One year ago I was celebrating my sixth month in Australia and everything I was thankful for during my time in Oz. With Thanksgiving only a few days away, I wanted to write about the things I am grateful for in 2011.
I kicked off 2011 by welcoming the new year in Sydney at Harbour Bridge, ticking an item on my bucket list.
While I enjoyed all 12 months in Oz, my favorite part of the experience was a 2-month road trip at the very end of the year. Australia is a beautiful country, and I loved seeing it with no particular time table — other than my visa end date.
Snapping a photo of my two road trip partners who are busy composing their own.
I’m grateful that I was able to say “goodbye” to my friend (more like a younger brother) John “in person” — he passed away as I was flying from Sydney to the USA, and I was in Orlando days later at his funeral.
I was so excited to have the time and resources to afford a trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with family. THIS is our home away from home.
I’m thankful I finally met several travel blogging friends in person who I had known since the start of this blog. I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve been able to pay the essential bills without the commitment of full-time, permanent employment while I contemplate and plan my next steps. I’m thankful I spent 10 days with friends in London over the summer, which led to meeting my boyfriend. And speaking of London, I’m appreciative that a friend is currently on a plane crossing the Atlantic to spend Thanksgiving week with me and my family.
Meeting Laura/@awanderingsole in DC
This year has had its challenges and celebrations like any, and it’s certainly had more than its fair share of changes! Some have been welcomed, some haven’t, but I can’t help but be grateful for everything I’ve learned, everyone I’ve met, and everything I hope is to come.
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans, and to everyone else, hope you’re getting excited for the holiday season!
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It’s good to remember the good times, learn if you can from the bad but don’t dwell on them. Celebrate others and your accomplishments, you are an amazing person who inspires people and has given so much to so many. 🙂
I’m getting very excited about the holiday season, specifically December 26th onwards as I get to see my girlfriend again ;-)Â
Looking forward to seeing my boyfriend again 🙂 ♥
As usual, I enjoyed your blog. I always enjoy how you write and the glimpse you allow us to have inside your mind and heart. <3
*HUG* Thankful for you, madre!
I hope that 2012 brings you more opportunities for travel (to Buffalo, perhaps?!) 🙂 as well as much love & happiness. <3
I hope a trip to Buffalo is one of the many awesome things 2012 has in store — very much looking forward to our reunion!
This post had me thinking about my 2011 in review. What a year! I know we mention all sorts of potential travel spots to go together, but after watching Slumdog Millionaire again this evening, I’m thinking we need to rethink a trip to India 🙂 I think we go through a ‘trip of the week’. haha. Happy Thanksgiving!
We DO have a trip of the week and it’s been fun to think of a new idea (or revisit an old one) with every new post 🙂 I’m there for India!! One of my former advisees may be moving back to India after graduation in May, and he’s really excited that I want to go one day (sooner rather than later, preferably).