Pinch me, I'm dreaming...

This week I received my official acceptance to Bond University!  Along with my acceptance I was offered a $5,000 scholarship.  This news was received with my ever-famous "Rachel dance", numerous phone calls, and the slight off-key singing of the Beach Boys' good vibrations.  Finally hearing that I was approved to attend Bond University ended the constant checking of my email account at hours that I thought Australians might be awake.  The following morning, I went to the study abroad office on campus and submitted my program acceptance fee along with formally accepting my scholarship.  The lady across the desk took my check and said, "It looks like it's official!"  I stared at her for a moment with wide eyes.  "It's official".  I think I blinked a few times and managed to normally continue my conversation with the lady before leaving the office.  Once outside the office, I kept thinking about how I was truly, completely, officially on my way to Australia.  I guess everything feels like a dream until the piles of paperwork that you fill out are stamped with "approval".  I've already began to count down the weeks until leaving and it still feels unreal!  Maybe when I step on the airplane that will take me to Australia, I'll start to believe that all of this is happening to me.  For the moment, I'm still pinching myself on a regular basis.

Making Connections

As a trainer at the campus fitness center, I have made a lot of aquaintances.  This semester, I have had the great pleasure of working with the women's soccer coach.  In one of our training sessions, she mentioned that she had a student from a few years prior that also studied abroad in Australia.  I was able to email and phone this contact from the information that the soccer coach gave me.  Being able to discuss some specific questions with a person that had actually studied in Australia, was truly helpful.  Jady, the name of this new contact, was able to tell me about living in hostiles, visiting Aborigines, common travelling issues, and things she didn't expect to learn during her semester.  She even recommended a few travelling books by "Lonely Planet".  Jady was able to tell me some of her favorite stories about trying new foods and outdoor activities and even about driving on the wrong side of the road and on the opposite side of the car!  She even encouraged me to stay a month after my semester abroad ended so that I could take more time to travel without restrictions.  I hadn't even thought of the idea!  Now I have all of these leads for interesting travel books that I could possibly use for a few weeks of uncharted adventure on my own at the end of my school semester.  The best part is that Australia has so much diversity within its own country: deserts, ocean views, rainforests, and thriving cities.  Even more so, Australia has so much surrounding it: New Zealand, Tasmania, Thailand, Fiji, and a bunch of other gorgeous islands.  I can't believe that in 11 weeks I will be on a plane to Australia. 

...now for the many baby steps to follow

My study abroad application was accepted!  I jumped up and down before I found out that my application was accepted in order to start the next phase of the application process.  That's right, the application process consists of more than one, big step.  In reality, you have to first apply for the program that you want to pursue through your home campus.  Once you are approved, then you can apply directly to the university you want to go to abroad.  So, technically I'm NOT completely "accepted" yet.  The application that I have to fill out for Bond University is online.  Although, it's more paperwork, it's paperwork that's going to take me across the world!  And as soon as I hear that I'm truthfully-honest-to-goodness-really-accepted I will start doing my "Rachel" dance.  This dance is not pretty and is disturbingly akin to Carlton's from the show the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  But the point is that all the paperwork is getting me closer and closer to my dream and that makes me excited.  I can't believe that I have only a half a semester left here in New York before I take my education to another country!  Is it too soon to pack my luggage?