End of Chapter Reflection

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"
-1 Corinthians 9:15

I was thinking about the title of this post, and I originally wrote "Final Reflection," but the "final" just seems too... abrupt and definitive. Yes, it is my last day in Australia for this trip, but I hope to come back, and it isn't a defining moment or anything. It is just a transition ,

Everyone has been asking me my highlights and what I’ll miss most. It’s so hard to choose; there have been way too many amazing moments the past 130 days. But here’s my attempt at picking the Top 3 (in no particular order):

  1. The beach! I’ve taken way too many pictures of the sky and the sea, and sometimes I wonder if my favourite colour is blue instead of purple. Whether it’s at Surfers Paradise or Noosa or Coogee, I’m blown away by the beauty of it all. I love the beach for its randomness and constancy: no two waves are the same, yet the tide constantly comes in, incessantly washing up on the soft sand or beat against the rocks. It’s not the same old boring thing over and over again, but there’s a feeling of familiarity, because I know it’s always there. Even the same beach doesn’t look the same!
  2. Being alone. Yes, I am an introvert at heart, and I don’t mind wandering through the streets alone or sitting on the edge looking at the reflection of the city shimmering on the Brisbane River. I really enjoyed snuggling in bed early in the night listening to the Pianoguys and blogging or doing homework. I literally had space to be alone with my thoughts, to reflect, and take time to put words to feelings. When my mum first came, she asked me if I felt lonely. I said no. OK, maybe a few times, but why should I feel lonely if God is always with me? It was also so great being a nobody here. I tried new things without getting that look, experimented with my outfit, and lived free of other people’s expectation of me. I’ve learned so much about myself here in Oz and hopefully matured more. I hope that I’ll continue grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as I return to life as a student
  3. The people (ironically). People are what make a place special, and I’m going to miss everyone! They made studying abroad extra-memorable, and I am so thankful that our paths crossed. Although I’m not sure what to feel about those I may never see again… to keep in touch or not to keep in touch? 

I’ll also miss the weather here! It’s almost always sunny and warm, although it did rain the last few days we were here. I guess it will help me acclimate to the coming winter back home. [No, I shouldn’t insert a sad face. While going home and returning to life isn’t super exciting, I shouldn’t be sad about it either] 

And a massive THANK YOU to everyone following my blog and reading about my journey; I am so blessed to be able to share it with you all. Even though you couldn’t be here physically, you helped me see everything through clear eyes and an open mind as I experienced each moment. This will be my last post from Australia, and it’s been so amazing! I’m at the airport now and will be taking off in less than an hour. Please pray for a safe flight and smooth connections. Can’t wait to see you all ♥ 





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Exploring QUT

Image
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together  for good,   for  those who are called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28 I’ve been at uni(versity) the past two days for orientation and just exploring QUT (Queensland University of Technology) for the coming semester. There are two campuses: Gardens Point, a 15-minute walk from my apartment, and Kelvin Grove, a 10-minute bus ride from GP. The shuttle bus is free for everyone who has a QUT ID card (I got mine yesterday! My picture looks decent hehe). It’s O-week (O for orientation), and a lot of the clubs had stalls (booths) to advertise. As much as I wanted to have a different uni life from the one I had at SCU, I was still drawn to the music groups, Christian fellowships, and of course Ultimate (Frisbee)! I do, however, want to check out BigLift, a volunteer-based club that goes out to rural areas and help Aussies do work; EcoQUT, a club that promotes eco-friendliness on campus (QUT has onl...
Read more

Mini-Adventures

Image
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." -Psalm 16:11 Wow it’s Thursday already! Life happens so fast. Over the weekend, QUT hosted the Dragon Boat Regatta, and I got to row on the Brisbane river. There were twenty people per boat and twenty teams, so it was a pretty big event. Even though our team didn’t come close to winning, I had a great experience meeting and hanging out with different locals and international students on our team (shown below). I also got drafted to play touch rugby! Maybe. I’ve discovered how bad Aussies are at following up and communication in general. You definitely have to be proactive about everything. We’ll see if this follows through. Team Dragonest! There was a circus booth at the Dragon Boat Regatta, and I learned to use the sock poi and dragon staff (they also had diabolos, hula hoops, and juggling clubs and balls). I guess I was really ...
Read more

Stereotypical Aussie Tourists

Image
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,  let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" -Hebrews 12:1 I did it! This was one of the reasons I came to Australia to study abroad, and I finally hugged a koala at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary with my mum yesterday! We rode the bus to the world’s largest koala sanctuary, home to over 130 koalas. It also showcases many different Aussie animals, including various reptiles, birds, and marsupials. Touristy Pic I learned a lot about these Australian animals and realised I’ve held lots of misconceptions about them. Koalas are pretty big (and my mum thought it was a bit heavy) and sleep 18-20 hours/day because their eucalyptus leaves diet doesn’t have much nutrition. The platypus (the plural is “platypodes,” although scientists use “platypuses” and people say “platypi”) we saw was very small! They’re onl...
Read more