. I worked with people twice and three times my age and never had proper time off before having to return to the grind again. I never had the opportunity to experience bliss, if I can be so bold to say. I mean, you can only experience so much happiness living at home with your parents.

The tables have almost completely turned.

I am happy. Truly and honestly happy. It's weird saying it because I have gone so long without it.

It must be the wanderlust. Or the fact that I am finally able to live out the first dream of many.

I get to work. I get to travel. I get to explore. I get to be a tourist in a "foreign land". I get to see a whole new continent and meet a whole new buffet of people....is that too hannibal? 

I guess hard work really does pay off and it took me nearly a year full of tears, silence, hours sleeping or watching Netflix alone to realize it.