The End that Leads to a New Begining (or so they tell me...)

HI GUYS :) How ya goin? Long time no see eh? Just in case you forgot my face.....haha

As some of you know, and as some of you don't, I'm graduating High School in two weeks. In two short weeks....everything that most people my age have made their long term goal will come to an end. I have mixed feelings about this. Part of me wants to stay because it is easy, it's routine. And I seem to be needing routine in my life right now. Part of me is scared for what comes next. I know that I have to work for a while then I'll go to school for awhile and work work some more, go back to school...so on and so forth. But there is so much that is unknown. My mother tells me that I worry to much. I'm beginning to believe her. I worry that I'll somehow fail at college, somehow this very interesting person that I've become will manage to find a way to be a loner. It's funny how fast the confidence you gain on Exchange withers into a small thing cowering in the corner. Either that or I'll go spiraling down again. And I've just started to spiral upwards, slowly but surely I am finding my way out of what was a very dark place. Now would not be the time to turn back.

The thought that I have to leave a place where I've finally found a notch that I never felt existed, scares me. I don't like this pattern that I see being developed. I get comfortable....then I have to go somewhere else. The next year or so will be a series of brief starts and stops. High School for three months, work for 6 weeks, College here in Durango for 5 months, summer break and then I could quite possibly be moving to the other side of the country to start at yet another new school. To me, that is unsettling. Change is something that scares most people, even the strong willed ones. I suppose part of me is okay with that. I'm ready for something new. But as most people would be, I'm scared of what 'new' means. Of the new challenges it will present. I want to be that person that finds a thrill and excitement in this, but right now I just want stability. But as Australia itself taught me, sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

As a Senior, I have to put together a portfolio containing all of my best works, the things I learned from high school and plans of what I hope to do with the rest of my life. I have to present it to my home group, roughly 20 kids of the 500 in my class, my homegroup teacher and my school counsellor. Here are some of my thoughts.......

The past four years of my life have been interesting to say the least. To start off with, they’ve been long. Freshman year seems so far off…. a distant place where I didn’t know what was coming next. Part of that might be because I’ve done so much in the last four years, as most of us have. It’s like we’re put on super-speed and asked to do a million things at once. Another part is that I’ve changed so much sense then. And that’s what most people claim, you grow up by the time your senior year rolls around. But, I really have grown up. That’s what a year abroad does to you; it forces you to become an ‘adult’ at the age of 17. And as a kid, Peter Pan was always my favorite Disney Character…..I never wanted to grow up, there are days when I wish that I hadn’t grown up. But at the same time I realize how lucky I am to know what I do at such a young age…..I’m not talking about trigonometry or biology class….I’m talking about life. High School taught me the basics, two squared is eight, atoms make up EVERYTHING, the US won independence in 1776 and 3.14 equals pie…but so does some apple filling and a golden crust. But Australia taught me about life. And that’s what I want to take away from all of this, lessons about life.

I have been inspired to do things I’d never have even considered before I left, I want to join the Peace Corps and save to world. My involvement in the Interact club here at the High School is leading me in the right direction, in March we are going to spend a week in Jamaica doing humanitarian work. This is something that I would not have taken the slightest bit of interest in prior to my exchange. My new found worldly opinions and incredibly broadminded view of things has opened my mind up to a million possibilities. I will be starting college in January with the intention of majoring in International Studies and Journalism. Two topics that, once again, I had no interest in before my exchange. Rotary Youth Exchange taught me that the world is a small place and that every act counts. Every nice thing that you do for a stranger makes a difference in the world. Every horrible thing that happens because of War or poverty, affects a family somewhere. And every day is a new opportunity to make a difference, to impact someone’s life, to let someone impact yours and to be an inspiration. The world is a fascinating place, full of new discoveries and thrilling adventures. Life is an adventure, full of challenges, uncertainties, ups, downs, sticky situations and blind curves. And we just have to do our best to control what can be controlled, and flow with the things that can’t. We have to learn how to move forward but not forget. And we must learn to live with no regrets, speak our minds, learn from our mistakes and follow our dreams, because the sky is the limit. These are things that I could never have learnt in high school, though I do have to credit it with being the reason I had the opportunity of going on an Exchange. I look back on my experience here as a student and consider it a mechanism, as tool that aided me to get to a place that allowed me to be where I am today, that place led me to learn what I did. It is a tool that I am now ready to leave behind, one that has been used to its fullest extent and can now sit peacefully in its box on the bottom shelf. However, I do have one last thing to say before I leave it behind for good, and that’s Thank You.

Thank you Durango High School, thank you Rotary and Rotarians alike, thank you Mum (Karen, Dia, Marilyn and Meredith), thank you Dad (Andrew, John, Andy and James), thank you to all my bothers and sisters (Jacqulyn, Duncan, Dylan, Ryan, Claudia, Nicola, Fran, Hayley and Autumn) and thank you Australia (yes the actual country) for you are forever a part of me.

Love, Hugs and Kisses

Ariel

Fly Me To the Moon

We are like Astronauts. We are heros in the eyes of our people. We are brave, daring and coreagous. We have chosen to conqure what most people see as impossible. We have chosen to fly to the moon. We are warriors of peace and unity. We are German, Australian, Frence, Brazillian, American, Japanese and Swiss (etc). "We are RYE, We are family, All my brothers, sisters and me..."

