The start of an amazing trip.

Ok so I am going to keep this short because we just bought champaigne and are about to start drinking mamosas! So on saturday we got a tour of melbourne. The word amazing just doesn't do it. We walked for 6 hours straight! I have such an amazing roommate Jessica- I love her! We were both awing at all the shopping. At night we went got all dressed up and went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant. We drank an entire bottle of 24 proof wine between three girls... all alchol here is double the proof. Since I haven't drank in ages it was so much fun. An amazing night! On the way home we got lost and met these guys that were wasted- too funny then ended up in a park with all these wild little animals- scary. Aussis are so nice. A man saw we were lost and came up to us without us asking. Later that night the boys came over for a bit. it gets really dark here by 5:30. The next day we got up and headed to phillip island. On the way there we stopped at a farm there we saw KANGAROOS - they were amazing! We also cracked whips and I got to feed a wombat- it almost pulled me in it was so strong. We got to phillip island where we stayed in cabins - roughing it for me. They were freezing! It was so cold there. That night we went to see the penguin march. No pictures aloud but the ocean was amazing about a thousand penguins come in and march from the ocean to these little burrows and you get to watch them- too cute! We went home got to know eachother and chilled. The next day was huge for me and I really couldnt be prouder of myself. So first I climbed over this wall thing, next I went on a zipline- at first I was scared but it was so much fun! Next was REALLY BIG FOR ME. They had a huge human sling shot. You got pulled about a hundred feet up by the others than you had to pull the rope and you just swung down. I DID IT! Yes, that is right- I DID IT! After that we took a 8 mile bike ride through australian hills- saw wild kangaroos. We then went to see kaolas- too cute. At night we hung out some more and healed our sore butts. We had some orientation. Oh funny story with the bike I was riding with this kid sam and we approached a road - I didnt know wich way to look cuz they drive on the wrong way and it is confusing so sam screams just dont look- so I didnt.. turns out there was a car and I almost got hit. Next, I was riding down a hill and there was a tree branch and as you can guess I ran directly into it. Later that night we went to the beack for sunset. At 6 4 we got up and me, sam, jess and rob got up and went to the ocean for sunrise. Then we drove home.. grocery and now we are drinking mamosas instead of doing our shit ton of homework for classes tomorrow. LOVEEEE YOUUUUUUU

Oh wow what a whirlwind the last few days. My mom left me at the airport- I had almost exactly 100 pounds of luggage. Then I was off to Denver. Denver airport= huge, insane, crazy. After a little confusion I found my gate and had about 45 minutes before my flight. While waiting a met a girl my age also going to aussi- we were both kinda afraid to navigate LAX so we stuck together. The plane to LA was a baby so we flew low which I was thrilled about because we flew over the rockys and saw the most beautiful purple and pink sunset ever. LAX from above is all bright lights and screams Hollywood. We had to take two buses to get to our next gate. On one of the busses there was an asian man with a little cooler that said all over do not xray stem cells and had a little tiny computer thing monitoring it. The kid next to me asked what was in it- it was bone marrow to save someone’s life. They came all the way to the states to pick it up and needed it to make the trip back to asia. While waiting in LAX at the Melbourne gate I met a girl Sarah. She had just graduated but had the best love story ever so here goes. She has kinda an unusual last name and joined a facebook group of people with the same last name. One being a person named Steven from Melbourne Aussi. They became penpals.. nothing personal until on his birthday he had sensed she wasn’t so happy. Turns out she had just broke up with her boyfriend. They then starting skyping and getting really close. In January he came to visit her in Nashville for a month. They loved eachother so now she was going to Melbourne to visit him… If all goes well in the 1.5 months that she is here she is going to move to aussi to be with him. The plane is HUGE and takes about an hour to load. She was in the back so had to load before me. While waiting in the proper spot I met this aussi boy who was on his way home from studing in the states for 6 months. He was really cool he joined sigep while here and had a complete college experience so he gave me some tips and told me it is very different in aussi. He was only sitting about two rows behind me so he was good to chat with. But, I don’t have an aussi number yet so we ahd no numbers to exchange so we could meet up in Melbourne. The flight was longer than long. And we were so cramped it was crazy. I felt we had less room than on northwest for 17 hours. I couldn’t stay awake any longer by the time I got on the flight so I slept through the American night…not good. I got to aussi waited for sarah and we went hrough customs and to baggage claim the I met the guy picking me up and he drove me to my hotel. It was not the nicest and my jetlag was insane. To try and wake up I took a walk… there were two beautiful parks right next to my hotel. And Every aussi is just so nice it is crazy. I only managed to stay awake until 5 30…. Then I woke up at 4am now I am so tired. Changing time to the other side of the world is tough. I didn’t know jetlag could exist that is this bad. But I showered blow driend my hair checked out and got a taxi to my apartment. My taxi driver was from india but his sister is a doctor at uofm (what are the chances) and his brother in law is an enginerer. He wants to mve to Michigan with them but couldn’t get a visa so I guess he said if you pay sometimes you can find a women to marry and get a usa visa. I LOVE MY APARTMENT. It is so cute with the perfect view out the balcony. Now I am here alone waiting for my roommates. I love my roommates Jessica is awesome and we are both scared of camping etc. ☺ We are about to go into the city for lunch and also for some shopping! More updates soon!

