Intro (of sorts)

There’s nothing scarier than trying to write something on a blank page. And I’m saying that as someone who moved over 10,000 miles away from home after being eighteen for less than three months. The logical place to start is the beginning, but where is that? Was it when my plane landed in Australia ? Or when I got on the first plane? Or when I decided I am actually doing it and it’s not just another crazy idea to forget about because I need to be realistic about what I’m doing with my life?

I think the right place to start is why I decided this idea was sane enough to be my reality. Maybe I’m wrong, I never know where to start, but this is my blog and I can do what I like, so that’s where I’m going to start. I’ve always wanted to travel the world when I was old enough. At least since I was ten when we moved back from the Caribbean anyway. Initially, I wanted to go back to the Caribbean and do the same thing again. Then I got older and decided I wanted to travel round Europe for a year after college because considering I’m from Europe I’ve really not seen that much of it. And of course because pizza and pasta both come from Italy and I could argue with you all day about why they’re the best foods.

When I was in college it became apparent that none of my friends would be able to come traveling with me for a plethora of different reasons and so I gave up on the idea and applied to study physics at university in 2024. Living in the Caribbean inspired a lot of the attributes that make up who I am today and one of those attributes is my interest in astrophysics. Imagine being nine years old and for the first time ever you look up at the sky to be greeted by the sight of so many stars you can’t even comprehend how big the number is. Some of the places we stayed had very little or no light pollution so you could clearly see the Milky way. As I’m sure any human would be, I was inspired by this. Pair this with the fact I’ve always enjoyed and been good at maths and studying physics just sounds like the right choice doesn’t it?

My last A level exam was on the same day as my Eighteenth birthday and that was it, I was finally done with school and I had the freedom of being an adult. I found myself doubting my decision to study physics. I’ve always known there’s more to life than academics and careers and boring stuff like that. And just because I’m an adult now doesn’t mean I have to accept the responsibility of being one just yet. There was still a part of me that wanted to see the world and live a little before I start my career. So I decided to apply for a job teaching sailing in Australia and just see what happened. No commitment, just a final attempt at following a dream I’ve had for half my life. If it was meant to work out it would.

The sailing club I applied for a job at was in Sydney Australia because it was coming to the end of summer in England and sailing is usually a summer sport so moving to the southern hemisphere in time for their summer makes sense. They replied within a couple of days saying that if I could sort myself out with a visa and accommodation and a bank account and everything like that, then they’d give me the job.

Now if someone gave you the decision to go to university to study a course that you’re becoming more unsure of by the day or travel half way around the globe to go teach one of your favourite hobbies for six months and take a rain check on the uni course, I refuse to believe you’d choose the uni course. Sure, I’d be going alone and I’m scared of spiders and a hundred other reasons why it’s a stupid idea and I should’ve stayed in the safety of my own home. But there’s a chance of getting hit by a car every time you cross the road; if you don’t take risks what’s the point in life. I could’ve ended up hating it but if I didn’t at least give it a go I’d never forgive myself for passing up such an opportunity. You never grow as a person if you don’t step outside of your comfort zone and this was the perfect balance of absolutely terrifying but even more exciting.

So, like anyone in their right mind, I booked a flight for the next month. I wasn’t supposed to start work until mid September but if I got to Australia a month early that gives me plenty of time to set myself up. My mum has a friend from when she was in school who lives in Brisbane so the plan was to stay with her and her family for a couple of weeks and then get an internal flight from Brisbane to Sydney and stay in an air BnB near where I was going to be working.

If you decide you want to read my blog, that’s cool I’m glad you think whatever I decide I have to say is worth your time. But it’s also not the decision I’m going to make. I can’t be bothered to proof read my own writing and apparently the software I’m using doesn’t check my grammar so I’m sorry in advance if half of what I say makes no sense.

If you’ve read this far congratulations, I’m not sure I’d have given that much time to what I have to say. I decided I want to start this blog for a few reasons. Firstly, I want to be able to keep my friends and family updated on what I’m up to, but not everyone uses the same types of social media if they use it at all, so putting everything I have to say on here is so much easier than repeating myself to every individual in my life. Secondly, I’m doing it for myself. I think I’ll appreciate being able to go back and read about this later when it’s all over. I think it’s nice to be able to keep a record of everything I’m doing. And thirdly, Netflix has clocked the fact I’m not in my mother’s household because I’m in Australia and has kicked me out of the account. This leaves me with probably a couple hours a day that need filling with something. It’s insane that I wasted that much of my time binge watching TV shows I’m only half invested in but that’s time I am now going to spend writing about whatever I like, because like I said, it’s my blog, I can do what I like.