I know I told all of you I was "retiring" my blog.. . .well, it's been two months. . .that's a long enough retirement right? Anywho....point is....I missed it. Blogging sorta became my addcition while I was over in Oz. Just as Tim tams became my favorite food, Amy became my favorite silly blonde girl and Grace, Katja and Sarah became my favorite exchangers and the word OY! became my favorite phrase...That and it's just SOOO much fun sending you all emails with links to something you never even read!! haha - it's cool...I hardly have time to do anything myself these days....life in America is so hectic...I actually have to attend school!! Imagine that! *trying real had to imagine* Nope, nothing....Me, school? What? Right...

Well this weekend I didn't go to school - suprise? instead I went to the District 5470 Confrence. Where, of course, I met something like 25 of the coolest people on earth. What makes them so cool?? Well, they're Rotary Exchange Students!! We spent the weekend in Glenwood racing down mountains, crawling (if you can even call it that) through caves and havin a blast! It makes me miss my exchangers....and my Aussies.....It makes me wanna cry, a lot...but RYE still rocks my socks....and here's why :P

#1. We can get away with anything.

#2. We're total bad arses.

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#3. We're gangsta.

#4. Even when we look like idiots, we look like cool idiots.

#5. We're bloody good singers.

#6. And, well, who wouldn't want to look like that?

The Last of the Lasts

2 years ago I never would have pictured myself sitting in this chair writing a "blog" that in less than 12 hours, hundreds of people would be reading all across the world. 2 years ago, turning 17 seemed a lifetime away. . . 2 years ago going on exchange was nothing but a dream, spending a year in a country and building a life there seemed unimaginable. Australia was a far off place and the word "Host family" was still a new term in my vocabulary. I didn't think that it was physically possible to live in a place where the temperature rose above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. . .I didn't think it was possible to change so much in a year. As far as I was concerned, Durango was where it was at and everything else was a whole different world, to far away to have any impact on my life. I looked at a map, pointed out Europe and thought, "boy, the day when I get to that country. . . .the day that I go somewhere so far away. . .wow" and now I look at Europe and think, "hey, that's where Luca lives. . . And that's Katja's home town. . . Look! Sarah's been there."

2 years later, I have a personal connection to dozens of countries around the world. . . and I realize what a rare thing that is. How many people can start a conversation with the sentence "my friend from Switzerland and I. . .dot dot dot. . ."How many people even know - and I mean really know - someone from another part of the world? How many people have taken the time to set aside the differences that come with being "foreigners" to sit down and really have a meaningful conversation with someone from a different country? How many people have had that opportunity? The thing that immediately pops into my mind after writing that sentence is "What about language barriers?" but with exchange students that doesn't matter. We could speak 15 languages between 30 of us and still understand what we meant to say. As an Exchange Student I have permanent connections to hundreds of people, people that I've never even met, from places I've never even been. Being an Exchange Student is like being part of an exclusive club that's there to help the world become One. Even though we are rarely from the same country, let alone the same town, we have a shared experience - no matter what country we've gone to or what country we're from - and that alone is enough unite us as if we'd known one another other from birth. That's exactly what Youth Exchange - what ever the program - is about. Uniting the world, helping people to set aside their differences and to simply get to know each other. It's a powerful thing to be a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. We are powerful people, we can help the world in a way that no one else can.

Now, you might be thinking that I'm making a big deal of nothing and that's a common problem for long term Exchange Students, it seems that the only other people who understand are the other long term Exchange Students. And it's a damn good thing that there are thousands of us out there. Weather you're an Outbound, an Inbound, a Rebounder or if you've been back for 20 years. You will always be a Rotary Youth Exchange Student and you will forever hold an important position within that international community.

Through this exchange, over the last year of my life - one year out of a lifetime - has helped me to build bridges, to make friends from all over the globe, to change myself and to become a part of a international community. I will always be a Rotary Youth Exchange Student, no matter how old I get or how far I move from 'home' I can always hold that title and rely on the people in that international community. And let me tell you, I hold that title with an immense amount of pride in my heart and gratitude in my being. Because if it weren't for Rotary or my biological parents or my Host Families or the friends I made in my host country or the Exchange Students I've met both overseas and here in my native country, I would not be who I am today. I owe so much of who I am and what I've become to so many different people that it's hard to say thank you enough times to everyone I owe those two words to. So let this be my thank you to you. This blog, this opening. . . essay if you will. . .is my thank you. I'm dedicating this to everyone who impacted my exchange in even the slightest way because without that year, without Australia, I would not know who I am and I would not be who I am today. So thank you because I absolutely love the person this year has made me out to be.

Just for blog's sake, I'll tell you what happened on the way home. . .

Over a week ago I went to the Adelaide Airport with my 2nd Host family - somewhat prepared for the journey ahead of me. I had managed to pack my life into two suitcases, a carry on and a laptop bag. It's really strange being able to look at a pile of things and know that that is everything that you own. Especially when that pile is only this big.It's really strange being able to look at a pile of things and know that that is everything that you own. Especially when that pile is only this big.


After making it through security and to the gate, we said our final goodbyes. I cried. . .they cried. . .we all cried together. It was an extremely sad moment. Don't look to closely at our faces, people tend to be ugly when they're balling their eyes out. However, I did luck out in that I flew from Adelaide to Sydney with two other Exchange Students, making the journey easier as they provided ample distraction.

This is the last photo taken of me in Australia. Me in my Rotary blazer in front of the plane to America. All of my flights went according to plan. I spent about 20 hours in the air and 10 hours hanging out in airports and I arrived safely on the other side of the world.


