Finally

OK, firstly, my apologies for the short entry yesterday. Things like this get a bit tricky when you have no readily available internet.

Well, I seem to be settling in nicely. I love my housemates so far; there are still others to come, but I am sure it will be just fine. There are definitely challenges without having a car (getting groceries is always an adventure), but it is good for me as I am getting LOTS of excercise and am generally feeling good about that. The house I am in is in a gated community and there is a pool, so I have been going there atleast once a day (jealous yet???).

I have finally had a day at the beach - Bondi to be exact. I got a little bit of a suntan, but nothing too serious. It is definitely true that the Australia sun is different. Apparently there is no ozone above us so the sun's UV rays are quite potent. I can't express how beautiful the beaches are! And it is so much fun to go out and ride the waves (no, I am not surfing...). Thanks to my Native heritage, I have a wondeful colour right now and I am loving it!!

I'm starting to get more and more immersed in the Australian culture and am learning new words everyday. I'll have to keep a glossary of terms or something and share it with you. It's been fun also meeting so many people from other cultures and everyone I've met so far at the college has been absolutely lovely.

That's about it for now. I still have no internet to connect MY computer to, so again no pictures, but it will be my top priority when I get connected!

Thanks for all of your prayers!
Carlye

Internet fix

Sorry it's been a while folks! I have not had access to internet, but I am still alive!! My housemates and I should be getting internet connected soon and then I can finally upload some pics (I realize the last one didn't work). Again sorry for the quick update, but running out of time!!!

Getting Settled

OK, so it's been a couple days without internet, hence the lack of update.  Things are great!  I am having adventures and getting lots of sun (and managing to not burn!) and I have pretty much mastered the Sydney train system now.  I'm basically a local...  The biggest adventure I have had so far is I went to the zoo yesterday.  Took the ferry from Circular Quay past the opera house and took a gondola up to the zoo.  Amazing experience!  

I have a place to live which is exciting.  I just need to get my stuff there (the project for today, thanks again to Lee!!) and get some essentials.  I'm in a gated community with access to a pool...life's tough in Australia eh??

The hardest thing has been the heat.  The last two days have been about 40C which has been close to unbearable for me, but I remind myself that I could be in -40, right??  

That's it for now, but I will leave you with some pictures :)

I'm here...or there...depends on who's reading.

Just a quick note to say that I am safe and sound in Sydney. I've been picked up by a lovely girl that I met over a year ago through a friend (thanks LEE!!) and am using her computer. I have yet to get to the flat (see I'm picking up the lingo) that I will be using for the next two weeks, but will be going there soon. When I find an internet cafe in my end of the city, I will be sure to put up some photos of things so far. Nothing too exciting...just me looking exhausted. Till then...

Carlye

First Major Step

Well, the day has come.  I'm lying in bed trying not to vomit.  It's such a strange phenomenon to be geared towards something you've wanted for so long and when suddenly faced with the reality of the fact that it is actually happening, you're just scared.   Don't get me wrong, I'm still excited!  I'm just faced with all the things that could possibly go wrong - not just today, but while I am gone.  I think the main thing I feel is guilt.  Guilty that I am doing this for myself and that my decision has a profound effect on the lives of those who are closest to me.  But of course, these are the people who are the most supportive and have ensured that I have gotten to this point.

Now that all the deep stuff is done (it kinda feels better just to write it down....maybe this journaling/blogging thing will catch on...), as I said, I am excited!!  Excited for sun, excited to meet new people, excited to explore a new city and country.  And excited about how God will change my life in the next year.  It's nice to have so much to look forward to.

A big thanks to those who have been amazingly supportive over the last couple of years of planning this and thanks for your continued prayers as I leave!

Keep a lookout for the first Sydney update!!

Carlye