Your Love is Strong

Easter Sunday was yesterday here is Australia. It was my first Easter away from home and it was a tough one. I woke up happy but the dreary weather quickly put a damper on my mood. Katie and I walked to church but it just didn't feel right. Going to church felt right, but not going to my church didn't feel right, it didn't feel like home. I didn't have a delicious dinner to look forward to. All I could think of was my lean cuisine sitting in the freezer and how it would probably be the extent of my Easter dinner. Suddenly, I missed home the most since I've been here. I don't think you realize how valuable friends and family are on holidays until you don't have them there. Katie and I were going to go to an Easter art show but I was just not in an emotional state to go out. I sat in my room, feeling pretty lonely and depressed. I tried to nap but my mind wouldn't stop racing. Sweet Katie sent me a text saying she left something for me downstairs so once I mustered up the energy I headed down there. On every stair step there was a chocolate egg trailing to my makeshift Easter basket filled with an assortment of candy. It definitely brightened my mood but still didn't take away the loneliness I felt. After awhile I invited Katie back over and I made us some spaghetti and we watched Ratatouille. Though it didn't feel Easter-esque it was still enjoyable. When I woke up this morning and checked facebook, everyone's statuses were about Easter and all of a sudden it felt like Easter. Almost as if I couldn't celebrate Easter until my friends and family back home could too. So to me, today is Easter and I am definitely okay with that. I ate a chocolate bunny for breakfast and listened to some music to have my own little Easter celebration. One of the songs I listened to was "Your Love is Strong" by Jon Foreman and I ended up putting it on repeat. What a wonderful message. Thanks Jon, and thank you Jesus for your strong love and what you gave up for my sake.

Heavenly Father, you always amaze me
Let your kingdom come in my world and in my life
Give me the food I need to live through today and
Forgive me as I forgive the people that wrong me
Lead me far from temptation
Deliver me from the evil one

I look out the window the birds are composing
Not a note is out of tune or out of place
I walk to the meadow and stare at the flowers
Better dressed than any girl on her wedding day

So why do I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need

Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong

The kingdom of the heavens is now advancing
Invade my heart, invade this broken town
The kingdom of the Heavens is buried treasure
Would you sell yourself to buy the one you've found?

Two things you told me
That you are strong
And you love me
Yes, you love me

Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong

Our God in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Above all names
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us weary sinners
Keep us far away from our vices
And deliver us from these prisons

Breaking Point

Today was my last day of classes for 2 1/2 weeks! I am so thankful for a break! I'm officially half way through the semester, which is honestly pretty hard to believe. I've been here for 7 weeks and have 12 1/2 more to go. It's crazy how time is flying by. I mean, like everyone else, I definitely have days that drag on and on but acknowledging that it's been 7 weeks makes me realize how quickly time is passing. This last week has been insanity. I've had so much due in classes and just more work than I really want to do while I'm in... Australia. Come on, who honestly wants to be stuck studying in a room for days on end when they're HERE? Thankfully, I have so much to look forward to. First of all, Easter is this Sunday and it's one of my favorite holidays! Then on Tuesday Katie and I are flying to the Gold Coast and we'll be there for five days. We're planning on beach bumming, going to Brisbane, and going to Dreamworld! I am so incredibly stoked. I seriously just sit here sometimes, look around, and think "Wow, what a fun time in my life." Things have been so good for me lately and as much as I miss home and all the people I love there, I am so happy I'm here!

Paddington Bear

Okay maybe not the bear... but a cute district of Sydney. I just love the name. Probably because it makes me think of that cute little bear wearing galoshes. Anywho, Katie and I decided to take a day trip there yesterday and it was a lot of fun. It's a classier part of Sydney, filled with designer shops and swanky restaurants but it was a lot of fun just walking around. They also have a Saturday Market that we spent a good part of the afternoon at. We ate some delicious Thai food while listening to a three man band sing "Good Lovin'." I think the only market goods we actually purchased were some bags of this unbelievable fresh Australian chocolate. The package I bought was caramelized honeycomb covered in dark chocolate. It's to die for... and to eat all within two days apparently! :) We did find some bargain shops and did a little shopping and walked down to the nearby Darlinghurst district. We saw some pretty entertaining things there, including a man being make-uped by a MAC employee. I'm still pretty unsure what the was all about... but enjoy the photos!










Oh and I fell in love with this pup and was very tempted to take it home with me!

I'm still alive!

Classes started on February 22nd and ever since then I have been a very lazy blogger. Being tired 90% of the time doesn't make me very inclined to blog. Neither does having tonsillitis, really. Luckily for antibiotics I'm back in business. Though I have had a sore throat the last few days, I am praying it's allergies or the air at night or something other than a third re-occurrence of a throat infection. So, here is another blog entry to inform my friends and family that I am in fact still living.

