But if you close your eyes...

Venice.

...does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?

Honestly, Australian politics are doing my head in. There's no sense of stability, not when you have two politicians like Gillard and Rudd fighting over the head job like they are. I think I should just move to England and be done with it, just leave now in time for the cinematic collapse. We're not educated enough day-to-day to know where we should put our votes. Now that Rudd's PM again, after Gillard got the job off him three years ago, I feel like I'm a kid growing with instability again.

Ice skating went well. Now that's a stability that will be catching on for me. To try something new overseas and bring it back with me, that's something I can say I'm very happy with. The rink I went to offered a free 15 minute basic skating lesson; we learned some basic things like getting up after falling, stopping and turning. We were then let loose with the rest of the skaters. I fell over a few times, but that was the fun. Special thanks to my friend Jewels for accompanying me and taking pictures.

I've loved that it's something so seemingly obscure around here, and I never would have thought of it unless I'd tried it abroad. I'm so thankful for something new to accompany this new part of myself. I'll always remember that the first time I tried ice skating was at a lake - nothing to hold on to - in Örebro, Sweden.

I miss the Örebro gang terribly. I've been back for nearly two weeks and there's little things I miss. It's like graduating high school in a way; all these people I would see day to day, I won't be able to see gathered in the one place again. We shared something special and unique. I loved being known as the little crazy Australian girl.

Meanwhile, I'm broke. Still, I'm working towards something new - the US Study Tour in November. It'll be a close one, but I work better with a goal to work towards. I've found my spark again and I'm not going to let it flicker out. Not on my watch. I'm too determined not to let that happen. Hopefully budgeting works out.

Work's been fine so far. Apparently I've gotten a raise due to my previous experience - not much, but still a raise! Tuesdays are Steak Night and I've enjoyed serving people who love steak, as I do as well. I've had some generous souls when it comes to tipping; it's reminded me that I'll have to be much more generous myself in the States. It's expected more over there, whereas here, spare change is considered generous.

Though if I could pay for my trip with compliments, I'd be a freaking millionaire by now.

Something I've remembered? My idea of mundane isn't necessarily as mundane as I think sometimes. Perspective, perspective, perspective. Serve the food, reset the table, move on.

I saw World War Z last Monday. Let me just say now that I knew nothing about the plot, only that Muse had contributed to the film's score. Brilliant, I thought, and then I was blown away by the inclusion of the track 'Isolated System' in the opening and throughout the rest of the film. I hear that the band were inspired by the book while composing their just released album, so it comes to full circle by contributing to the film.

By not having read the book, I was fairly pleased just by watching the film. Besides, an adaptation is never accurate. Of course, if you'd talked to me about Harry Potter five years ago I would have felt differently on the topic. There was also a moment of the film where they showed different parts of the world swarmed with zombies, and I recognised St Mark's Square in Venice without any help. I'm curious about other parts of the world now, such as Israel and China.

Worth seeing.

A restless nomad.

Well. I've been adjusting. I've had terrible jet lag, and Melbourne's been colder, but I'm recovering every day. I'm catching up and socialising as often as I can. I also got my job back! That's something that's become a huge relief to me.

I love being able to talk about my travels, with other people who have travelled. It may come off as boasting, but travelling is something I've realised makes me so happy. Some people have asked me why I'm not more big headed. And others feel the need to try and make what I've done hit home to me. I don't think I've entirely realised all the travelling I've done myself; and I prefer to keep it that way and remember them sequentially. Otherwise they blur together and I do realise that I've done a lot. I'm fighting to remember them separately, and it's confusing.

I met so many ambitious, like minded people overseas; and coming back, I've had to remember that this wonderful, open minded group is sadly the minority.

Another thing I've found coming back is how comparatively mundane everyday life feels now that I've experienced a different way of living. I didn't go two weeks without travelling somewhere after my first trip (Barcelona) and jet setting to another country just became so normal.

So one of the things I'm trying to do for myself these holidays is to try and keep things exciting. Socialise more. Get out there. Find a way to incorporate this weightless, effortless personality I'd found overseas and keep that zest for life that I'd found so easily overseas.

I've learned that I can't sit still and let life pass.
I need to actively participate.
I need to be a part of this strange, crazy, not always fair, life.
I need to see more of it.
And I want to find more of the minority.
...not only closer to home, but keep everyone I met abroad as well.

Post-Sweden.

Hej hej!

So I'm back in Melbourne.

I arrived Saturday night after about 19 hours of flying time. My Swedish neighbour on the way to Doha was on a school trip to Kenya to help build a school! We got to talking travel and the flight was fine. 

Doha is absolutely stunning at night, by the way.

The entertainment system on this particular commute didn't fail, not that it ever has; I watched Beautiful Creatures to Doha (missed it in the cinemas in Sweden) and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and most of The Brothers Grimm to Melbourne. Didn't get to finish it because the plane landed, stupid plane! I got some sleep too, big mistake because I'm a little jet lagged because of it.

My mum, my sister and her boyfriend met me at the airport.

 

We spent the night at a nearby hotel before driving to my new apartment in the morning.

This is my new view. I call it the 'rotting rooftop' view.

I'm almost finished fixing my shelf. I haven't put many souvenirs up here yet so it looks almost the same.

I've been doing 'back in Australia' errands lately, unpacking, and soon I'll be catching up with friends.

More to come when I start internalising and have more crazy catastrophes to report.

Unexpected achievements during my exchange...

