Things I will miss about Australia

I have had the time of my life in Australia. Since being here I've missed a lot of things from back home. But I've come to realize that I will miss a lot of things about Australia, and as depressing as it is I've made a list.

I will miss Buddy, and how obedient he is.
I will miss Georgia. Though I've only seen her once since being here I'll miss her sweet personality.
I will miss Aidan and Liam. They make the funniest faces.
I will miss Catherine, who understand my need for people to respect boundaries.
I will miss Emma who continuously makes me laugh.
I will miss Erin, who not only has my favorite Aussie accent, but also reminds me so much of my friends back home.
I will miss Rodi. He not only was there for my first fish 'n chips, but he also informed me that I was eating shark.
I will miss Brad and his Australian humor, even if I don't understand it.
I will miss Diane. She is an amazing cook, and she made me feel at home. She also is my second favorite Aussie accent.
I will miss the market.
I will miss shapes.
I will miss the warmth of the sun.
I will miss times spent with my two best friends.
I will miss relaxing with no worries.
I will miss the accents.
I will miss tax included.
I will miss not tipping.
I will miss drinking legally.
I will miss the pies.
I will miss the wallabys and the penguins.

But most of all I will miss Liana. She is the reason I am here having the time of my life. She is one of the most difficult people to read, and can be super sarcastic at times. But she has a great heart. It will be weird waking up and not having her there to talk to. She won't be there to talk boys and club life. She won't be there to laugh at my jokes, and she won't be there to make me laugh in return. I would like to say I wish I had never met her, but that would be too easy. I can't imagine my life without, and as hard as it is go to I count the days until she comes back to America. I have already begun save up for my next trip to Australia, and even though Madeline and I are leaving we aren't saying goodbye. It's just a see you later.

Well that's it. I've closed one chapter of my life. It kills me to say this but this is my last post for this blog. So for one final time...

Cheers, mate.

P.S. If you want to continue reading my work check out my other blog, Bearnecessities

24 days later

I feel like I have accomplished so much since coming to Australia. I not only got on the plane to leave America and my family and friends behind, but I have seen the another part of the world. I was lucky enough to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge, scuba the Great Barrier Reef, and watch the penguins as they stormed Phillip Island. But perhaps the greatest part of my trip was the people I met. Liana's family not only opened their house to Madeline and me, but they also opened their hearts.

Looking back on my Aussie adventures I couldn't ask for anything better than what I received. I felt welcomed into a family, but not only that Liana's friends couldn't be nicer. I am so grateful for everything that I have experienced since being here that words can never express how I feel. The only person who can possibly relate to how I feel is Madeline, and I'm fairly certain she is at a loss for words as well.

On our last day in paradise, we went back to the Victoria Market. I know I said that I was done buying souvenirs, but I found some things that I couldn't pass up. And while I was loading up on souvenirs, I also stocked up on Shapes. If they take them in customs I will cry. I fit all the boxes in perfectly with the presents I wrapped. I can't wait to give them to my family. I can't wait to see my family. I can't believe that I will be back in America in 30 hours. It's all to much to think about.

I think I've done everything I need to do.

I have climbed the bridge, scuba dived the reef, drove on the left side of the road, saw penguins, pet a kangaroo, hugged a wallaby, drank legally, gambled at a casino, ate real fish and chips, witnessed a white Christmas in summer, snuck into a hotel pool, snuck into a hotel, watched the Sydney NYE fireworks, and met some of the nicest people in the world. I hope that one day I will be able to bring myself to read this blog, but I fear that I won't get past the first post without crying. It's bitter sweet to leave, but I don't think that I'm ready. I guess it doesn't matter if I am ready or not. I will be on a plane back to the states tomorrow, and heading back to reality.

Cheers, mate.

Crossing the t's and dotting the i's

And getting the rest of the souvenirs I need to take back. I am happy to say that I am pretty much done with shopping. It was fun and all, but much like Christmas, I feel so stressed trying to get the perfect gift for my family members. I am relieved to say that I am done; unless I find something that someone would absolutely. Now I can sit back and enjoy what is left of my holiday.