When school started Katie and I decided that we would make sure we did something fun and memorable every weekend. Two weekends ago we took off to the town of Manly. After a lot of confusion regarding the train system we finally made it to the city. From there we took a ferry to Manly which was a pretty cool experience in and of itself. The ferry was rather large and we got decent place to stand outside. The views from the ferry were beautiful. The Opera House and Harbour Bridge were SO CLOSE! It was a great day to take photos. I took photos with my SLR (which I'm now glad I did) only because my little digital camera sadly saw its final day a few weeks ago. Another big plus to the ferry ride... a handsome, friendly English bloke was standing next to me and chatting with me. What more could you want?

When we got to Manly I was really excited because I thought Manly was just a beach. But Manly is this little beachy island that has just about everything. I instantly fell in love! It felt very California-esque and I loved everything about it. We even found a little hole in the wall used book store and I got four books for such a great deal! At Manly there's a main, famous beach and a smaller, less busy beach. We spent awhile lounging around at the smaller beach. It was unbelievably hot that day so it was a great day to be near water! I walked around in the ocean a litte... not too deep though because I'll admit... I'm a little baby when it comes to sea creatures. We spent the rest of the day just walking around, lounging about, and drinking smoothies. It's a rough life.

The City

On Tuesday... so for most of you on Monday... we went on a tour of the city. We live about 15 miles outside of Sydney so it's not like we can see the Opera house from our windows or anything. We hopped onto this cool double-decker bus and drove through the city while our tour guide told us all she knew about it. Our first stop was a place that I believe is called look out point or something along those lines. Basically it's a really good place to go if you want a good view of the Sydney Harbour with the Opera House and bridge. We got out took photos and walked around. Then we hopped back on the bus and went to one of Australia's most famous beaches, Bondi Beach. There's even a reality show that takes place there and they were doing filming. Zac Efron was even there! It was a beautiful beach with clear turquoise water and nearly white sand. The wind was ridiculous though. Our tour guide who lives around the corner from the beach said she hadn't seen it that windy in many years. Regardless of the wind, it was a nice place to enjoy lunch and some sunshine. After awhile we headed over to a place they call "The Gap." Apparently it's most famous for being the number one place people commit suicide. Just a TAD morbid but it was still a cool place. We were so far above the ocean and the view was gorgeous. I guess there have been a lot of ship wrecks there because when the lighthouse isn't working ships can't see the rocks and crash. They even have an anchor on display from a ship that crashed there years ago. Out of 120+ passengers, only one survived by clinging onto the rocks until some locals found him. Sad huh? After wards we headed to a popular bar in Sydney for a drink. I had a glass of some pretty good white wine. After a long day of touring and that glass of wine I was ready for a nap! And that is exactly what I did when I got home. =)

The first most.... horrible, fun, painful, exciting, exhausting, wonderful, tear jerking... days.

Okay, so let's start with the flights. We (as in Katie, who goes to OSU as well) flew on a plane from Portland to San Fransisco, where our connection was. It was the tiniest, scariest plane and it was such a crazy bumpy ride. Luckily, it was only an hour and fifteen minutes. So we get to the San Fran airport and we had some stuff to figure out... but don't worry, we had 8 HOURS until our flight left... so we got everything figured out. We spent our time eating and I watched the episodes of The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser, and Lost that I deprived myself of that week. It went by quicker than I imagined it would, though the anticipation was killing me. Our flight finally started boarding at 10:05 p.m. and we stepped onto the biggest plane I've ever seen (except in movies) or been on. We got situated, took off, and fell asleep an hour or so into the flight... consequently missing dinner. So we were starving for quite sometime until they brought some snack packs by. I slept in about 30-45 minute increments probably about 6 or 7 times. So if you can do the math... it wasn't very much sleep, and broken sleep is even worse. I thought I knew how long 15 hours felt like... turns out I had no idea how long that actually was. I remember waking up and feeling like we should be well past half way, only to find out that we had barely made it 1/3 of the way. It took a lot of patience and some distractions to make it through but let me tell you... nothing is better than waking up, opening the window, and seeing this...

I know right?! Gorgeous. I couldn't fall back asleep after I saw that. We flew over Sydney about two and a half hours after this and it was crazy. This place that they call Australia, is in fact real. It's not some pretend place that we just talk about... I saw it. Opera House and everything. Here, I'll show you what I saw from the plane...


You have no idea how exciting this was to see. It's like I've been waiting for this to happen for so long. And it's right there, I can see it, and I'm SO close.

