One week left.....

Final Blog

Well I must apologize for the lack of blogging....and I am sad to say, this will most likely be my last blog entry. As of today I have 2 days left in Lismore at the SCU campus, then 2 nights in Brisbane at a friend’s house, then I am off to Fiji from the 5th until the 8th when I will be returning home to Chicago... scary!
I can’t believe my four months in Australia is nearly over, it seems like I am just getting settled into my routine and life here and now I have to return home...
Looking at my last blog I guess I have about a month to catch you all up on... I’ll try not to bore you with the details...
After returning from Fraser I settled back into Lismore and had to do some actual school work, that was torture, after not doing work for so long seems as if my body forgot how to write papers, BUT now all my assignments are finished!
My parents were here for two weeks, it was an incredible two weeks. We spend the first 5 days that they were here between Sydney, for 2 nights, then Cairns for 2 nights. We were able to see the beautiful Sydney bridge as well as the Opera house, we snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef, AND went scuba diving, all three of us, I was told not to share stories about my parents, but let’s just say it was one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time. Once we returned to Lismore, I had to get off to do some more work and my parents took a day to recover from scuba diving as well as a busy first week in Australia... Later in the week we visited my favourite beach in Australia, Shelly Beach, it was a beautiful winter day in Australia spent sun tanning on what had seemed to be our own private beach, we had lunch and a cute cafe and enjoyed the cloudless skies! On Friday we spend our day in Byron Bay, and again had a beautiful winter day spent sunbathing! We only took a break from the sun to go catch some kebabs for lunch, which mom and dad both loved! We also indulged in some gelato!
Saturday was my 21st birthday, so we spent the morning making pancakes and eggs, well more or less dad made pancakes and eggs for my roomies and me. It was a beautiful morning. Laid by the pool for a bit in the afternoon, then went and had my first ‘legal’ drink at a bar called Mary’s downtown Lismore. My parents and I went to a restaurant called Tommy’s for dinner, then headed back to my apartment where my roommates had already started the party...needless to say, it was one heck of a 21st birthday spent in Australia!
Sunday morning we somehow managed to navigate our way up to Brisbane to go visit some family friends, who have probably the most beautiful house I have ever seen. It was absolutely wonderful, fitted with two horses and two cows, among many other animals. We had a wonderful dinner with them on Sunday night then went into the city of Brisbane on Monday before I had to catch a bus back down to Lismore later in the afternoon... we were able to go to Mt. Coo-tha and a few other attractions in Brisbane, it was a really fun two days!
Now I am settled back into Lismore and just relaxing, it is the beginning of the winter here in Lismore, some days are rainy then others I am laying by the pool! Just relaxing and enjoying my final few days with many of my friends here at SCU....
Reality finally is setting in that I only a few days left... I have began packing, not really understanding how I was able to fit my whole life into two suit cases for four months... especially now that I’m trying to do it again... not that easy!
Well... I think that is the bases of my life in Australia... now I’m off to finish packing and spending time with my roomies here before I leave Thursday night...
More stories to come, but next time they will be in person... thanks to all of you who have followed my blog, I look forward to seeing you all in about a week.
Love,
Jori