I'm here!

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Saying goodbye to everyone was way too hard. And the meltdown only got more embarrassing when I had to leave Matt at the airport. I was unnecessarily dramatic and ridiculous about the whole situation, but I can admit it so that makes it a little more acceptable. But I cheered up a little bit when I saw an Australian guido-looking (if you can even imagine) dad wearing a 'Hangover' T-shirt with a picture of baby Carlos strapped to him, as he held his real kids on backpack leashes. Completely ridiculous. But once I got on the plane, I popped a sleeping pill and passed out for twelve hours and woke up feeling like I just came off anesthesia. Right in time for breakfast! I also decided that I am going to start flying internationally more often (sound good mom and dad?)- The food menu looked like it was from Pascucci and they had a self serve bar with drinks and snacks in the back, and when I asked for another blanket because my feet were cold (a bit much, I know), they brought me slippers. So all in all, the flight from LAX to Sydney was a party... which came to a halt when I missed my connecting flight to Perth.
I was trying to practice some sort of yoga meditation I made up in my head in order to save myself (and everyone around me) from another airport meltdown, but then I made friends with a man from Louisiana who had been traveling back and forth to Perth for the last six years. I was in serious survival mode so from that point on, he took me under his wing and we became fast friends (except when I fake slept every time he started conversation with me...I had my own agenda, and it was to get where I needed to be). With a lot of help from my friend (I actually don't know that I ever knew his name), I made it to the hostel in one piece. I know I could have done it on my own...but I'm happy I didn't have to 😉

When I got to the hostel, the guy behind the desk immediately called me out and told me I was not a backpacker and I stuck out like a sore thumb. I think the leopard suitcase was a dead giveaway. Apparently I have a lot to learn.

All of the people staying at the hostel are from all over the world. Its so neat to be in a completely new and different place with all new and different people. So many different languages and accents, its amazing! Later this afternoon I will be teaching English class to a group of Asians (definitely not something I thought I would be doing in Australia, but super cool) And I'm the first American that the majority of them have met before so apparently they think that because I'm from California I am a celebrity. I was about to correct them...but then I decided to just go with it.

My low point: I was super jet lagged and so mixed up with the time and date that I fell asleep at 5pm and slept until 2am but couldn't fall back to sleep. I had way too much time on my hands to think about how I was completely on my own in a country I didn't know with people I didn't know. So I spent the rest of the night crying like a baby. Poor me. Then the lady in the front office came in at 7am and told me my dad had called at 2am (she was not too thrilled) and then I automatically started crying again. I decided I need to get ahold of my emotions real quick because I was really starting to freak people out. So I went outside and looked around and realized, "I'm in freaking Australia! I'm being completely ridiculous-I am the luckiest girl in the world!" So I made a no-more-crying pact with myself, which so far seems to have actually been completely unnecessary because I've been so busy meeting new people and doing new things that I haven't had time to feel lonely.

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