I had managed to pack up my life, hop on a plane and fly to a place that, at one time, was "familiar". It doesn't make sense that my fellow Americans have accents, the food tastes strange, the trees are different and everything is as strange as Australia was on that first day. My house no longer feels like my home and it hurts thinking/knowing that Australia can't really be my home - it was only a year but it was the best, most meaningful year of my life and one week ago, I had the courage to leave everything that I cared about only to have to face a new life in an old country. Where, no matter how strange things may seem, I'm the only one to have changed to the extent that I have. I'm the only one to have seen the things that I have, to have experienced all that I have experienced. And this is the last of a long string of lasts. I had my last day of Australian school, my last drink of Aussie grog, my last hug from my best mate, my last Rotary meeting, my last 4 minute shower, my last laugh with my host dad and my last baking session with my host mum. This makes it official, it is the last of the lasts. You have no idea how terrifying that is. You spend so much of your time counting down while your on exchange, 3 weeks till this trip, 4 day till I fly to my host country, 1 month till I move host families, it goes on and on. In a way the three years of your life that you dedicate to this process when you sign up (applying/outbound, living in your host country/inbound, coming home and readjusting/rebound) is a massive countdown to the day where life will be normal again. Only problem is, life is never normal before, during or after exchange. It changes you and the course of your life forever. Sometimes I have this fleeting thought where I wish that Australia had never happened, but then I scold myself and remember that it was the best thing that ever happened to me. But it will forever remain true that my life would be much less complicated with out this year. Sometimes it seems unbearable, time goes on forever and other times the hole that Australia has created in my heart only lets off a dull ache in my heart. Exchange is full of ups and downs, highs and lows. It's defiantly one roller coaster ride that I will never forget.

The Last Supper (S)

Yes, it is plural. That's how much I'm loved :) But unlike Jesus' last supper, they didn't write some silly book called "The Da Vinci Code" about me. . . or was it the Bible? Hmmmm. . . Anyway, we had a grand ol' time at the pub (no, not a bar, a restaurant)on Sunday night. There was circus acts (as seen in Exhibit A), good food and a room full of people just for me. 35 of them to be exact :)

Exhibit A (Amy and Dylan)

On Friday night I had an old fart farewell tea (no, we didn't just drink a cup of tea while politely chating about the weather and holding cucumber sandwiches with our pinkies pointed in queer directions. . .we had dinner). The kind where I had to cut up all their food into tiny pieces so that they could manage to chew it and help them to their chairs, making sure they didn't fall. . .the joys of living with host parents in their fifty's. You can hear their bones creaking from a kilometer away and you can see the shine of their bald spots from across the room. I feel for ya Andrew :P

Here we have (L to R) Steve (We can see your face this time! And what a sight that is. . .) and Lisa, Andrew and Karen (hosties) and Don and Jenny

And just and FYI, I'm blogging as much as possible between now any my return to the States because I plan on doing one post after I get back, just as a reflection kind of thing, then I'm packing it up, I'm callin it quits and I'm making a book out of it. It'll be a strange thing to not 'Blog' about my life. For once I might have some privacy, I'll no longer have to share my every move with the likes of you. . .yeah, I'll miss it too. Surprisingly enough, I've grown rather fond of being stalked over the net by large groups of people. . .

Shakin in my Boots

Have you ever felt like you've got a million things to do and no time to do it, except, when you think about it, you don't know what it is you need to do and still, there isn't enough time to do it? Welcome to my life mate. . .This morning, I realized for the first time what it means to only have 6 days left in in a place. 6 sleeps isn't enough rest to prepare me for the journey ahead. 6 breakfasts isn't enough to eat the amount of Aussie cereal's I'd like to. 6 afternoon tea's isn't enough to get my fill of Timtams. 6 mornings, 6 arvo's and 6 late nights isn't enough time to breathe the Aussie air. 6 days isn't enough time to say goodbye to everything I've come to know and have grown to love. 6 days isn't even a week. 6 days is barely enough time to write an essay for that english class I hardly ever attend, 6 days isn't even enough time to go on a holiday, let along pack up your belongings and leave your life behind. 6 days just isn't enough. It's not longer frustrating, or annoying, I don't whish the wait was over and I most certaintly don't want to leave. Right now it's just scary and sad. Heart wrenching if you will. I have a limited amount of time to gather my things, say goodbye to everyone that I love and come to terms with the fact that I won't be back for a while. I'm terrified, are you?

I Bid You Good Day (Mate)

Two years ago I signed up for a Student Exchange, expecting to have the time of my life. I dreaded having to make a new life in a foreign country. Learning to talk the talk and walk the walk was going to be terrifying but at the same time, the most amazing thing I’d ever do. The next year of my life was going to change me in ways I wouldn’t even be able to explain. I would make friends from all over the world who I would never forget. The experience would broaden my horizons and open my mind to a million possibilities. Learning about another culture and experiencing another ‘language’ would open doors to places I had never imagined and I would love every minute of it. Or that’s what they said. Rotary Youth Exchange was going to be the life changing, challenging experience I had been looking for.

Little did I know I’d be living in a town of 5,000 people in country Australia. A place called Naracoote, South Australia, a minimum four hours drive to the nearest capital city and one hour from the beach. What happened to Australia having a ‘beach culture’? I was excited nevertheless, I was about to spend a year living in Australia.

Australia, I loved the way that word rolled off my tongue. Going to the land down under had been a dream of mine since I was a mere 8 years old. For more than half my life I’d wanted to come. And now it was finally happening. Who knew that at the age of 16 I’d be fulfilling one of my life dreams? Regardless of the fact that I would be living in the middle of nowhere, in a town with a description that read “Naracoorte is nothing special and is best used as an overnight stop along the way” in my guide book, I was over the moon with excitement. Even when I was told that I would be living ‘out of town’ in a place called Kybybolite (also know as ‘two shacks and a footy oval’), my spirits were not weakened.

