My dad told me as soon as I got here, it doesn't matter where you go, just who you go with.
Well I came to Australia on my own, so that leaves a lot of space for fellow travellers. Maybe I just got lucky in that I met the best possible ones.
Now let me, tell you hands down, homesickness is a sickness. An illness. Symptoms include: nausea, fatigue, melancholy, and a constant sense of dread. The cure: a good group of people.
So in the insanity of last week, it doesn't matter to me what I did, or the places I saw, just the people I was with. Honestly its what make the pictures and the memories that much more meaningful.
Unknowingly, I witnessed my first companions in the baggage claim. A tall young looking guy and a small girl with a southern accent were collecting their very much oversized bags. Both blonde, one wearing a camo hat. Both undoubtedly screaming American. I didn't actually say a word to them until the first day. And only later did I find out that they were hands down the best dancers in the group, especially after the boy had a couple of drinks. And it never took too long for those drinks to take effect. The image of Ben brynieing while screaming that Hooten the beer, sounded exactly like the American restaurant Hooters, can never actually be as hysterical on video as it was in real life. Especially since he was the only American boy. Never been more proud of my home country honestly.
I met Aliesha at the line for the shuttle. She kind of uncomfortably copied the position I was sitting in, at a awkward distance from me. Instantly meaning please please please talk to me. I recognised the signs and struck up a conversation, secretly having been dying for someone to talk as well. Despite being five years older then me, we shared a lot in common. She was half Jamaican, wanted to stay in Australia for three months and wanted to work in the hospitality business. Now as it always happens when you meet someone with vaguely similar interests to you and who doesn't seem like a complete psychopath, we committed ourselves to living and traveling with each other throughout our entire stay. And yet we still hadn't left the airport. Like most of my other plans this trip, that fell through. But Aleisha never the less has remained a close friend, and a mother hen. She roomed with me the first few days, stayed up with me late at night when I couldn't sleep, got her boyfriend to comfort me via skype, and has always kept an eye out for me. She is most definitely the best non-psychopath, half Jamaican with vaguely similar interests to me that I have ever met. Without her those first few days, I could have jumped out a window or worse gotten lost to the boy who slept beneath my bed in the hostel.
Now come the Brits. The only people who I had contacted before arriving to Australia. I didn't remember any of the boys names, solely the girls. To be honest I completely forgot about them until I ran into Sophie in the bathroom. While other people helped me make strides towards making me feel at home, these people made leaps. The first time my stomach un-tightened was when I sat down beside Emily for the first time and she threw her arm around me, despite being quite a lot smaller, and promised to take care of me. The first time I laughed, like really laughed, was later that night when me, Emily, Tom and Rob played a game of pool, where despite being the most sober, I forgot which team I was on and smashed one of the bar's lightbulbs. The first time I felt completely safe and at home was when I was lying on Emily's bed, half asleep, curled up on one end while Rob blasted very girly music and sang along across from us. Me and Harriet bonded over Harry Potter. After one long car ride, me and Sophie pretty much knew we were going to be friends till the end. Tom of course was the most rude yet funniest. And so with that we created a kind of haphazard family, with their mascot, me, their crazy token American. Don't worry I haven't forgotten about Joe and Lauren and Beth and Zac, and the two Irish lads, you guys are really really amazing as well, and I'll see you all soon.
Lastly there is Val. Now Val is Dutch and my straight up sister. I love everything about her from her sense of style to her sense of humour. In half broken English, that at times needed a lot of repeating, we became very close. The first time I told Val I was homesick and hadn't eaten in two days, she tried to ram her sandwich down my throat. She also leaves December 15th, but unlike me is extremely decisive so barely after two days if being in Sydney booked her ticket to Cairns with two random German boys she had only just met. Needless to say she is awesome. And I wanted to chase after her I really did. I still do. I miss her so much. Maybe I am just scared or maybe it just doesn't make that much sense. But Val is someone who I am going to constantly be chasing afterwards, whether its to Cairns or to Amsterdam.
