Every morning from now on, I will wake up with a smile. The past 28 days have forever changed me and I am so grateful.
I am so blessed to attend a university that offers study away programs like this for students like me. Not only was I able to go with one of my favorite professors, but I went with the most amazing Lutes. I have made relationships and memories that will last me a lifetime. This is my Australian family.
I can’t even begin to find words to describe this past month. As soon as I got home, my family and friends asked me the big question- “so how was your trip to Australia?” Such a simple question with an answer that I can’t even begin to formulate. It was exciting, busy, scary, nerve-wracking, full of smiles, laughs, good times and eye-opening. We did so many different things that I keep playing back in my mind.
On the last Tuesday of the trip, I climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge with Siri, Emily, Marisa and Maddie. Being at the top of the bridge at night overlooking all of Sydney was absolutely stunning. Here I was, a 19-year old girl from Federal Way, Washington, the first in her family to go to college, on top of one of the biggest bridges in the world overlooking the Sydney Opera House. Tomorrow was going to be my last day in Australia. I was here with four girls that I didn’t know the month before that were now sisters to me. It really hit me everything that we had done. Getting accustom to a new country in Melbourne, visiting the War Memorial and Parliament in Canberra and now here I was in the last leg of the trip in Sydney, on top of one of the three bridges in the world you can climb. Life just doesn’t get any better than this.
This trip was one of the best experiences of my life. Australia is a beautiful country that has forever left its mark on me. I want to thank my family and friends for supporting me in this endeavor and Pacific Lutheran University for this opportunity. Life as a lute is pretty sweet and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for my future
PLU Australia 2014 