When the day finally arrived for me to go to the airport and say goodbye to everything that I knew to be familiar, my family, my friends, my hometown and my old life, I made sure I was at the airport two hours before my flight left. Now, Durango Airport is one of those places where you have to walk out onto the tarmac to board the plane. I couldn’t even check in till half an hour before the flight was scheduled to leave . . . so I spent those two hours sitting in the lobby with my family, incredibly stressed and worried about the journey ahead of me, but SO excited. When the time came to finally board the plane, there were hugs and mumbled goodbyes, a few tears, and then, it happened. I was through security and on my way. The adventure of a lifetime had begun.

After about 48 hours of travel, lost luggage and a non existent flight, I was in Australia. The land down under, a place where red soil, the phrase “G’day mate” and kangaroos were easily found. I had just arrived on the other side of the world but all I wanted was a bed to lie down on. I was far too delirious to process where I was or what I was about to experience. Before I knew it, three months flew by. I’d been homesick and happy at the same time. Incredibly lonely yet surrounded by people who took interest in me and my foreign-ness right away. I’d already been to Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne. I’d even had an invite to go to Tasmania later in the year. A lot had happened, and so far, aside from the traveling, none of it had been what they said. I couldn’t tell if I had changed, I hadn’t made any of those amazing friends and there was no way I was ever going to learn a language. English . . . and well, English, aren’t exactly different. I hadn’t seen any new doors open and my horizons had yet to be broadened. So Australia, was just Australia.

When another month and half had gone by, I realized that I needed to focus on the here and now. On Australia, I had spent so much of my time trying to keep those at home happy and informed that I had forgotten to experience my life here. I had forgotten the purpose of my exchange, I had forgotten that I was an Aussie in training, not just a tourist. It was then that I jumped full heartedly into my exchange. I began to feel like I had made those friends and I could start to see the changes. Australia was no longer just Australia. It was becoming a part of me.

I continued to travel the country, in place of going to school of course. By now I’d seen nearly half the country. Tasmania, tick. Central Australia, two ticks. East coast, tick. Country capital, tick. South Australia, numerous ticks. Six out of eight capital cities, tick. The Riverland, tick. Sydney, three ticks. Victoria, infinity ticks. Outback Queensland, tick. And I met all kinds of people along the way.

Youth Exchange really puts a meaning to that saying “it’s not the places you go, but the people you meet along the way”. I’ve met so many amazing people this year and shared so many amazing memories with each of them that it's hard to remember every detail, but each moment has filled me with joy and will forever be within my heart. My heart breaks a little more as each day passes and I come closer to boarding the plane that will deliver me back home. In less than two weeks time, I'll be sleeping in my own bed, eating from my own kitchen, looking at the faces of people that I haven’t seen in far too long and missing those that I’ve spent the last year loving whole heartedly. I’ll look back on this year and be able to appreciate all the changes I’ve gone through, the confidence I’ve gained from it and my new found awareness of the world.

I speak to you today with gratitude in my heart and tears in my eyes, praying that this is as hard for you as it is for me and thanking you for who I am, Ariel Mallett, 17 years old on the outside and close to 27 on the inside, someone who used to think that the world was a big place. I know realize how small it truly is.

There’s only 2 weeks till I go back to the place that I used to call home. Durango, Colorado USA, with a population of 20,000 it is a small town by US standards. I’ve spent the last year sleeping in other people’s beds, living in someone else’s house and calling strangers my family. Yet, I’ve never felt more at home. I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I’m more in love with the people around me and who I am than I could have ever imagined. I’ve made friends from all over the globe who I’ll never forget. I have 7 new sisters and 4 new brothers. I’ll leave this country with my horizons broadened and my mind open to a million possibilities. Australia is my home. Those strangers are my family and their houses, my homes I’m an honorary Aussie. I can officially talk the talk and walk the walk.



This is me and my Rotary Club on the night of my Farewell Speech, which is printed above. I didn't cry, but I came close.


This is me and Val, the President of the Rotary Club during the bulk of my exchange.

My Very Own Cinderella Ball

Formal is the name, Australia is the country and Little Miss Yankee, that's ME! Last night was a night to be remembered. I lost my glass slipper. . .damn, I needed that. The Naracoorte Formal of 09' was on and if we were in, say, a fairy tale. . . it would have been deemed a Royal Ball. Girls in glamour and boys in tuxes made the event a worthy occasion as did the cheesy awards all the year 12's received. Mine was Little Miss Yankee - gotta give em points for creativity!!! Not to mention everyone thought it said "Little Miss Skanky", cause I'm totally a whore in my spare time. Me, Amy (the coolest girl EVA) and our dates rocked up in my 2nd Host Dad's 1950's Mercedes Benz. Which was pretty flash by my standards. And I don't really have much more to say, so here's some photos. Enjoy!


This is me and Amy, we started getting ready around 4 cause the formal didn't start till 6 and yes, we ran out of time. . .Our hair wasn't cooperating, the lighting in her room was crap so we stressed about our makeup and what ever kind of boob pieces we chose to wear weren't working. All of which is apparently hilarious. . .What? The boys were out in the lounge room laughing at the random shouts of frustration they heard from Amy's room.


Oh!! I do have one more thing to say! (Notice how I say that I don't have anything to say but sense then I've practically written a novel. . .) This is John. He's my 3rd Host Dad. He hates photos but because he loves me so much, well, look at how amazing this is :)


This is my date. Nic Crouch, I met him while he was America in 2007. I was his date to his Year 12 back in November, this is payback. That and we kinda like seeing each other every now and again :)
And this is Tristen. I just liked this photo. And I like Tristen, cool kid. Thought he was blog worthy :)
And in photograph number six hundred and thirty five! We have (L to R) me, Anna, Gennaeve, Kat and Amy. Talk about sexy girls!!


