The Gabtrotter

After being back in the United States for a solid 10 days, I’ve come to the conclusion that that chapter of my life went by too quickly. I guess because it is this faraway place, it has the ability to seem less real than other chapters. Whereas, with things I miss or think about around here, I am reminded of them much easier since I am surrounded by them or pass by them regularly.

The night of our goodbye party, I mentioned in conversation that it is a sad realization that “this is the closest we will all ever be again.” My friends and I from this trip will probably never be in such close proximity at the same time, and as close again emotionally. There are always exceptions to the rule, but it is unlikely and that is a sad realization. For, there are not many times in life where you grow close with people and know for a fact that this will be as close as you will ever be, I guess when certain friends are moving or you are leaving you always assume that you’ll have the chance to be close again because you’ve had them part of your life for so long. With study abroad it is a bit different than that.

I guess that is what makes studying abroad such a highly regarded experience: for a short while you experience what it is like to live and create a world in another country, with different friends, different foods and life-altering experiences. For the most part, all of these experiences and ways of life are temporary-, which in a sense romanticizes the whole thing. Already, I have a tendency with nostalgia only remembering the good and forgetting the bad—oh sweet memory. As I think about the times from Australia, I remember them with fondness and appreciation more and more.

My friends and I at our goodbye party

Right now I feel like I am in limbo, the times here in Australia are on their final stretch. This is the last week of hanging out with friends I’ve made here, along the way. The final times I take the bus, or the train, or sit on my favorite beach. As the week goes along, and then when I finally step foot on that plane so will mark the end of another era. The lasts are here, the silent goodbyes, the snapshots that I am trying to take not only with my iphone but also with my quiet memory, where nostalgia will revisit in the months and even years ahead.

It’s always sad when a door closes. Shaking hands and a hug goodbye to my professors brought on a lone tear of appreciation.  For a short time this was my campus, my territory, but because it was so far from the place that I call my real home, it allowed for a different kind of growth and learning.

I came to Australia with the naive perspective that every experience I had was going to be amazing, and unique. That because I was halfway around the world every person I met was going to be interesting, and life altering. I did meet some interesting people, and a lot of interesting and unique things happened to me – but for the most part life here was not all that different than life over there. A good friend of mine’s mother said to her before she left that, “people are people – no matter where you are.” If there is one thing that I have learned abroad and in college, is that this is true. People are people and that life is life – no matter where you are and what you are doing. There are always going to be the few that you get close to and the few that you could have done without, and there are always going to be the times that leave you reeling years down the line and the times that you won’t remember a week from when it happened (because something’s are worth forgetting about).

Before I left, I told one of my best friends that I didn’t think too much would change at home while I was gone, and now I am getting ready to return to a place where my whole world is different. I’m returning to a place where I didn’t get to say those permanent goodbyes for I thought I’d have the chance to say them later… I guess you can say that I’ve really learned the meaning behind the quote: “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.” While I was making other plans, living here in Australia, my life at home altered and changed – people I thought that would always be there – left. No romantic goodbyes, just a couple of e-mails.

It’s weird to think how life can be going on with you where life is happening in front of you and then your other life, where you are not present, is also changing.

I too have changed; my expectations for my travels have lowered, which I guess is good. For maybe the places I see next will take me by pleasant surprises. I also have learned about what people think about Americans, and have seen the American stereotype come to life. I’ve also learned how to make yourself feel less lonely when the only friends and family you have are hours and miles away. Being abroad overall was a beautiful experience, rich in sights sought, friendships built and memories made. I am still learning how to accept the things that are beyond my control, but that’s a lifelong battle.

For now, all I have is this week. Nothing monumental is going to happen, I am not going to spend too much time partying or going out of my way to revisit favorite places. But, it is a time of reflection – a turning point. This week I will make peace with what I have had and try to write down my memories before they fade to black.

Thoughts

- Two weeks ago I went to Airlie Beach / Whitsunday Islands. We didn’t make it out to the islands because there was a cyclone / hurricane. The first two days were fun, but it hit a rough patch that I hope I’ll be able to talk about soon.

- Last week I went to Brisbane with some of my favorite people. We had a lot of fun. On the way I met a nice guy on the train who wants to be an actor. It’s funny how you can meet such interesting people at random times, like taking a train to Brisbane.

- I finished my paper. It wasn’t exactly as good as I’d hoped it would be.

- I started a tumblr, just for collecting quotes. And short pieces of information.

Here’s the link: http://gabbygabriel.tumblr.com/

- I’m about to do some laundry and prepare for the trip I am taking to Darwin. It’s 12PM now and our flight leaves at 9PM. I’m going with Leigh.

- I need to figure out when the dining hall is open, considering that it’s Easter weekend.

- It’ll be cool to spend Easter weekend in the outback.

11:19 PM

Right now I’m wrapping up the first page to my final paper for Australian Cinema. The question I chose to answer,

“How important is it to define what constitutes an “Australian” film? Support your views with reference to past and present trends in Australian film production and film criticism.”

