Happy Australia Day. My new favorite foreign holiday. Not that there is much competition. I can't really think of any rivalry foreign holidays. I enjoyed today's mini-celebration with my favorite Australian Laura who brought a little of her homeland to our meal time. Dinner has somewhat become my favorite part of the day, since we all get together, and actually eat something more than fruit and peanut butter and granola. I am literally almost out of peanut butter since I've eaten so much of it with fruit lately. But it's a good source of protein in a somewhat meatless diet.
Anyway, back to the Australian barbecue. Since January finds itsself in the middle of Australian summer, Aussies celebrate Australia Day much like we celebrate the Fourth of July. As the 4th of July is one of my personal favorites at home, it wasn't surprising I enjoy the idea of Australia Day. We celebrated like all Americans in Ireland celebrate Australia Day, we hung a flag in Laura & Claire's kitchen, fried up some burgers in a pan, ate them on bread slices with lettuce & ketchup and drank Coca-Cola out of mugs. To top it off, we had these delicious Australian deserts called Pavlovas for desert. Think Strawberry Shortcake but more sugary less cakey.
After dessert we discussed travel plans. It seems everyone I know abroad is scheduling trip after trip and I just want to hop on the bandwagon. I am not one to close the door on opportunity so I want to make the most of my trip in Europe. I want to do it all. Whoever first used that phrase must not put in the fine print.... I want to do it all, all that I can afford. Nothing is free, ever, and so it makes the idea of seeing the world a little more difficult.
Currently we are working on our spring break trip.... Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Four places I would never think of going....but that's what makes it so cool. We'd fly to Berlin and then travel by bus or rail to the other places for a total of about 10 days. Add in living expenses (food, accomodation--hostels) and traveling expenses and you come to a total of a little less than $1000 American dollars. What up expensive. But an opportunity of a lifetime.
Then you still consider the fact that there are other places I want to go. What is a trip to Europe without seeing London....Big Ben... The London Bridge... places we've talked about since we were children..sang songs about. Or Paris....the Eiffel Tower.... or Italy... Rome...Pisa. The leaning tower. Pasta. Gondolas in Venice. Gelato. If by chance, Greece. Those beautiful white houses juxtaposed against that magical blue water only found in Santorini.
I want to see it all. I want to do it all. Soaking all in. Tasted it all.
They say you are only young once. Take advantage of it. Celebrate Australia Day in Ireland. Do something different. Broaden your horizons. On a budget.
Actually have to make a group presentation in class tomorrow. Education in the classroom still is as important as all this education outside of it. So I should get some sleep.
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