So we got off the plane, went through customs/immigration/etc and found our group. Then we went outside. BIG MISTAKE. I think people on the east coast think they know what humidity is but I've got news for them. When its 100 degrees and the highest possible humidity and you're in a place that has virtually no ozone... you feel like you could just pass out on the side walk and die. I considered doing this but tried to push through. I did get a nice wake-me-up kick in the butt (almost literally) from our bus driver who let go of my 70 lb bag that slammed into my leg scraping and bruising me pretty badly. But... no worries, mate. Can I just say I probably hear "No worries." or "No worries, mate." approximately 30 times a day. It's apparently the cool thing to say and also a substitute for you're welcome.

We get to our apartment complex and I am given the keys to my place. I walk in and basically just burst into tears. It is absolutely trashed. And although I know I am quite the exaggerator, I kid you not, this is the most disgusting and smelly place I'd ever seen. I'm talking rotting food everywhere, flies, maggots, trash, used... personal items, piled dishes, and everything else awful you can think of. Turns out... they never cleaned it out after the summer residents. I was pretty mad but didn't want it to ruin my first day. As of today, I have a clean apartment so much has improved in that category. I'll post photos of my room in my next blog entry.

We decided to walk to the mall which we thought was a ten minute walk. Well, it's not. It's more like 30 minutes. I know that's not long but again, 100 degree weather and that humidity makes it feel like hours. So we do some shopping, oh by the way everything here is so ridiculously priced. The US$ and the AUD$ are close to being equal so it does not make up for it. For example, one towel, $40. My $5 face wash from home... $17. Movie tickets...$18. Let's just say I am NOT regretting stuffing my two giant suitcases so full that they barely qualified to make it on the plane. Anyways... at this point my strep throat thing (which I didn't mention before but I was pretty sure and still kind of am sure that I have strep considering I get it often, know what it's like, and have some nice pustules in the back of my throat) is killing me. I can't even swallow my own saliva. I am so incredibly dehydrated and exhausted that I get the worse migraine I've ever had in my life. I tried to tough it out... but I honestly couldn't see straight anymore. My vision was blurry and I couldn't walk straight. I lost it. I could not stop crying. I ripped open the toilet paper I bought and bawled my eyes out. A guy came up to me and allegedly asked "Are you okay?" but all I could hear over and over was "Are you cut?" Katie ran all around asking everyone she saw to try to figure out what we could do. We ended up taking a taxi home, I took some migraine medicine, and napped. It took the migraine away but not the throat stuff. I managed to make it through the rest of the evening... and I also managed to blow up my hair dryer. It literally caught on fire when I plugged it in. I learned the hard way that most US hair dryers can't handle 240 volts. At least it wasn't my lap top! Which I did bravely plug in today (two days after the hair dryer incident) and it worked! I went to bed at 9:00, because in Oregon time it was really 2 in the morning.

So day two... I barely slept the night before because I kept waking up in pain. Katie and I went to get some groceries and some other stuff and I loaded up on popsicles and yogurt. I'm super thankful I did that because that's all I ate for the next 24 hours. But, unfortunately for me... I wasn't eating enough and apparently taking too much ibuprofen for how little I was eating, so I spent my sleepless night vomiting every hour or so. And let me just tell you how good stomach acid feels on a sore throat!

So I took a shower and decided to be up for the day, which just happens to be today, and it is also Valentines Day. Which took me awhile to realize and I think I might have cared for about 3 seconds and quickly got over it. So today... today was good. I miraculously started feeling a little better. Still got the pus going on, still taking the IB, but I am eating solids, and enjoying myself. I got an awesome Aussie roommate today names Heidi and I really like her a lot. I'm getting to know some people here and I'm really looking forward to everything that is to come. I'm learning to adjust and realizing (Which they would spell "realising") that not everyday is going to be wonderful. You've got to take the bad with the good. But I'm thinking there's going to be a lot more good going on down here than bad.

P.S.

THINGS I'VE LEARNED:

• elevators=lifts

• jello=jelly

• jelly=jam

• they don't do peanut butter and jelly here... they think it's a gross combo?!

• granola bars= musely bars

• diapers=nappies

• shopping carts=trolleys

• lines=ques as in "are you in que?"

• Vegemite=sick nasty

• Vegemite cheesy bite=even worse

• for here or to go=eat in or take away (sounds like "aiden or tegway?")

• kilojoules are about 4.19 the amount of calories... so take a calculator with you to the grocery store

• check voltages before plugging things in

• be careful when crossing the street... cars come from a direction you're not used to

• don't try to get on the bus on the right side... there's no door

• don't carry big backpacks on your back in small stores... or domino effects of shelf products are a common occurrence
  

• if you look like an fool, just start talking and they'll understand... because you're American... and you don't get it

All my love from Sydney! Have a good Valentine's Day tomorrow!

2 weeks.