And these peeps are my other group of mates at after party. Me, Lucy, Jess, Jakarra and Kate (I take it you've caught on that that is Left to Right?).





P.S. My tan is REAL bitches!!!!

There and Back Again . . . an Exchanger's Tale

The adventure of a lifetime began on May 31st when 15 exchange students flew to Sydney where they would meet 18 others and begin a tour of Australia that they would never forget. There would be sights to see, memories to share, songs to sing, jokes to be made, countless hours of bus travel to be had, numerous early mornings, great achievements to be made and relationships to be built that would never be forgotten. The Rock N' Reef tour is what Youth Exchange is all about. We spent three weeks together, seeing and doing things that millions would never dream of attempting. I made thirty two new best friends and suprised even my self at how much I was capeable of doing in such a short time. The Safari flew by, it's like it didn't happen at all. But at the same time, it feels like months ago that I got on that plane and arrived in Sydney. Just as it seems like years ago that I got on that plane and left Durango. So much has happened is the last year, it's so hard to remember every detail. It breaks my heart knowing that this is one of my last Blog's. It hurts even more knowing that in less than three weeks time, I'll be sleeping in my own bed, eating from my kitchen and walking down the main street of my 'home' town. In 16 days, I'll wonder if this year happened at all. It's to good to be true. I've met to many amazing people and done to many amazing things for it to be real. So thank you, to anyone and everyone who had even the slightest impact on my year here. You have helped to make this they best year of my life.

Alright, I'll turn off the soap box now. . .back to the reason for this blog. SAFARI!!! We started in Sydney, where we visited the famous Bondi Beach, the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, went Jet Boating (I got SOAKED!!) and had a free day to explore the CBD. I chose to go to the Sydney Tower where I got a 360 degree birdseye view of the city. Then we went to the Queen Victoria Builiding, an old train station that's been converted into a shopping mall and visited China Town. Then we headed over to Hyde Park via the Monorail and hopped back on the bus to head back to camp.

Our Next stop would be Byron Bay. This was a three day drive from Sydney. We stopped in Cresent Head, a famous surf town and Coffs Harbour along the way. There are a number of 'Big' things across Australia. Coffs Harbour is home to the Big Banana. I dunno if you can see it but this me, Naoto (Japan) and Lynn (a leader from my district).

On the way to Byron Bay we also stopped at the famous Freddo's pies. Where you can get a Crocidile pie for $2.50. The stuff tasts like fishy chicken. . .And they seem to have a strange obsession with Marilyn. . .This is me and Jenny (Germany and to my left) and Grace (USA and on my right) .

Byron Bay is in Northern New South Whales and only an hours drive fromthe Gold Coast. It's a hippie town and reminded me of Durango, only they have a surf beach and we have mountains. Same diff right? We went Ocean Kyaking and had a pod of dolphins swim about a meter from us. It was amazing, a bit intimidating cause those waves are HUGE even out where they don't break. On our final day in Byron we hopped on our trusty bus Wilbur and drove up to the Gold Coast where we had a choice of visiting one of the theme parks or hanging out on the beach and walking up to Surfers Paradise. I chose the latter and what bloody good choice that was!! The Gold Coast is amazing!! It's a place where sky scrapers are beautiful!! They come right up to the beach, It's amazing.

When we left Byron, we headed north towards Airlie Beach and the Whitesunday Islands. We stopped for the night in a place called Ragaln just souht of Rockhampton (the beef capitol of the world). Ahh, good times in Raglan. . .We had a 'Black and White night' where we each got one black rubbish bag and one white rubbish bag. We had to make an out fit out of them. Then we had a dance party for about 4 hours. . . This is (L to R) Grace from Michigan and Katja AKA Katjaka cause I can't pronounce her name. . .and me. B E A U tiful eh?

Our next stop was a place called Airlie Beach on the Whitsunday Islands. It's beautiful there. . .we went Ocean Rafting through the Whitsundays, it was a bumpy ride but well worth it as we got to spend they day lying around on the famous Whitehaven Beach. 7 kilometers of pure silica sand. . .paradise. Then we had a free day, Grace and I got full body massages. Ahhh. . .That was the best day ever.

Our next stop along the East coast was to be Cairns. I've been here before, with the family. But it was still amazing. Grace (USA), Sarah (switzerland), Anni (Finland) and I went snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. It was the most amazing Coral I'd ever seen. We were about 3 kilometers from the very edge of the reef. When I stuck my head in the water at the first snorkel sight, I didn't want to look at it, I just wanted to scream and talk about how amazing it was. It was like an underwater city. There was so much colour and varity, it blew me away. Litteraly. . .the wind on that boat was SOO strong. (L to R) Sarah, me, Grace.

We would then pack up all our things (aka what ever we could fit in this tiny safari bag) and few to Alice Springs. The Center of Australia. Where, unlike the East Coast, they sell Farmers Union Iced Coffee!!

In Alice we stayed in a Bunk House, electricity and plumbing all inclusive. Which is the most exciting thing when you've just spent two weeks in tents, getting up at 4 am so that you can take them down and be on the road by 6 am to spend 9 hours in a bus with a torch that doesn't work. . .And we did a few cool things. . .like going to the desert park, going to a digeridoo show and riding camels, which is appatently an extremely terrifying task. . .look at my face. . .

