Some Realizations from my Journey...

I AM BACK FROM AUSTRALIA!! Just arrived last night, slept off some jet leg and I just wanted to post some of the things that crossed my mind during my 3 weeks abroad:

a) There is a whole big world of life out there and the American way of living is not necessarily THE way of living. I think we need to chill a bit more.
b) Australia is cold in the fall. A coat is necessary.
c) Boys are so much friendlier than girls.
d) I have no right to complain about the price of pop at home ($16.00 for a case of coke is when I can start).
e) I need to make my wardrobe more exciting (the fashion in Australia is so trendy!)
f) Australians could possibly be the nicest people ever (they will always give their devoted attention to you when asking a question or for a picture and are always helpful).
g) Not every airport treats you like you have a bomb in your pocket (i took off my flip flops at the Australia airport and they asked if I was American).
h) Shopping carts can also be known as trollys, diapers can also be known as nappys, crackers can also be known as crisps, washrooms are also "toilets", ketchup can also be known as "tomato sauce", a green man that looks like he's running is an "exit" sign, a line-up can also be called a queue, garbage can also be known as rubbish (among many other words that differ from ours!).
i) I can go without a cell phone for 3 weeks.
j) If you call the dollar coin a "loony", you'll be called a "crazy Canadian".
k) There are way more similarities than differences in people (backpackers) in their 20s from across the world (people from England, Germany, Japan, Canada etc. all watch the same movies, listen to the same music, wear similar brands of clothing and so forth).
l) Even though I travelled half way across the world (or more?), I can land in a Country and have no culture shock.
m) Coffee makers and percolated coffee are not common in Australia. Cappuccino, Long Black, and a bunch of other names that I forget are.
n) I frickin love regular coffee.
o) Breathing from an oxygen tank under the water is not natural and is a bit of a mind boggler. It would take me several tries of getting used to that feeling before really scuba diving.
p) 3 weeks is not enough time to get used to cars driving on the opposite side of the street and the opposite side of the car (I almost died a few times from looking the wrong way).


I could probably go through the whole alphabet but these are my highlights! I will be posting my pictures and telling about my trip soon!