There's No Place Like Oz

Heather the Aussie Representative

I love Australia. Big surprise right? I also love storytelling. Ask me a simple question and you’ll probably get a detailed response with loads of facial expressions and hand gestures. I love being a resource for others on topics I’m experienced with — you’ve got questions, I’ve got answers! Need some career or job search [...]

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The Kiwi on the Golden Gate Bridge made me do it

Whether they’re words, sights, sounds, or smells, I’ve experienced several distinct, powerful moments that served as inspiration to travel. Just a few minutes ago I was reminded of one of those moments. I found a note I wrote before my trip to Australia about an experience I had in early 2008, and I can’t help [...]

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What’s Next: Lifestyle Choices

This is the second post in the What’s Next series, in which I share what life has in store post-Oz. This post has been a long time in the making! I’ve written several drafts, but every time I’d sit down to write, the words wouldn’t come. I’m hoping today is different. Over the last five [...]

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The Geisha of Charlottesville

A few years ago I found myself at a local restaurant with three friends — two visiting from London (on their first trip to the US) and the third had recently returned to our hometown of Charlottesville after living in Japan for two years. As the three discussed the plans I had to show the [...]

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What’s Next: Writing Projects

This is the first in a new “What’s Next” series. In upcoming posts, I’ll share the biggest, life-changing lesson I took away from Australia and how it’s impacted my first five months back in the USA — and of course in the months to come. There’s No Place Like Oz is not my first blog. [...]

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There’s No Place Like: Scott Stadium

Last week I promised that the next post (i.e., THIS one) would be about lifestyle changes I have been working on post-Australia and what I hope my future holds. That’s not happening today. I’ve wanted to begin that series for weeks now, but every time I begin, I freeze. I’ve written several outlines and even [...]

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7 Thrifty Travel Tips

Brooke vs. the World has asked travel bloggers to put together their best thrifty and resourceful travel tips for a helpful, free ebook. If you think you’re thrifty and would like to participate, check out the Featured image

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My 7 Links: Blast from the Past Posts

It’s hard to believe I’ve been writing about my life on There’s No Place Like Oz for over a year, but it’s true! A few weeks ago, I contemplated highlighting some of my favorite posts on the About page or in a “best of” post, but I’ve kind of had a few Oz to USA [...]

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Re-entry and Reverse Culture Shock

The true fruit of travel is perhaps the feeling of being nearly everywhere at home. -Freya Stark- It’s been two months since my plane touched down on the east coast of the USA and I officially returned home after living in Australia for a year. Perhaps more than any other two-month period of my life, [...]

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Saying Goodbye

It’s only been two weeks since the last day of my year-long adventure in Australia. The day brought many mixed emotions, and the difficult ones were perhaps heightened by the fact that I’d only booked the flight home two weeks prior. Though I never knew exactly when my time in Oz would come to an [...]

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