The paper is due tomorrow by 4PM, but I am going to try and have it finished for our 9AM class. After this paper I have a lot of breathing room, for the only class I’ll really have any assignments for is Directing Actors, which does not require a lot of work on my part because it all comes from the imagination, which I fortunately have a lot of. Today I took a long nap in preparation for this paper I need to write. It’s funny, I slept until 5PM and now I feel wide awake at 11PM.

Am I creating a new time zone within a time zone?

Although I have an abundant amount of work, right now, my adrenalin is pumping due to my latest accomplishment: I will be attending my 2010 summer semester at the University of Cambridge in the UK. Not only am I beyond excited about the next adventure to Europe, but also I am getting to study at the 2^nd best school in the world (http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/worlds-best-universities/2010/02/25/worlds-best-universities-top-400.html).

I know it’s just a summer semester and not a whole degree, but it’s still pretty amazing. I can’t wait to see how it compares to the places I’ve been and studied. My heart is racing, my mind is soaring, and soon I’ll be soaring to another destination… It’s really fun, to go places.

Last week I had a very unsuccessful trip to the Whitsunday Islands. We were supposed to go scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef, but Hurricane/Cyclone Ului rained on that parade.

I have a lot to say, but have told myself that I have to go to the gym and do homework today… I think I’ll have sometime to later to fully write.

enjoying the beach on an overcast day

I’m sitting at Don’s Tavern. It’s Bond University’s local bar and other dining hall. It is only open Monday- Thursday. Thursday night is its biggest night, and I’ve had a few good times there. Well, one thing it has is a count down timer. It counts, to the second, how many days are left in the semester. Right now, there are 40 more days. Crazy huh? Right now I don’t even live weekend-to-weekend, but day-to-day. I don’t want the time to fly by me, because as the time flies the seasons change and next thing you know I’ll be out of here, through Europe, and finished with my senior year of college. Not that I don’t want to graduate, of course I do… I just want to bide my time until then. Thus, making the most of my day-to-day is essential.

My friends and I have finally solidified our trips for the rest of our tenure here. My, Leigh and I have booked a trip to Melbourne for April 9 – April 14th. In Melbourne we are going to go to Tasmania (hopefully), where the Tasmanian Devil is from. We are also going to try and drive the great ocean road and make our way to see some penguins in Philip’s Island. It’s going to be just Leigh and I in Darwin and we haven’t made out our itinerary just yet. We will be there Easter weekend, and this experience will be quiet a contrast from how I have typically spent my Easters. This weekend I am going to Whitsunday’s to see the Great Barrier Reef and go scuba diving. There are definitely a few great adventures to be had in these next 40 days. I’m happy we have booked these tickets so now I can focus on living as cheaply as possible until I get to Europe.

I still have to finish writing about my experiences at Sydney, I’ve been meaning to but haven’t been as motivated to write.

The weather has been really bad, and I’m worried that I’m going to leave Australia as pale as I got here. Apparently it has been the worst raining season it has been in 50 years. The sun has only come out for an hour each day for the past three weeks. My tan is washing away with the rain, it’s a little sad.

Sitting here waiting for my dinner, looking around the place I’ve called home this “winter”:  I’m realizing that I’m going to miss this place. This time.

Well, I am way overdue for some updates. I have done some writing in my written journal, that I figure I can just copy over.

February 28, 2010 10:40 AM

My, Steph & I parted ways. For I wanted to see Bondi beach and they didn’t really want to check it out. Right now I decided to grab breakfast at a café not too far from the hostel, they have free wifi, something I need to remember for tomorrow.

Because I haven’t decided how I have to spend my last day here exactly. This trip so far has been all right. Sydney itself reminds me of a cleaner version of NYC in terms of being a 24-hour city, but also has hints of Dallas and Boston. I dropped Leigh off at her place at 3 AM last night but you’d never know that it was 3AM. The streets were filled with cars, people walking, people standing around dancing to a guy with a guitar. I’m not sure if this is the real vibe of the city or if it’s just because it’s mardi gras. Tonight I’ll get more of an idea of how it is because I feel like you rally see a city for what it is on a Sunday night. On a Sunday night the city doesn’t have its typical distractions, things are opened for the sake of being opened, so you get to see how long things really are alive for. Tonight I know I’ll get to see how the city is, for what it is.

Lots to update on, but not tonight. I’m getting my application set for the summer Cambridge program I am applying to. It’s funny, being at one program and already thinking of another. I can’t believe this place is halfway through.

I’m stitting in the school library before my friends and I go to Brisbane for the day. I had just been looking through old pictures and have been struck with that gentle nostalgia. It’s weird to think about how different everything will be when I go home. This thought alone keeps me dreading my return. Maybe I could stay here forever?

Quote:

Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.  -Henry David Thoreau