Speaking of enjoyment, Madeline and I decided that we want to enjoy the best of what Australia has to offer. Translation: We had Shapes and pies for lunch. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. The girls and I also got the rest of our Great Barrier Reef photos developed. They aren't great but they were still cool to look at. I also bought an Australian Cosmo (the magazine, not the drink). They might be full of crap, but I'm addicted.

When we finally got back from our errand running, and relaxed. We watched the Australian classic Looking for Alibrandi. I wasn't watching it super close but it was really good. It's weird to think that despite the fact that we are growing up thousands of miles away, the problems we face are still the same.

And one problem we all face is club life. Emma, Liana, Madeline, and I went to Cheers last night. You know Cheers, the place where everyone know your name. Well, I'm not sure anyone knew our names, but that was fine. We danced up a storm. Though I must say as long as I am here I don't think I will ever get used to guys dancing like girls. You know what I'm talking about; they are singing their hearts out and moving their hips in ways they should never move. I can't help but laugh when I see a grown man belting out firework. One thing that was nice about club life is that when the bartender makes an extra drink you get it for free. On this night Madeline was the lucky one.

We danced some more, but eventually got all tuckered out and we went home. Emma slept over with us, and ended up kicking Liana on to the couch. I don't remember actually falling asleep I was too tired even after the nap I took in the middle of the day.

Cheers, mate.

St. Kidla and the crown

Luna Park, there is one in every major city in Australia.

Yesterday Liana and Emma took Madeline and me to St. Kilda. It was an interesting part of the city. It's a very artsy part of the city. They also have have shops and restaurants, which brings me to lunch. We went to Rocco, an Italian restaurant on Aclan St, which is know for its 'cool shopping district' according to Liana. The food wasn't too bad either. Sometimes all you need to be happy is a bowl of fettuccine marinara.

After lunch we decided we should walk off our food babies, and check out these 'cool shops'. Emma ended up finding some good deals and walked away with a cute fedora hat, a Mink Pink floral skirt, and a top that her friend Kelsey has. I on the other hand had to talk myself down from buying the cutest envelope clutch I had ever seen. It was black with a white flap and was big enough to hold a piece of paper without having to fold it. It would've been perfect for something like an interview. I mean not like I have one... yet. Sadly, I couldn't justify spending $50 on a purse that I couldn't imagine ever actually using just so I could feel confident walking in to a job interview. After leaving the dream purse behind, we continued on our way and back to Liana's where we met up with Erin.

She came over after work, and we hung out for a bit before Skyping Molly. It was great to talk to her and the Aussies loved her. Sadly, Emma had to close for work so she left, and took Erin with her. I would've been more upset that they couldn't come out with us last night if Diane hadn't made me baked potatoes for dinner. I mentioned it earlier how much I was craving baked potatoes, and she made them for me. I don't know how to express how great that dinner was. Not only did I have my potatoes, but there was also homemade guacamole. I was in food heaven. The conversation at the dinner table was really awesome too. It actually reminded me of my family, and just how much I miss them.

The crown casino, also known as the first place I ever gambled in.

I caught myself about to have a sentimental moment and become overcome with a case of homesickness, so I decided I better go distract myself and get ready to go out to the Casino with the girls. It's a good thing I did too, because we ran into some old friends and some new ones. We actually ended up meeting some guys from California, and they let me play a round of Craps for them. We broke even, but its better than losing. I even got to do a dice blow for good luck on another turn. I felt like Carrie Bradshaw when they go to Atlantic City, only unlike her I wasn't very lucky.

The Californians were fun, but way to into to gambling to carry on a decent conversation so we headed back to the bar to grab another cosmopolitan when we were intercepted by to very drunk Aussie boys. We ended up meeting their other friends, which was a smart decision for us. Well, for me anyway. I got to play roulette for them. We ended up winning a lot, but sadly greed go the better of the boys and they wanted to keep betting and we lost it all.

