"Ms. Ray are you from Australia or something?"

Me: No.
Them: Then why do you talk about it so much?

----and this is when I decided to stop talking about Australia so much at school. How odd anyway that I so often refer to an entire continent. I should be more specific so it sounds more realistic. I am sure people don't go around talking about "Europe" as if it were a city. So I'm done publicizing.

Back to the blog.

After having my principal read and edit my letter for Selection Criteria his words were, and I quote, "I think you have a little more to do here." After talking to me for about twenty minutes, which I greatly appreciated, we came up with several notes and future revisions. Now I feel very much on track. Yet, that was Tuesday and today is Thursday and despite the fact that in reality there are only two days between, it seems like an eternity.

I promise, when this school year ends, it's on Australia! Err... I mean Melbourne. I will focus so hard on that. And moving. And writing. And.... Ok, big summer. Nonetheless, I will make it happen.

Unless... something else happens.

I am going to ask the Magic 8 Ball again...
Me: Should I move to Australia (Melbourne)?
Magic8Ball: "It's Lookin' Good"

There we have it....

Multimedia message

I need more paper and another black ink cartridge

After spending all of Sunday morning "in Australia" I feel another step closer to achieving my dream.

• Applications for migrations - printed
• Registration for teaching - printed and read
• Final draft (before everyone else's revision's) of Selection Criteria letter - completed
• Practice of Aussie terms and Celsius conversions - priceless ;)

If only I had more time though. I have to work, for real, in America, all week and spend tons of time outside of the classroom preparing and doing my many extracurricular (school-related) activities. I just need like a solid month to prepare everything and according to my Aussie connections about $16,000 to make this move work. Well I don't have a month to prepare, I am too antsy and impulsive and there is no way to save $16,000. So let's go with $5,000 and make it work.

"Make it work" - Tim Gunn

Aside from the fact that I am now a member of the Australian Government website and for some reason felt the impulse to place that logo as my FB profile pic, I now worry about the little things.

Like food. Will I like the food? We all know I love fish&chips and could eat a meat pie or sausage roll any day of the week, but what about the American foods I can't get? What about apple pie? What about collard greens? What about fried cheese sticks? Just give me a 72 ounce soda for 79 cents and I'll be on my way, OK!?
At last though, perhaps my prays and future concerns have been answered- An American diner. Thanks Misty's for providing a backup plan.

2nd thing: Language barrier. Though you're thinking, "They speak English, you speak English, what's the problem here?" They (Australians) can't understand the words I speak, I swear! Perhaps it's this "accent" I have. Perhaps its my limited vocabulary of Aussie terms. I think it's a little more of the latter. So I am going to study, make flashcards, and more importantly practice. So long American terminology! I'm going to be cheeky and add u's to words like colour and favourtie then top it off by pronouncing that h in herb!

See you later.

It's raining in Chicago. Hope it doesn't rain much in Australia. What a naive thought. They are pretty much constantly in a drought.

Ooooh that means it's warm. You know where it's NOT warm? That's right- Chicago. Spent all winter freeeezing and now it's "spring" and trying to live without the heater is nearly impossible but we are too stubborn to pay for it so instead suffer through each fifty (10C) degree day.

Oh what I wouldn't give for an endless summer

Here's a haiku entitled Yellow:
Daffodil sunshine
Spreads like butter; a fern bends
Tossing sharp shadows

Save the Date

Career

I don't know if I have mentioned this already or not, but I am teacher. And I don't know if you are aware or not, but teaching jobs are not easy to come by in America. Thus comes yet another reason why I should move to Australia. I heard they want teachers there and I am hoping that's true. I spent the past two weeks preparing an essay about my ability to teach. Now on my fourth version, hope this time it's done. Getting a job would just be THE BEST. Imagine....(cue dreamlike clouds) I get a job offer while still in the states and accept it before moving. I could have a place to stay and a consistent income. I could undoubtedly make it work.

Though, I do not hope for the best, because what if it fails? I'd rather aim for the worst and then be surprised. That's my secret plan for happiness - hope for the worst.

And we all know...when you're angry and depressed the words just flooooow. So hopefully if this whole moving to Australia turns out to be a horrible idea, I will at least get a lot of good material for my poetry! ;)

Let's not talk about that though. I would rather focus on preparation. Apart from writing a long letter of my qualifications, I am very satisfied with the hiring process in Victoria. It seems as though people will actually look at my application unlike in CPS where in order to get a job I had to take my resume to each and EVERY school. That didn't work for two years, so I'm done.

My other jobs in Chicago were pretty sweet though. Starbucks, oh my dear love, Starbucks. You're my first and true love. Held me in your caffeinated arms when I arrived lonely and tired. I owe you so much. Mainly because I get too much for free, but also because you helped me transition from country girl to big city living. Maybe I will miss Chicago and especially my Starbucks friends. Stuck by me. Thanks, guys. Keep in touch!

<3 Chicago

Teardrops

I thought I was ready but my heart remains a little undecided. In class today I wrote a story problem that began " I have two brothers and two sisters.." that's when they started. The teardrops rolling down my cheek. I thought, I have four siblings yet I never see them. We live only five hours away yet I lost touch. Being the oldest I feel like I abandoned them.

I let myself fall into the moment.

Luckily it passed and my desire to move came back. It will be an adventure. It will be a challenge. I am so excited and besides maybe it will only be a year. Yet I can't help but feel that my destiny lies in the land down under. Perhaps the most intriguing part is that I have so many questions and so few answers.

All I know for sure as sit in the Starbucks where I worked after first moving to Chicago is that I will make it work. Things will end up alright. Maybe it is my attitude or maybe it's my motivation. Either way I am going to move and I will be okay.