I can't even believe I leave in two weeks. My flight leaves Portland at 1 o'clock on February 10th. That is ridiculously soon! My mind has been very distracted the last few days due to my mom being extremely ill with meningitis and in the hospital. I'm pretty behind on packing and getting the things I need, but life happens and family is a priority. I'm so thankful for all the people who have been praying for my mom. I am a strong believer that prayer can be very powerful and I am so blessed with people in my life who are so willing to pray for my family. I think it made a big difference.

Despite the craziness that has been going on this week I have so much to be thankful for, especially financially. I was so concerned about money the beginning of December. No matter how I calculated it I kept coming up really short for the trip. I was so worried I wouldn't have enough money so I started working 60 hour weeks to try to make up the difference. But alas, God started pulling some strings and providing for me. The school in Australia (who refused to allow me to pay tuition in two payments) randomly sent me an email allowing me to do so, my scholarship pushed some money forward so I wouldn't arrive in Australia empty handed, and a couple amazingly generous people have surprised me with contributions to my trip. This just makes me realize how much I need to trust God and stop relying solely on myself. God won't necessarily provide for you directly, but he sure will indirectly, through other people.

Well, I'll be moving out of my apartment this weekend and then I have three more days left at work. I really like working at Fran's but it will be nice to move on. It's very bittersweet. I think I will miss the regular customers the most. I've worked there for two years and I've grown to love quite a few customers there. It'll be hard not seeing Craig and Janet on Monday nights, Cheryl most every night, talking to Bill while I make his ridiculously hot latte, seeing the cute couples that come in regularly, and all the other familiar, friendly faces that made working long shifts so much easier. I will also miss my girls so much. My co-worker, and good friend Eva is throwing me a going away party this Sunday which will be really fun. It'll be nice to have one last day with all the girls. I feel like time is running out so quickly and I have so many people I want to spend time with before I leave! I really hope I get to see everyone I want to see!

No turning back

It's official: I purchased my plane ticket to Australia. It was $1500 and non refundable... so there's NO turning back. But, I don't think I could be any more excited than I am right now. I don't think this trip could come at a better time. I am in desperate need from a break from life here and a chance to move on from a lot of my past. 2009 was a year filled with disappointment and serious heartbreak so I'm glad I get to (basically) start 2010 in a new place. New people, new school, new surroundings, new beginnings. I'm so ridiculously excited. I realized the other day that I'm surprisingly not nervous. Which is strange for me because I'm usually a nervous wreck. My boss asked me if I was nervous and it took me a second to respond and after thinking about it I said "Actually no, I'm not." I think that I'm just too excited to be nervous. I'll probably be nervous on the 15 hour flight from San Fransisco to Sydney! But other than that, I couldn't be more thrilled!

I leave February 10th... a month from this Sunday. I can't believe how much I have to do by then! I have so much to get organized, appointments to make, an apartment to pack up, and things to buy. Not to mention, I'm working a ton... which is wonderful but doesn't leave a ton of time for me to accomplish everything I need to. I'm not too worried though, I know I'll get everything done.

P.S. I'm going to be going from this freezing. rainy Oregon weather to ridiculously sunny, 90 degree weather!

It's December already?!

I cannot believe we're already a week into December. I don't know if it's just me but I swear November and December slip away much faster than the other months. It's like Halloween happens, then you wake up a few days later and you're eating Turkey on Thanksgiving, and then all of a sudden you're rushing around doing Christmasy things. What a crazy, chaotic, wonderful time of year.

These last two weeks have been ridiculously chaotic. Dead week and finals week have not been treating me very well but come this Friday it will all be over. And I am happy to say that I will not be attending school in the States until next fall.

I leave to study abroad at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia on February 10th. Words cannot express the excitement that I feel. I know it's only two short months away but I am getting so eager! I want it to be so much sooner than it is! But all good things are worth waiting for. I come home sometime around June 27th. So it will be quite the long adventure! I am excited to do a sort of travel blog while I'm gone.

Aside from listening to Christmas music 97% of the time, I have become mildly obsessed with Phil Wickham. I never really listened to him much until last February when my roommate and I went to go see JJ Heller in concert. Phil was the second act and I have never been so in awe of a musician before. First of all, his voice is unreal. I've never heard anyone with the kind of range that he has. His music is unbelievable. A new album came out a few weeks ago and I am loving it just as much as his other stuff. There are some of his songs that I can just put on repeat and not get sick of. The song that plays on my blog is called "You're Beautiful" and it honestly brings tears to my eyes everytime I hear it. It is such a beautiful song with such an beautiful meaning. Everything about God is so beautiful and this song expresses that. Ahh... I am just in love... with him and his music. Oh, and I am going to his concert in Portland on New Years Eve! I can't wait!

And if you forgot how ridiculously awesome and beautiful God is...