G'DAY MATE! yes that was the start to the e-mail I just got from Chay and Antoinette- our orientation leaders. They wanted to relieve us of any travel quarries that we might have and remind us to bring our jumpers because it is chilly. Wow- it has been a super busy week. Tomorrow- AUSTRALIAAAA. I can't even describe my excitement. I have way to much luggage, but o well. I just need to pack my backpack and I am complete :) Today I am going to say lots of goodbyes and have a delic dinner with my mom and then head to the airport in the morn. It is a 26 hour travel time... a little insane. The time difference (14 hours) is rough but I am sure I will be fine. My plan- well I leave LAX at 9:30 pm for a 16 hour flight. I am going to watch 4 movies bringing me to 8 hours- take my pill and sleep the next 8 hours (australian night). Arrive in australia well rested and ready for an amazing trip. Everyone have an amazing summer- I will try to keep this updated with all sorts of stories and pictures. I feel very blessed to be able to go on this trip. I can bbm and e-mail for free! Aticki@umich.edu- it will come straight to my phone. Also skype and ichat of course..but it may be hard to coordinate the time difference. LOVEEEEE

Busy weekend- I will write later but this video has been one of the many highlights of my weekend


http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1935635

choas

The last two days have been crazy to say the least. I should not have left all this preparation stuff until the very last minute. It is quite stressful getting ready to go away for this long. Packing... I currently only have one suitcase, but a second is ordered. Hopefully, it arrives in time. This weekend will be packed full. Luckily, my mom is considering taking monday off to help me pack. She is afraid I am going to forget some vital things. Per usual I will be packing last minute.
A weird thing to make me happy, but if anyone knows me well they know I am kinda in love with real world/ road rules challenge and it ended last wednesday..the last wednesday I will be in the states. Just in time! Landon and Carley won.. I am in love with Landon. He is engaged. Home wrecker anyone? I also connected with a good friend of my dads on facebook yesterday. She had a great picturing of him at work and said she has a whole box of his work things that she is going to send me :) This just made my day... no week. The wether has held up.. hopefully it continues to this weekend. I don't mind that I am heading into the winter, but I would like one last sunny weekend. Although, I am sure australia is still pretty sunny even in the winter. In a week I will be across the world heading to Phillip island to watch the penguins and hang at the top of the trees with some koalas. Phillip Island is the only place where you can still see the penguin march everyday at sunset. Phillip Island also has built bridge type things (at least thats what I am imagining) at the top of the trees allowing us to walk along side the koalas to get a closer look at an awesome animal. I am sure I will also see kangaroos. It is a common delicacy in aussi. I don't know if I will be eating any kangaroo meat or vegimite for that matter. Hopefully, I will be sending postcards and posting pictures by the mass. Australia is pretty much the only thing I thing about now. The flight is going to be filled with anticipation. Hopefully, I can sleep and am not watching the clock every two seconds. That would be a long 26 hours. I can bbm for free and also e-mail so e-mail me at aticki@umich.edu. It will come straight to my phone like a text and I will be able to write back.

Amazing day in ann arbor yesterday. I missed it way more than I knew. I was sad to say bye to everyone, but loved spending time with them. Ann arbor is def. the place for me. Alina and I spent most of the night together and had deep convos etc.. no one understands me quite like her. We went to olive garden.. yumm and then we went to my ann arbor favorite rods. I ordered my typical- vanilla with snickers. pineapple and banana but the pineapple was expired and when he went to remake mine.. the ice cream machine broke :( That is ok because that little dude is awesome. It was nice seeing everyone stress free! although they are not. Everyones rooms are so cute! I can't wait until I move in and we all live grown up lives together. For the day- call the airlines, bank, exchange money, get suitcases, get glasses...... and WAY more AUSTRALIA IS SO CLOSE

The Reason

So I find myself 20 years old and very misunderstood. Many people get the wrong impression of me or really don't know me at all. The issue is that I myself does not know me. I have a few true friends, but its hard to really find a true friend. A true friend is someone that is someone that cares and is sticking through it all (even when you are a huge bitch for a six month period). The last year has been a bit hard because I went far off the Allie trail that I was never exactly on. My true friends have really helped me through it. Much of my like came trickling down this year, but some friendships stayed strong and thank god for that. Anyways, I would be nowhere without those people. One of the biggest steps thus far was deciding to go after the career that I really love and not become a doctor- what I have been raised to do. I realized I am not failing, because I can do it. I don't want to do it. This decision took nearly a year to finalize. Now, I am about to set off across the world with my true love; traveling. I love to travel. There is nothing better than experiencing life through other cultures. I am studying abroad in Australia beginning in one very short, very packed week. I am so excited, but nervous too- mainly for the plain ride. I am not a patient person so 26 hours of traveling and I may be stir crazy. This will be farthest I have traveled, but by the end of 2012 I hope to go on birth right (mom loves the idea and her approval is the only one that counts) and to bali, moscow and south africa. I am hoping to write something I learned and something I like every day in here- hopefully I keep this up during australia. I have so much to do including figure out what flight I am on... Today, I am not going to do any of that instead I am going to Ann arbor!