The people at the show asked for a volunteer to go up and play the digerido. . . I was all for it unitl I actually got up there and basically farted into the bloody thing infront of 40 people. . .But hey, I played the Digeridoo up on stage. . . that's the best I can do for ya Marilyn. . .

Then we went to Kings Canyon and did a three hour hike which was totally worth it cause just look at how beautiful it is. Makes me feel all warm an fuzzy inside. Thigs like this remind me of how much I love being outside. I love the beauty of nature.

That night we did something that I'll never forget. Dressed all nine of our boys up in Drag. We gave them boobs, shaved their armpits, put fake eyelashes on em and made them wear dresses. It's shockin how much they like it. . .they touch their fake boobs way to much and really seem to enjoy showing off their hairy chicken legs. . .they're foregin, makes sense. . .

Then we hopped back on the bus, once again getting up at 4 am to pack down the tents and be on the road by 6. Then at about 9 am, with no more than 6 hours of sleep, I climbed Uluru (Ayers Rock). Which is like climbing a wall. . .there's this chain that you hold onto, lean back on and use to pull yourself up. It was pretty Epic, and I'm so happy that I did it. They're closing the climb in 2011 because it is a secred sight of the Aboriginies. Grace and I climbed it together. I love that girl. P.S. (Cole family) my Australia jumper made it to the top as did my Converse. . .worst footwear choice ever!!!

There ya go, that's the path up. . .bloody steep. . .It doesn't look that bad, and it's not that bad going up cause you stop heaps to catch your breath and rest your muscels, but coming down is terrifying. . .and your toes just wanna shoot through the front of your shoes. . .Nor does it look that far, but this is only like 1/5 of the entier thing. . .once you get to the top of the chained part, you are only 1/3 done and have to wander over the top of the rock for about 3km's till you get to the highest point. There are these little white stripes that show you the way, Con counted them, there's exactly 800 of em. This is me and the rock at sunset. It's so cool cause the colours creap up the rock as the sun goes down.

The next day we visited the Olgas and did a three hour walk through the Valley of the Winds. It was another one of those days where I was reminded how much I love nature.

Then we drove down to Coober Pedy and had a tour of an underground house as well as an opal mine. We stayed the night in an underground bunk house, yay for bunkhouses!! Not only did it have electricity and plumbing but it was constantly 24 degrees celcius and the outback is bloody freezing at night!! This is the entier group of exchangers and leaders, and bus drive and cook. What a bloody good group guys. I'll never forget you.

Happy Birthday to me

It's hard to express the joy I feel when I hear that merry tune "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Ariel, happy birthday to you" Notice that there is only ONE name mentioned in the song. It's a strange feeling to have something that you've shared all your life with someone else all to yourself, and the theme song to that something is music to my ears. It's what I've always wanted, a birthday all to myself (you twins know what I mean:)) And it's been the best ever. Thanks to everyone who helped to make it special.


So I paid my final visit to Melbourne this week. I came up for my birthday and to meet with Rotary for the start of Safari. I visited the Coles, had a birthday tea with the family, Annie and Pete and Amelia. That's like celebration number 4. . .I've turned 17 like 5 times this week!! I had the same problem with the candles here. . .the last one just wouldn't go out!! AND this time I made sure to touch the plate with the knife, I really really wanted to kiss Dane :) Jenny was even clever enough to buy me a hat that matched my scarf!! The plan is to make that hat last through three weeks of camping. . .it's wrapped in my St. Kilda scarf nestled in the corner of my bag. . .we'll see how that goes. . .

My cake had the cutest smiley candles. . .it's kinda creepy actually, they're STARING at you :) This is cake number. . .5? I made a pav, Dia made a chocolate mud cake and a chocolate mint cheese cake, I had this cake with the Coles, I had a cake with Jacqu and Asha last night and I'll have some more tonight with all my exchange buddies!! What can I say? I'm well celebrated :)


Jacqulyn had a great idea and got me a cake that didn't' need blowing out. . .thank god. . .I've got enough of these 'persistent boyfriends' running around the place. . .Rotary was starting to get worried for a minute there (wink wink John)

This is Asha, she's coming to America next year. Or so she says. . .We're gonna road trip. . or so she says. . .I'll believe it when I see it. . .But I love her anyways :) Safari starts tomorrow. YAY Three weeks of little sleep and immature exchange students! YAY!! Really, it's not so bad as it sounds :)

I made a PAV! Yaahhooo!!

See, look how sick that is. I'm officially an Aussie Chef :) Note the T-shirt too. It's a tourist T-shirt in disguise if you didn't notice. . .instead of just saying "Australia" straight up, it only looks like Australia. Clever eh? I though so . . .

Anywho, today we celebrated something wonderful. 17 years of Ariel. Couldn't get much better than that :) For once in my life, I had my own birthday. I'll have you know that this year, I'm 16 and a half hours older than my twin. . . due to the time difference . . . And, I'm so amazing that it took about 8 attempts to blow out all my candles. . .and apparently I have 7 boyfriends. . .and the last one is real persistant :) It's an aussie thing, after your frist attempt at blowing out the candles, however many are left alight is the number of boyfriends you've got. And ya know how in American we make a wish when we blow out the candles, well here, in the wonderful land of OZ, you make a wish when you cut the cake. And if you touch the plate, you have to kiss the nearest boy. When Timmy heard that, he ran for his life :) which was really dissappointing, cause I really wanted to give him a big, fat smack on the cheek :)

Yesterdy I went to the Footy out at Kyby, my favorite of my three hometowns. . .right. . .anyways. . .I went for the Footy, in which Kyby absolutly smashed Borders. And just an FYI for all you Yankee's, Footy is the most amazing sport ever. You are missing out cause you have no idea what I'm even talking about. . .And I won't attempt to explain cause it's far to confusing unless you're watching it on the telly or out at the oval. Anywho, it turns Kyby into a hotspot. Once every now and again, there are acutally people out there. Rather than the usual feral dogs, three neighbors and the entire Bartosek famliy (Great Aunt, Nan and Pap, Aunt's and Uncles, immeidate family etc), there are about a hundred who come for the sport. It's a real community event.

