How can you write about something that happened two years ago? Why would you? I don’t know. But, there is no arguing that some experiences haunt you a lifetime. There’s so much about Australia to say, I lived there for nearly six months.

First off,

the warehouse.

When I arrived at the airport, I had nothing but my suitcase - I don’t know what angels and stars lined up but there was a girl handing out free sim cards for uni students. I grabbed one and texted the girl I met in Spain. She had agreed to pick me up from the airport that night. Who does that?

She arrived in a big white van, and took me to a warehouse on a street named Hope. I met so many characters that night. I was offered so many things. But, I was sick. (Ulcerative Colitis sucks). I could not digest any food, and I had already lost some weight. I took residence in a room called “the cave” and basically hibernated there for two weeks until my student aid check cleared. Everyone at the warehouse shared food, clothes, heaters, stories and comfort with me.

Actually, the first night I ever spent in Australia ended up with (let’s call her Beth) and I, and a beautiful girl named Keanna cuddling me to sleep with chocolate. That’s what would be most important on my trip in Australia; kindness.

That’s what my whole experience abroad would remind me of. Humans are kind.

There’s honestly so much to go over. How do I write about 5 months in a different country, where my entire idea about life would be flipped upside-down to match the hemisphere I was in? Just kidding.

I’ll start with education.

The whole reason I was here, was to study abroad. I was accepted into the communications program at the University of Melbourne, and that school is not a fucking joke. It’s ranked very high in education and was one of the locations for the Harry Potter Movies. So you know it's magical.

I studied communications, screenwriting, and Australia’s history as a country, along with the history of colonization and modern culture. I also had this weird ass fucking class about the body. The caliber of education was much higher than I was used to, not even going to lie. I felt like an idiot. I did learn a lot though. For example, I learned that people will always ask you about which celebrities you know. People will ask you if America is like what they see in the movies. Does everyone own a gun?

For me, it was starting to feel more and more like my own movie. Since I found Beth, and the Cave, and cheap housing...I told the housing abroad program to piss off and kept my housing aid loans. I used that money to keep traveling. I have no regrets.