Home At Last
After weeks of anticipation laced with stress and bittersweetness, I am finally back home.
Flashback 20 hours ago from now, I was enjoying every minute I had left in Melbourne. I walked down Glenferrie Road, trying to take mental pictures of the stores and restaurants I passed everyday since the middle of July. I started being aware of all the "lasts" I was going to experience before I got on a plane. The last time I visit the grocery store where I bought food every Sunday or the last time I had the best fries in the world at Shnitz. These little things are the things I am going to miss most about my time in Australia. Don't get me wrong, I had fun on excursions to the Great Ocean Road and Sydney, but I will also miss the asian lady who sold me cinnamon apple muffins every morning before class. The smallest things like spontaneous midnight McDonald runs, dancing at the one of the local bars on Tuesdays, and having three cuteass roommates are how I will remember my semester-long trip.
After a get-together with some of the best people the night before I left, I woke up nervous, excited and sad to leave. As much as I wanted to see my family and dogs, it is impossible to say that I will not miss Australia. The lessons I've learned about myself there were ones that I would not change for anything.
I bade farewell to the city I have lived in the past four months yesterday and it still feels surreal that I am finally home.
Home feels exactly as welcoming and warm as I remembered, except for slight changes like the fact that my mom has the whole house smelling sweet and amazing. There are flowers on tables and beautiful diffusers in every room.
She put up our postcard collection and posters from our old house.
And we already have Christmas decorations! My mom is a little to eager for the holidays and I kind of love it.
Well, she completely messed one up which is hilarious but it's the thought that counts :*
My dogs are fatter and cuter than when I left them. I went overboard with taking photos of them but it's been too long!
I jumped right into bed right after I showered and let me tell you, it was the best freaking feeling in the world. I didn't want to get up...and I didn't for the rest of the night. ;)
Pusheen travelled with me to the bottom of the world and back home!
I flipped through a photo album from two summers ago that I put together of my trip to Italy. Time flies by so fast. I just finished my first semester of college when it felt like yesterday that I was packing to leave for Australia. The feeling of experiences going by and ending so quickly is difficult to reflect on.
I lit some candles...
and put on one of my favorite movies to fall asleep to.
I drifted to sleep not even five minutes into the movie and it was the best feeling in the world. I lounged on my bed the whole morning the next day, catching up on TV shows and eating in bed. I even Facetimed Alexia! It's only been a day and I already miss her weird jokes and her snorts.
I lounged some more and nighttime quickly came. I ate my first home dinner in a very long time...and I was so happy to see that my mom made sure to prepare my all time favorite Chinese dishes. Ahh!
Home is home, and it will always be comforting to be back. This trip was the longest I've ever been away and I definitely have an increased amount of appreciation for the place I grew up. I can't wait to reunite with my friends when they come back for their breaks as well. So psyched to take on HK with the best people I know once again. x