This is only a snippet of the group of people I adopted in this past week. There is also Serafine (who I am having lunch with tomorrow), Canadian Valerie, Emelie, Danny, Heather (my bigger sister, and the person whose advice I love the most), Marie, Jaimie, the crazy dutch guy, the entire Ultimate Oz Crew and the people I am staying with. I had the most incredible time with them, telling stories, camping, sand boarding, snorkelling, surfing, dancing, singing....etc.
Then the week is over. Emily and Rob are in a camper van going up the East Coast. Harriet its in Melbourne. Aleisha is somewhere lost in Sydney. Val, Emilie, Lauren, Beth, the two German boys and soon Serafine are in Cairns. Sophie, Joe, Nick and the two Irish lads are in Darling Harbour. Danny and Heather are at base camp. Zac is on a farm. Tom is soon gonna be in Vietnam.
And Me?
Right now I am house sitting for a friend in Bronte. Having no idea what I am doing tomorrow, much less next week. So here I am all alone in this house, watching movies, playing on the computer, eating free food, doing free laundry and I am homesick. Not for Washington DC as much as for a week ago. I wish we could all be together again, and everything could be figured out.
But thats not how it works.
I called Sophie telling her I was nervous about what was going to be happen to me. I had turned down an au pair job this morning- the potential job I turned down the apartment she is living in for. And am about to turn down a charity fundraising job. She gave me the number of some random ad she saw for an apartment on the street, told me to come over tomorrow after seeing it, and made me laugh.
Emily called me immediately after I texted her. She was driving while Rob was holding the phone. It felt as if I was being reassured by my mom and dad. I am Alright, Treacle.
If Val were here she would probably sympathise with exactly how I was feeling in slow English and then go get McDonalds with me.
Tom would make me laugh and then buy me a beer or at least make me buy him one.
Danny would tell me to grow up and be independent in some unintelligible Scottish accent.
Heather would hug me and give me tons of great advice.
And so yes I am alone again. The week is over. But they are still here. I still have a haphazard family that I am incredibly thankful for, and that I love.
Well I came to Australia on my own, so that leaves a lot of space for fellow travellers. Maybe I just got lucky in that I met the best possible ones.
Now let me, tell you hands down, homesickness is a sickness. An illness. Symptoms include: nausea, fatigue, melancholy, and a constant sense of dread. The cure: a good group of people.
So in the insanity of last week, it doesn't matter to me what I did, or the places I saw, just the people I was with. Honestly its what make the pictures and the memories that much more meaningful.
Unknowingly, I witnessed my first companions in the baggage claim. A tall young looking guy and a small girl with a southern accent were collecting their very much oversized bags. Both blonde, one wearing a camo hat. Both undoubtedly screaming American. I didn't actually say a word to them until the first day. And only later did I find out that they were hands down the best dancers in the group, especially after the boy had a couple of drinks. And it never took too long for those drinks to take effect. The image of Ben brynieing while screaming that Hooten the beer, sounded exactly like the American restaurant Hooters, can never actually be as hysterical on video as it was in real life. Especially since he was the only American boy. Never been more proud of my home country honestly.
I met Aliesha at the line for the shuttle. She kind of uncomfortably copied the position I was sitting in, at a awkward distance from me. Instantly meaning please please please talk to me. I recognised the signs and struck up a conversation, secretly having been dying for someone to talk as well. Despite being five years older then me, we shared a lot in common. She was half Jamaican, wanted to stay in Australia for three months and wanted to work in the hospitality business. Now as it always happens when you meet someone with vaguely similar interests to you and who doesn't seem like a complete psychopath, we committed ourselves to living and traveling with each other throughout our entire stay. And yet we still hadn't left the airport. Like most of my other plans this trip, that fell through. But Aleisha never the less has remained a close friend, and a mother hen. She roomed with me the first few days, stayed up with me late at night when I couldn't sleep, got her boyfriend to comfort me via skype, and has always kept an eye out for me. She is most definitely the best non-psychopath, half Jamaican with vaguely similar interests to me that I have ever met. Without her those first few days, I could have jumped out a window or worse gotten lost to the boy who slept beneath my bed in the hostel.
