Oddly enough I really though about my arrival when I got on the bus. Just had music and thought about Australia. So I wrote it down, I will reiterate word for word...
"I just wanted to reflect on my arrival to Australia a little bit more. I didn't express much emotion on that initial landing. And now I sit here on the bus now, in week three realizing how much I love this place. Also, side-note and oddly enough, I think music is a very powerful force for my feelings at the moment. The Gamble by Fun. and next is Take Your Time (Coming Home) by Fun.
I can't believe the length of time I have been here and how important, I realize now, coming to coming to Australia is. We waited for hours to finally get here. I had been breathing the filtered air of airport terminals and planes for lets say, two entire days. We are getting close to Australia and we see alnd. The virus of land and salvation and our destination, after waiting for so long, spread like wildfire. Thankfully I had a window seat. Everyone looked left, right, left again try to get a glimpse of the land that will prove to be the best 3 months of our lives. We were hypnotized by land. Everyone was ecstatic. As we approached the runway everyone's curious, wandering eyes never leaving the window. The tires hit the runway. We cheered.
The two days of bonding, being bored, essentially living in an airport, eating plane food, no showers, has indeed paid off. We are in AUstralia Everyone is eager to get off the plane. We make our way to customs. I'm always nervous about customs. I know I do nothing wrong but still, maybe I won't get in. I was one of the first to make it through "Welcome to Australia" was what I heard (whether or not tat is the case, I don't know, but I like to think that was said to me) and received the stamp that is showing proof I am in Australia. We go to baggage claim and we all get our luggage and 1 by 1 we get sniffed by two dogs (beagles) looking for citrus mind you. 1 by 1 we walk through the doors of essentially no return. I think we were all okay with that. The first ones out had been outside telling everyone to drop their bags and certainly the bags did drop. As we trickled out, groups ran out the door. Took that first breath of the fresh, warm, beautiful Australian air. It really did have a smell and a sense of salvation. Nothing has ever felt better. This went on for 20 minutes. Eventually we made our way to the bus and waited around. Ou pale, straight from the middle of winter skin, was no match for the intense Australian sun. Which is in fact in the northern part of the sky, not southern. We saw baobob trees and were even amazed by the grass. It was hysterical.
We're on the bus and everyone is glued to the window, just as the plane. Occasionally getting commentary from the bus driver. We watch around us in this new culture. Subconsciously comparing it to our own. The houses, cars, signs, everything was slightly different. We have made it to Lennox. The town of about 4,000 that will be our new home. We will know this town pretty damn well when we are (unfortunately) done here. It is actually my HOME. This place on the ocean, which is always there. The ocean is beautiful from the town. And Lake Ainsworth. I've seen pictures. Lots of them. But my god, this place is actually real. I can't believe it. The lake really is root beer colored, the ocean really is my backyard.
Looking back now, seeing everything for the first time is something I won't ever have, feel, or experience again. Sure I may come back, but I have generally already seen it. It's unfortunate my first time experience is now over. But the path is has lit, my arrival, is something I don't think I would chance for the world. I am in fact, in Australia.
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