After one week of being in this country, it's safe to say I'm in the groove of things. I've met many people, both locals and international students. Whether they're from different parts of the US, Europe or Asia, it's always a treat to meet people from all walks of life. I've made a great cast of friends just through Orientation Week events and through various people, and I can already tell we're going to have fun this semester.























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Starting things off, Megan and I found some gems around the city and in Bundoora, the suburb La Trobe is located in. Every Sunday there's this wonderful farmer's market right on campus. They had the best foods and freshest vegetables for great prices.

One random day, Megan and I decided to skip the Orientation events and go to Brighton Beach with a few people who did the exchange program last semester and a local. It was probably one of the best sites I've seen so far. The beach was wicked cold, but it was still beautiful. I've never been to the beach during the winter, but it was still awesome.

Asides from the beach, every day has just been preparing for the semester to begin. I signed up for my classes and registered for various things. It wasn't until Saturday when things starting to get really fun. We did this "Amazing Race" event for Orientation and got to explore the city via public transit. Afterwards, the international students visited this bar in Melbourne and had such a great time.

Until next time!

First Impressions

Ahoy mates! Finally got internet and power to my laptop. It was a hassle to get the converter and adapter for my laptop, but I finally got to it. It was nervewrecking at first, but being off the grid was kinda nice for a change.


























So, the flight was horrible (as you can imagine 21hours to be...) but once I got settled, it was worth it. Right now, I'm the only one living on my floor in Chisholm College (my dorm), but it's nice to be alone when I'm trying to get situated.



It took a few days, but I finally got the adapter to convert the electrical plugs to charge my laptop and iPod. Biggest change so far is my new phone. I got the cheapest prepaid phone available at Vodafone. It's the bare minimum, but it gets the job done.


I travelled here with Megan, a very sweet girl who is also from JMU. She's a rising junior, but she seems very mature for her age. I've gotten along with her very nicely and we've traveled to Australia together and also through the city the past few days. Yesterday, we spontaneously decided to take the Tram (a trolley system) to downtown Melbourne. It was only a 45 minute tram ride, but we got off frequently to see the different districts.

One of the biggest differences I've noticed in Australia, besides driving on the left side, is the pace of the everyday life. Unlike Americans, Aussies are never in a rush. They walk at a comfortable pace around the city and never speed in their cars. People weren't kidding when they said Australia is very laid-back.





Although I'm already loving what I see here in Australia, America will always be my home. I sure do miss people already.

The Night Before My Flight

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about leaving my country for an extended time. So much can and will happen in six months and it's nerve-wrecking what will become of me and you all by the time I come back. It will require much growth and I fully expect to take advantage of every situation. I will be taking a full courseload at LaTrobe University, but I'm not in it for the grades. If I came home without receiving any credits, honestly, I could care less. This isn't about credit hours. This is 100% about the experience and how I can grow as a person. My good friend, Drew, once told me, "Don't let classes get in the way of college." I plan to live by that quote. 






I hold dear to me the relationships I have made with you all.

And without missing a beat, you all were there to send me off properly. 
Thank you everyone for keeping my spirits lifted and thoroughly reminding me what is waiting for me in Virginia.



And most importantly, to my family. To my very understanding parents, who were more than willing to support me on this journey. I can only promise them that I will grow to be a person of character with a clearer vision in life. And to my sister, who has been nothing but supportive and encouraging throughout my life. Thank you for always being able to lend a ear or sharing a great laugh (or a stupid GIF).

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all that he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7