Now come the Brits. The only people who I had contacted before arriving to Australia. I didn't remember any of the boys names, solely the girls. To be honest I completely forgot about them until I ran into Sophie in the bathroom. While other people helped me make strides towards making me feel at home, these people made leaps. The first time my stomach un-tightened was when I sat down beside Emily for the first time and she threw her arm around me, despite being quite a lot smaller, and promised to take care of me. The first time I laughed, like really laughed, was later that night when me, Emily, Tom and Rob played a game of pool, where despite being the most sober, I forgot which team I was on and smashed one of the bar's lightbulbs. The first time I felt completely safe and at home was when I was lying on Emily's bed, half asleep, curled up on one end while Rob blasted very girly music and sang along across from us. Me and Harriet bonded over Harry Potter. After one long car ride, me and Sophie pretty much knew we were going to be friends till the end. Tom of course was the most rude yet funniest. And so with that we created a kind of haphazard family, with their mascot, me, their crazy token American. Don't worry I haven't forgotten about Joe and Lauren and Beth and Zac, and the two Irish lads, you guys are really really amazing as well, and I'll see you all soon.
Lastly there is Val. Now Val is Dutch and my straight up sister. I love everything about her from her sense of style to her sense of humour. In half broken English, that at times needed a lot of repeating, we became very close. The first time I told Val I was homesick and hadn't eaten in two days, she tried to ram her sandwich down my throat. She also leaves December 15th, but unlike me is extremely decisive so barely after two days if being in Sydney booked her ticket to Cairns with two random German boys she had only just met. Needless to say she is awesome. And I wanted to chase after her I really did. I still do. I miss her so much. Maybe I am just scared or maybe it just doesn't make that much sense. But Val is someone who I am going to constantly be chasing afterwards, whether its to Cairns or to Amsterdam.
This is only a snippet of the group of people I adopted in this past week. There is also Serafine (who I am having lunch with tomorrow), Canadian Valerie, Emelie, Danny, Heather (my bigger sister, and the person whose advice I love the most), Marie, Jaimie, the crazy dutch guy, the entire Ultimate Oz Crew and the people I am staying with. I had the most incredible time with them, telling stories, camping, sand boarding, snorkelling, surfing, dancing, singing....etc.
Then the week is over. Emily and Rob are in a camper van going up the East Coast. Harriet its in Melbourne. Aleisha is somewhere lost in Sydney. Val, Emilie, Lauren, Beth, the two German boys and soon Serafine are in Cairns. Sophie, Joe, Nick and the two Irish lads are in Darling Harbour. Danny and Heather are at base camp. Zac is on a farm. Tom is soon gonna be in Vietnam.
And Me?
Right now I am house sitting for a friend in Bronte. Having no idea what I am doing tomorrow, much less next week. So here I am all alone in this house, watching movies, playing on the computer, eating free food, doing free laundry and I am homesick. Not for Washington DC as much as for a week ago. I wish we could all be together again, and everything could be figured out.
But thats not how it works.
I called Sophie telling her I was nervous about what was going to be happen to me. I had turned down an au pair job this morning- the potential job I turned down the apartment she is living in for. And am about to turn down a charity fundraising job. She gave me the number of some random ad she saw for an apartment on the street, told me to come over tomorrow after seeing it, and made me laugh.
Emily called me immediately after I texted her. She was driving while Rob was holding the phone. It felt as if I was being reassured by my mom and dad. I am Alright, Treacle.
If Val were here she would probably sympathise with exactly how I was feeling in slow English and then go get McDonalds with me.
Tom would make me laugh and then buy me a beer or at least make me buy him one.
Danny would tell me to grow up and be independent in some unintelligible Scottish accent.
Heather would hug me and give me tons of great advice.
And so yes I am alone again. The week is over. But they are still here. I still have a haphazard family that I am incredibly thankful for, and that I love.
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