It’s been 8 months
since I left Australia. Not many people know this, but when the plane took off
leaving the Sydney airport I cried.
I
cried because I knew I was leaving the best experience of my life behind.
I
cried because I had changed so much and yet I knew everything at home had
stayed the same.
I
cried because I was leaving behind friends that had become my second family.
I cried because I
felt content in Australia, finally whole.
Don’t get me wrong, it
was hard being away from home and not being able to see my parents and
family. I was looking forward to spending some quality time with
them; however, I was sad because I felt like I was leaving a piece of me
behind, a piece that wouldn’t/couldn’t exist properly in America.
The options are vast in
Australia. I felt, and still do feel, that socially, emotionally and
financially things were better for me there. Career wise the opportunities
for me are plentiful. Mental heath in North Carolina is a very broken
system, and realistically nationwide it has many issues and struggles. I’m not
saying that Australia’s health care and mental health care system is perfect,
but there are huge barriers that America still needs to cross for me to be
productive in my work and make a living that I can survive on.
I also was so much
happier. Most of you that know me know that I have had itchy feet for a long
time. The constant desire to travel and see the world that drive to
experience new things will never change. I have never truly been content
and happy in where I am living. Always moving hoping that the next place I live
will fill the void. Until I moved to Australia. I finally felt that connection.
I enjoyed living there. Their culture, way of life and way of
thinking mesh so well with who I am and want to be. The anxiety that I struggle
with had decreased dramatically while I was there. I felt like I fit in. I felt
at home.
Sure, Australia is not
perfect. It struggles with the same economic instability as the rest
of the world and it also is quite expensive compared to certain parts of
America. But as friends and family can attest, since returning I have done
nothing but compare America to Australia: the food, people,
fashion, nightlife, working conditions, the list goes on and on…but
95% of the time I’m explaining how Australia does it better. Except for the
bacon. lol. Some feel it’s unpatriotic, I find it to be my truth. It doesn’t
make me any less patriotic; I actually felt more patriotic while living
abroad. Living there has just opened my eyes to a different way of life, a
better life for me.
Needless to say, I'm missing Australia everyday.
Bye for now <3
