Long Overdue…

Hello!  I am really bad at this blogging thing!  I have been traveling for the past 2 weeks and have not been with my computer.

Ever since the weekend of surf camp, I have been so occupied with school work and planning various trips to maximize my sight seeing while here.  In the next couple of days I plan on updating you all with what I have been up to!  These past two weeks have been “spring break”.  I like to call it being on vacation while on vacation… if that is possible.  Four of my girlfriends and I traveled the east coast starting in Coolangata, Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise, Brisbane, Noosa and exploring Fraser Island.  I plan on covering each of these awesome places and describing more in depth of what they were like!  I have some awesome pictures to share too.  (I took so many pictures that I maxed out my camera chip… that is more than 700 pics!)

I have under 10 weeks left here and am hoping to be able to travel up to the Great Barrier Reef to snorkel and possibly fly over to New Zealand to explore the South Island (for those of you who don’t know NZ is made up of 2 islands).

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Today is my Dad’s birthday and I am thinking of him!  If you see him, give him a hug for me and tell him it is from his Nick-Nick!

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I get really excited when I think about going home… I can’t wait to see my family, friends and Matt of course; but also I can’t wait for a home cooked meal (esp. my Mom’s pigs in a blanket with mashed potatoes!).  I have been dying for a peanut butter cup blizzard… for those of you who know me best, I could live off of ice cream.  Just to make it clear, I have not found any ice cream over here that compares to K’s Korner.  (Does anyone know what is going on with that situation yet?)  I am also dying to get back in a saddle and to start riding again!  I can’t wait to hug my horse!

Many of my friends are staying after the semester is over in order to travel more.  A lot of kids here travel to Asia since it is so close.  It sounds so amazing, but of course it costs $$$.  I would love to travel more, but I have budgeted enough money to spend time here during the school term and travel as much as I can in between.  Also, I have to be home for deer season of course 😉 So far, I am proud to say that all of my long nights of waiting tables and the good days of packaging bologna are all paying off now.

I have learned a lot about myself on this trip.  I have always been independent and believed that you should be able to support yourself before anyone else can support you.  I am thankful to have parents who have taught me how to work hard and the value of a dollar.  They have also taught me that I can do anything I want to do… that the possibilities are endless and the only limits are the ones you put on yourself.

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Everyone back home:
It’s almost November, and last year around this time a lot of events were taking place in our small community, but it showed me how much love fills our little home in Saxonburg.  I guess what I am trying to say is, don’t for a second take anything for granted.  Be thankful for all the little blessings in life!  Anytime I have been away from home rather it be traveling the country for horse shows, working in VA for the summer or here in Aussie land I always get excited thinking about home.  But for now, I am going to savor and enjoy every moment.  I hope you all can “live” through my blog a little bit and get a glimpse of what this amazing place is like.

Thanks so much for reading and keeping up with me!  Your comments and words mean so much.  It’s so nice to hear from people back home!  Enjoy the fall leafs and take care!

-Nicki