Like all good nights the girls and our new friends ended up in a food court watching the boys eat KFC, and as exciting as that sounds we got a cab and left them not long after the fries were gone. One cab ride later were back at Liana's and ready for bed. We went big, but were ready to go home.

Cheers, mate.

Phillip Island

Imagine that you are on a small, windy island only miles off the coast of Australia. Now, imagine that the island is being taken over by miniature penguins. If pictures are worth a thousand words, than a video must be worth a million. And with that I'll leave you with this video.

Cheers, mate.

The new resolution

Liana and Madeline at the MCG.

I'm sure everyone will be happy to know that Madeline and I talked and worked out the issue. It came down to I am an idiot who needs to talk about my feelings. This brings me to my new New Years resolution. It was to give up fast food, but I've thought of one that is even better. I am going to talk more about my feelings instead of keeping them inside and hoping they change. Yes, I think I am actually going to start acting like a girl. I'm not sure how this is going to go, but hopefully it ends well.

Other than that the day was pretty average. I ran and we watched Sex and the City, and then we went to cricket. Despite Diane's warnings, we accompanied Brad to watch the Stars and Renegades play. Unfortunately, it rained on us and the game was called. Or at least that's what I think happened. With cricket it is always hard to tell. 

On our way home from the MCG (as known as Liana's favorite place in Melbourne) we got pizza, and I don't know if it was just cause I was hungry or what, but it was some of the best pizza I've ever had. Even if there weren't any tomatoes.

After dinner and having a nice nature shower, we decided to get ready to go for another night on the town. By that I mean pulled our hair back, changed our outfits, and walked out the door. Yes we were looking hot.

Stars vs. Renegades cricket game.

We went to Toorak (I think that was the name), but it the line was way too long and the bouncers said they had never heard of me. Can you believe that? They don't know who Kara Brosio is! I have my own blog! That was joke if you didn't catch it.

I was okay with not going to Toorak; there were some very trashy Jersey Shore type girls there. Yes, they have them here in Australia too. Instead of being discouraged by the first club and the streets under construction Liana lead us to CQ, which could be my favorite club. This isn't just because of all the beautiful men there, but the atmosphere was great. It still was different from American club life, but it just felt good. And truth be told, I hadn't had a drink the whole night. Yes, I liked a club and I was 100% sober. Sadly, that also meant I don't have the energy to stay up past 1:00 AM. So we headed home, and went to bed. After all we had to get up early to get to Phillip Island, land of the penguins.

Cheers, mate.

Tears and turmoil

If you couldn't guess from the title this isn't a happy Australian adventure post, so if that's what you are expecting don't read this. That being said I made a promise to myself to blog about everything. I might not get every detail right, but the blog are as honest as they can be when it comes to how I remember things happening.

The day started out like any other. Wait that's not right. I started the day with a nice run. I've been yearning to feel the pain in my legs and the burning in my lungs accompanied by the euphoria I feel after finishing a run. Perhaps that was a bad choice as yesterday could be the worst day since coming to Australia.

I've been feeling like the third wheel since I got here, but I had prepared for that. Liana and Madeline were roommates, and they would always have a bond that I would never understand. For that reason I believe I've adopted the only child mindset. I would go off on my own, never far away, but try to give them alone time. I don't know if that's what they want, but it hasn't really been a problem until last night.

As I've already stated, the day started out unlike any other. I went for a run, and took a shower. The girls and I watched some SATC and then Rachel chatted me on Facebook. If you haven't heard Rachel is going to Spain for a whole semester; like me she is blogging as well. Well, we decided to Skype with her and the rest of my friends showed up at her house to catch up. It was great talking to them. It reminded how much I miss America. I will admit this one time and one time only. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss my home. And I miss my dog. We talked for at least an hour if not two. They said I wasn't missing anything, but it feels like I've missed out on everything.