• Minimal jetlag flying Oz to Sweden
• Steep downhill sledding
• Coffee addiction
• Starting a foreign Starbucks mug collection
• Sangria and tapas in Spain
• Ice skating
• Dogsledding

• Snowmobiling
• Visiting the Ice Hotel
• Seeing the Northern Lights (twice!)

• Feeding Reindeer
• Eating Reindeer
• Visiting Café Deux Moulins

• Eating Escargot
• Wearing a beret in Paris

• Visiting Auschwitz
• Finding Old Scotland Yard
• Touring the Harry Potter Studios

• Watching Eurovision in the same time zone
• Visiting three countries in one week
• Visiting three Italian cities in one week
• Being on 19 different flights
• Being on 7 different ferries

Swedish acknowledgements.

Well, it's time to leave for Melbourne (Friday), and don't get me wrong: I can't wait to get back. But I've had such an amazing time abroad with so many people. They need a soppy emotional acknowledgement blog post.

First of all, I'll say this. It's been such a pleasure to meet such smart, educated, motivated, ambitious people. It takes a certain mindset and decision to decide to spend a semester abroad in a different country. It's been amazing to talk to people about so many different countries and even visit them together.

I'll start with my two favourite ladies. I introduced these two to each other and they ended up the best of friends; Lindsey and Marion. You girls have been fantastic, I'm going to miss our partying and our gossipy fika sessions. I'm proud to call you my friends and confidantes.

Next... Lucas! Mister tall Canadian so proud of his corner of the world! We got along so well and I'm so glad to call you my travel buddy. Paris, Poland and Malta were fantastic with you and we must stay in contact! I'm so thankful you convinced me to go to Italy when I was on the fence about it, because it ended up being yet another fantastic trip for me. Thank you. Keep being you!

Next would be Rachell and Christin. You ladies have also been great for gossip, partying and downtime; thanks! The semester would be quite different if not for you two.

Next are the American lads, Max, Zach and Jake. I'll admit that my impression of Americans wasn't the best to begin with. But the way I got to know you three, it's helped me turn that around for the better. You guys keep it up!

Other Canadians, Josh, Meryn, Kyle: thanks for being there, really. Especially Meryn when I was homeless for a couple days. Arnaud and Julien! My French buddies! You guys kept things lively and I'm glad I could finally tell you apart by the end of the first week.

Italians! Giovanni, Marta, Andrea etc, I've loved being able to talk to you guys! You always included me and I loved being around you in Lapland. You were another reason that I ended up going to Italy. You inspire me to keep up my not-quite-fluent Italians.

And the fellow Aussies! Amy, Steven and Billy; you kept me grounded with conversations about home. Thank you for the company in such a strange little country.

At this point the Örebro group just widens and it gets impossible to thank you individually. People I saw on a regular basis, always asked me how I was, where I'd been, my next trip, and complaining how I was never around! I've loved getting to know each and every one of you. Don't forget the crazy little Australian girl.

Special mention to the Scanbalt Balalaika and Vodka Tour! We were such a great group of people and you made the trip even better. Tour manager Zane, you were brilliant, keep it up! Alex, Luke, Owen, Manon, Emily, Mitch, Romain, Andrew.... Well I could keep going. I still can't believe how much we drank that whole week.

That's enough emotional for me, I think. When we all separate and go back to our own lives, we'll still remember all those stupid, funny, ridiculous, delirious, drunk moments and smile for years to come.

If any of you are interested, I wrote a memoir about my waitressing experiences in Melbourne (November 2011). It's available at Amazon in both paperback and Kindle. 

If it wasn't for waiting, I never would have gotten out to Sweden and met all you lovely people. I've also been told that the way I tell stories is entertaining. The first day I started writing I served a woman with multiple sclerosis; it's all written down here in this monster.

Again... thank you. Thank you for this wonderful part of my life. Take care.

Italian Espresso Tour with Contiki.

The Italian tour with Contiki was absolutely jam packed. Our tour manager Vincenzo (Vinnie) was quite a character and he set the tone for the trip. Very open and friendly. And funny!

The tour started in Rome, where we spent two nights and one full day. Places included the Trevi Fountain (which received 50 Euro cents and 1 Russian ruble from me), the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.

 

Afterwards we jumped into Florence. This was two days of sightseeing, leather distinction, and relaxing. A certain David was there, and I myself didn't know that it was actually an intended representation of David from David and Goliath, the biblical story. Obviously before David slayed Goliath, and then started having how many wives. The real one's in a museum where pictures aren't allowed, so here's the Doppel-David for you. We enjoyed Tuscan dinners, wines and cheeses. 

The food overall was fantastic.

We stopped through San Guglielmo, Pisa (yes, the Leaning Tower) and Verona (Romeo and Juliet's town) before arriving in Venice for two nights. 

Obviously this called for a gondola ride. Some would call it cheesy, but I'm not in Venice often. Plus it makes so much of the income for Venice, you'd be surprised. Venice itself is quite expensive. The tour itself ended in Venice.

Something else I will say is, I was so happy to use my not-quite-fluent Italian I learned through primary school and some of high school. It's otherwise considered almost useless in my daily life in Australia. It was fantastic to greet the locals, ask how they were, and understand most of what they were saying.

I wasn't going to consider going to Italy because I was afraid I didn't have the time. Finding the Contiki tour and counsel from my friends persuaded otherwise, and I'm so glad they did. This tour got most of Italy for me than if I'd tried to plan it on my own. All the cities are different in their own right and I loved all of them for it.

This was my last overseas trip before returning home next week - and what a trip it was!

I also have a little extra news... I've been on accepted on a study tour in the US! LA and New York, for two weeks in November. I'm so excited. United States, you're next!