Oh, and this morning, I went to church for the first time in my adult life. It was an intresting and suprising emotional experience for me. Seeing all those people joined by something so simple as a belief, was kinda cool to see. But I don't have a photo of that one. . . sorry . . . I sang hyms and learned about some passage in the bible. . .it was intresting, an experience for sure. Like the last 10 months have been an experince, with every day presenting something new.

Even in the Outback I'm SEXY!!

See, even in the middle of nowhere, literally the middle of no where, my good looks prevail. I've just spent the last two weeks sitting in a car. Sounds like fun doesn't it? Cause I'd totally be jealous if I were you. . . wake up with the sun, spend 5 hours waiting for the family to get moving, then spend another 9 hours in the car only to drive between 400 and 500 k's. Trip of a lifetime eh? Well, it was. To all you Yankee's out there, you probably have no idea what I'm on about so I'll throw in a few links to google maps along the way :) Now, this is quite the tale to tell. It's gonna take a while, there will be lots of photos and plenty of useless rambling on my part. So bare with me.

Once upon a time, there was a girl called Ariel. She had beautiful red hair and fins instead of legs. Her best friend was a fish called flounder and she had a fascination for a faraway land. . . Wait, holdup. . .I don't have red hair or fish scales. . .sorry, wrong fairy tale. . .okay, so Once upon a time there was a girl called Ariel. She lived in Australia and her cruel Host Parents forced her to go on a trip to the outback. . .(that's better, sounds a bit more like the truth :) haha) Anyways, my trip started from Adelaide, Andrew and Karen started in Naracoorte. On our first day, we passed this sign.

And that's about as exciting as Day 1 gets. . . As you can see, I'm jumping with joy :) We stopped for the night in a seaside town called Pt. Broughton. (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Naracoorte+SA&daddr=Port+Broughton+SA&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=-34.170129,140.748989&sspn=0.094307,0.153809&ie=UTF8&z=7 our first days drive) The next day, we piled back into the red van and drove up to a place called Parachilna. God knows how bloody long it took to get to Pt. Augusta, but once we did, things finally started to get interesting. The scenery changed, there were actual hills instead of just flat, flat and flat. We were in The Flinders Ranges, heading for a town with a permanent population of 8. (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Port+Broughton+SA&daddr=Port+Augusta+SA+to:Parachilna+SA&geocode=&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=-35.279445,139.33645&sspn=5.953681,9.84375&ie=UTF8&z=8 Day 2)

Parachilna is famous for it's pub. They serve Emu, camel, goat and kangaroo. When you drive up, and of course it was well past dark when we did, there are about 5 lights and only two or three permanent buildings. But a paradise none the less. When you've been driving for countless hours without seeing another living breathing human being or a building with electricity and plumbing, it's an amazing sight. This is Steve and his dinner. I ate Emu liver that night. I'll never eat an animal organ again. . . This is the road sign just out of Parachilna. In two days time we would be in Birdsville, only we would be getting there by plane. That story comes later.

Now, you people in America don't even know the meaning of the phrase 'the flies have gotten bad'. In the outback, you bathe in Aeroguard and live in a fly net. Yes, it looks silly but I'd rather look like a bee keeper than have 45 flies crawling in out of my noes, eyes, ears and mouth.

Once we finally left Parachilna, we wound (sorry, drove for countless hours over never changing landscape in the same direction with nothing interesting to look at, but it was beautiful all the same) our way through the outback up to a place called William Creek. In less than 400 kilometers, we managed to break a window, travel 12 meters (that's like 50 feet) below sea level with out getting wet and have a family melt down. (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Parachilna+SA&daddr=William+Creek&geocode=&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=-32.36649,138.09866&sspn=3.080589,4.921875&ie=UTF8&ll=-30.016787,137.37854&spn=3.157993,4.921875&z=8 Day 3)

Once we got to Marree, we were officially on the Oodnadatta Track. Marree is the turning point where you chose your travels. Either the infamous Birdsville Track or the ancient Oodnadatta Track, lake Eyre sits between the two. Oh, right you don't' know what Lake Eyre is. Well basically its a big salt lake in the middle of Australia (because Australia used to have a giant inland sea) that only fills up once ever forty years and this year, my year in Australia, it's full. So we went for a visit. We chose the Oodnadatta Track as it led to William Creek, our destination for the night and base camp for the next 3 days. This Track as it is called, is nothing more than a semi level slab of ground with tire tracks in it. And that's how we managed to break the window. The road got rough, stones started flying, and then there was a loud crashing noise. The family melt down came soon after. It had been a long day and we were all getting annoyed at how long we had spent in the car. So there was. . .yelling. . .sort of. This is a photo of the sign labeling the Oodnadatta Track. On some other sign in some other tiny outback town there was a list of million things you HAD to have with you in case you broke down. We were in the outback you see. And because there are idiots out there who wander away from their cars in the event of the breakdown, there are numerous warnings telling you not to do so. In case you thought that was a good idea. . .