Don't think that I'm ungrateful for the trip. I am having the time of my life here, but I've begun burn out a bit. I finally beginning to understand the old saying 'you can't have your cake and eat it too', but it still confuses me a bit. The person who made that up was probably trying to say 'you can't always have it all. Sometimes it's impossible.' But I think that they are leaving out a huge part, they need to include that you need to make the best out of what you choose. In terms of cake I think it could be described as if you choose to have you cake, share it with someone so they can enjoy it. And if your friend offers you cake, don't question how many calories there are or what it will cost you; just eat it. You never know when the cake will come, and you might as well make the most of it.

I'm not sure I got that right at all. When there's cake involved I always lose my train of thought. Well, after talking to my friends I joined Liana and Madeline out by the pool to catch some rays. I lathered on some sunscreen and joined them. After a while we decided to Skype our friend Ashley. It was great talking to her as well. Then it came time to get the alcohol. I stuck to my go to wine. I got a bottle of Australian wine for last night, and then it got a bottle of Spanish wine for tonight to celebrate Rachel's epic adventure.

When we came back it was dinnertime. Diane made the best eggplant dish. I went back for seconds, and thirds. After dinner it was time to start getting ready. Liana and Madeline hopped in the shower (separately of course) and I waited for my turn to use the bathroom. When we were all done the real fun began. I cracked open a bottle of wine, and it cracked back at me. Literally. The cork popped off and grazed my forehead. It only hurt a little. Thankfully it wasn't a straight shot. Well, I guess that's what you get when you buy cheap wine. Handle with care.

A bottle and a half of wine latter we were ready to go. Liana's friend Jeremy picked us up and drove us to the club. We were originally going to go to Persa (short for Perseverance), but the line went on for days so we opted for Bimbo's. While at the club Jeremy bought us drinks. He was such a nice guy, only maybe more drinks weren't what I needed.

They say that a drunken mind speaks a sober heart. Well apparently my sober heart had a lot of angst, and that anger was directed at Madeline. For some reason or another I yelled at her. I can't be certain what I said or how she reacted, but I like to think there was some reasoning behind it all. I don't remember much about this fight. I have an interesting coping mechanism where I block out horrific memories. These include but are not limited to fights, disagreements, embarrassing moments, and the awkward years. Sometimes it is helpful, but times like this is is very frustrating. I have a strange sense that I'm not completely in the wrong.

I know it is wrong to get drunk and yell at someone, but if it had been bad I wouldn't feel so free right now. Since we have arrived I feel like I have been walking on eggshells with Madeline, and I haven't said anything about it. Just like that cheap bottle of wine, it all got bottled up and exploded. Only this time I'm not sure who the cork hit though. I know that I should apologize, but I'm not sure what I am apologizing for and I'm not sure that I want to hear it. Soon enough it will come, but right now I just need to think.

Things didn't go much better after my comments to Madeline. I got pissed and angry and sad. I felt like I was going through puberty again. I was unable to control my emotions and they were running wild. Next thing I know I'm in an alley crying to Jeremy texting Liana from his phone, and only reading things that made me feel worse about the situation. The night obviously did not go according to plan, and while I hate to admit it the whole ordeal was probably my fault. Jeremy watched my cry for what seemed like hours until he took me back to Liana's. He was super nice about the whole thing. I think he might have actually been trying to spit game at one point, but it didn't matter. All I wanted to do was call my mom, cry, and force her to get home asap. I only managed the crying. I cried so much that I actually woke up with my makeup glued around my eye. I may have done the impossible. I had cried so hard that my makeup actually glued my eye shut.

The night was a mess that carried on to the morning. Neither of us is ready to talk to the other one, and poor Liana is caught in the middle. I just hope Diane and Brad don't pick up on it before the ordeal is worked out. I don't want to make things awkward for the last week. This time next week I'll be home. That's weird to think about. I'll be back in a place that's mine. A place where I'll always fit. And when I'm there all I will be wanting is to come back. It's funny how things like that work.

Cheers, mate.

P.S. Mom, don't fret. I'm fine. I love you.
P.P.S. Dad, I love you too.
P.P.P.S. I love you too, Tony and Jon.
P.P.P.P.S. I even love you, Kelsey.