Preparing

I will be leaving for Australia exactly one month from yesterday. In the mean while I am trying to get things ready for my trip. I'm trying to decide what I really need and what I can leave behind as well as trying to get a chance to see as many friends as possible before I leave for five months. I'm starting to get really excited about my trip but I'm also a little bit nervous. Australia is an awfully long ways away.

Right now I am getting ready to go and visit some family members before I leave. It will be strange for me to be away from them for so long. Still, I think the opportunity is fantastic. How often does one get the chance to study in another country? I'm especially excited because there is so much incredible wildlife in Australia. As many of you know, I'm a bit of a biology nerd and can't wait to get a chance to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. It sounds absolutely incredible, especially given the state of the world's oceans. This really could be both my first and last chance to see a vibrant coral reef community, though I of course hope that we find ways to care for our world so that these communities can exist well into the future. I'm also excited to spend time in the rainforests that border the university that I will be studying at.

Speaking of universities, I will be studying at James Cook University in Cairnes Australia. Cairnes is located in Queensland on the Northeast tip of Australia. I won't register for classes until I get there so I'm not 100% sure of what I will be taking but I am hoping to take Statistics, Biodiversity of Tropical Australia, Ecology & Conservation, and a subject on Indigenous Australian belief and practice compared to modern conceptions of ecology. If any of these subjects fall through (in Australia a class is called a subject and a "course" is more like a major) I have some alternate subjects picked out that also sound interesting. Part of me wishes that I could study there longer because there are many fascinating sounding classes available but I know that everyone back home would probably be upset with me if I stayed for that long.

Anyways, that's probably enough for now, I'll be sure to keep you updated on my adventures and as always, I hope you are all well!