Anywho. . .the pub in William Creek was, well, a stereotypical outback pub. Yet, ironically, the only one we saw like it. There were bras hanging from the ceiling and money from all over the world pinned to the walls, people's old drives license and credit cards. License plates, hats, fake arms, you name it and you were bound to find it on one of these walls. Even the front door was covered in scraps of paper people had written 'Rachel was here! Canada to Australia 1993'. I added my mark to one of the walls, left a Rotary Business Card and a note with some crap about Ariel the little mermaid and water being in the outback. . . To much time in the car was making me go crazy. . .Every other pub we went to was more, classy if you will. Basically they didn't have bras hanging from the walls. . . This is Steve and Lisa (friends of the family who traveled in a separate car but did the trip with us) and Karen getting to know one of the locals.

So this entire trip was about Lake Eyre. It had water in it for the first time in decades. We were gonna drive up and fly over the lake in a light aircraft to a place called Bridsville Queensland, eat at the pub then fly further north to a place called Bedourie and stay the night. The next day we would hop back in our plane and fly down to the Mungerannie Roadhouse along the Bridsville track and have lunch at that pub. Then fly across the southern end of Lake Eyre and over the Painted Hills then back to William Creek. All for the small cost of $600 AUS. Cheap for what we did. And Google Maps is useless when it comes to showing you exactly how that worked. So you'll just have to imagine how big that lake is and how far away Bridsville is from ever other kind of civilization. . .Bedourie is even further away. . But this is the best I can do http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=William+Creek&daddr=Birdsville+QLD+to:bedourie&geocode=&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=-28.99935,135.64792&sspn=1.595058,2.460938&ie=UTF8&z=7 We flew over the lake in the middle. Zoom out to see where that is in comparison to say, Sydney.

This is our plane. We were about to spend the next two days sitting in here. Yay for limited leg space and constant turbulence. I can't tell you how excited I was. Seriously, I can't. Taking off was exhilarating. Here we are all cramed in, minus me and the piolt of course. And we had an amazing piolt. Luke was his name. Absolutly wonderful.

Lake Eyre generally just sits in the middle of Australia as a giant salt plane. Only when it floods in northren Queensland and the water manages to make it's way all the way down to South Australia, which is a bloody long way, does it flood. This time round it was 65% full. Which is pretty brilliant to see. Lake Eyre in on Annacreek Station, the largest cattle station in the world, it's about the size of Belguim

We landed at Birdsville for lunch at the pub. Birdsville Pub is also famous, it's one of the most remote places in the world. And because Rotary rocks so much, there were a number of club banners from all over Australia and the world hanging from their ceiling. Pretty epic I'd say

Then we got back in our plane and flew over the channel country. This is how the water gets from Ther very tip top of Australia, to the middle of it. Thousands upon thousands of little rivers that make the land incredibly green and flood numerous towns along the way. Seeing this made the trip, the outback is known for it's dryness and red dirt. It was truly amazing to see it so green and full of water. A once in a lifetime experience.

We stayed the night in a place called Bedourie. Where, we happened to meet a distant relative of my Host mum karen. What a quinki-dink eh?

The next day we got back in our little light aircraft plane and made our way back to William Creek via the Mungerannie Roadhouse along the Birdsville Track and the Painted Hills, which are on the Cooper Peady side of William Creek.

And we landed in William Creek. With another amazing experience under our blets. Problem is, that's only the first half of the trip. There was still four days of driving ahead of us. This is us with our piolt at the end of the trip. Look at our faces if you can. Note the pure joy on them.
Now, we were on our way to Melbourne. Yes, piratically the other side of the country. This is a map of our entire trip. Look at the amount of ground we covered in less than 10 days. Minus hte part where it takes us up to Alice Springs. We retraced our steps when we headed out east in the plane and flew back to William creek. http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Naracoorte+SA&daddr=Port+Broughton+SA+to:Parachilna+SA+to:William+Creek+to:Birdsville+QLD+to:Bedourie+QLD+to:Coober+Pedy+SA+to:Port+Augusta+SA+to:Renmark,+SA,+Australia+to:Ballarat+VIC+to:Leonard+St,+Tootgarook+Victoria+3941+to:Frankston+VIC+to:naracoorte&geocode=%3B%3B%3BFWAFR_4dFUggCA%3B%3B%3BFY9ORf4d_jAICA%3B%3B%3B%3BFYJxtv0dXB-iCCk_ZGXPb8rVajE9Im8W6o_qTw%3B%3B&hl=en&mra=pe&mrcr=9,10&sll=-30.562261,140.405273&sspn=24.994321,39.375&ie=UTF8&z=5

We were going to the Melbourne area for a 50th birthday. Don Cole is one of Andrew's best mates and my adopted host dad. I've never actually lived with these guys but I've been away on holiday with them enoug to make them count as family :) So we got to catch up and have a big party. Which was good. On the way to this party we stopped in Renmark where I got to visit one of my really good friends, Nic Crouch. YAY!! I love that kid!! After the party, we crossed the bay on a ferry and visited my Host sister who has just come out of hospital because she had her tosil's removed. It was a bloody LONG two weeks!!

And then last night I made mexican food. Real American, Mexican food. If that makes sense. YUMMY!! Kat came over and we had a ball eating Fajitas, and I had a burrito, the kind with refiredbeans. Which Australian's hate. Yes, it looks like spew in a can. But it tastes like heaven. I suppose it's a bit like Vegimite for Australian's. It's the most revolting thing to me, but they love it. It's yeast that they put on toast for God's sake! YUCK!! But refried beans are spew in a can that I put on a tortilla. That's pronounced tor-tiya :)