The ultimate tourist.



The beautiful train station just one more time.





Re-enacting our first picture together nearly five months ago.



I remember sitting around the kitchen table with my parents late last summer and making the decision that I wanted to go abroad for Spring semester. And now, nearly a year later, I am about to spend my last night in my flat and arrive home in less than a week.

I have happily completed my four finals and am a bit relieved that they are over. Exams are a much bigger deal here, with varying assigned rooms, strict times, bathroom escorts, and grouchy procters. Nonetheless, they all went well and I am (hopefully) an official JMU senior. Holy cow.

I am currently about to go to bed for the last time in my flat, as I am packed and ready to head to Australia in t-minus 7 hours. Kate even managed to help me SQUEEZE my giant sleeping bag in (no man left behind!), which was a pleasant surprise. Natalie and I are on separate flights, but meeting in Melbourne tomorrow and staying with my family friends, the Davidsons. I have to say that I am quite excited to be in a home. While my flat and hostel hopping have served their purpose, there's a comfort in knowing that I won't have to take my own shampoo or get the jumper cables out whenever we stop for gas.

I must admit that I am quite anxious about making it home. The combination of luggage weight, different currencies, four time zones, country codes, etc., has made me increasingly appreciate and respect avid travellers. Nonetheless, I will be relieved and thrilled to be home on the 28th of June. That is, if I'm still alive after 40+ hours of travelling. We shall see - prayers are welcome.

I took my turn as a tourist this past weekend, snapping pictures around Dunedin and buying last minute souvenirs. When I first got here in February, I felt like such an outcast as I couldn't get the hang of left-side driving or finding the most efficient way to get to Uni. Amazingly, I figured it out and have been able to call Dunedin home for the last five months. I am incredibly excited to see you all and be back home, but the reality of leaving New Zealand and the people that I have met here has made my leaving incredibly bittersweet. The friendships that I have made and the experiences that I have had have surpassed nearly all of my expectations. My study abroad experience has been exactly what I had hoped it would be and I feel incredibly fortunate for this.

Well, it is 3AM here (ahh!) and time for me to hit the hay. As always, thanks for reading! Here are some photos from this past weekend in Dunedin.

XOXO.