Summer Nights in Centennial Park

The nights are warm in Sydney this time of year, so I've been finding as many excuses as possible to be outdoors. This week I walked to Centennial Park with some of my friends, where we found a garden of lights. We strolled through a forest of violet trees and listened to an acoustic performance while snacking on a picnic of wine, bread, brie cheese and chocolate. We also stumbled upon a wishing tree, where we wrote down our hopes and dreams and tied them to the dangling branches.

The following evening in the park was equally magical, when my group of friends met at Moonlight Cinema for a showing of Top Gun. We made a picnic on the grassy amphitheatre. People brought their pillows, blankets, beanbags and dogs. Hundreds of bats flew overhead as the sun set. We ate cupcakes and drank wine and laughed at the cheesy moments of the film. It's for the simple pleasures like picnics in the park, outdoor movies, denim cutoffs, and walking barefoot in the grass that I love summertime. I'm so glad I decided to extend my summer season by coming to Australia. Nine months of warm weather and still counting.

How to Speak Australian

Before I came to Australia, I considered myself a native English speaker. But as it turns out and as my friends are constantly reminding me, I speak American, not "proper English." The English spoken in Australia tends to favor the vocabulary and spelling used in the UK. The Aussie lingo is full of slang words and abbreviations. If a word can be shortened or given a nickname, the Aussies have found a way to do it. So to help my fellow Americans traveling down under, I've created this short guide to understanding the Australian language:

Ambo- ambulance

Arvo- afternoon

Barbie- barbecue

Bikkie- biscuit (cookie) 

Bin- trashcan, garbage can

Bottle'o, bottle shop- liquor store

Brekkie- breakfast

Brickies- brick laying professionals

Bushwalking- hiking, trekking

Capsicum- bell pepper

Car park- parking lot

Chrissy- Christmas

Chokkie- chocolate

Cockie- cockroach, or cockatoo

Cozzie- swimming costume (swimsuit)

Cuppa- cup of tea

Diary- planner, calendar

Esky- portable insulated cooler

Fairy floss- cotton candy

Footpath- sidewalk

Footy- Aussie Rules Football

Garbo- garbage collector

G'day- hello

Good on ya- well done, good for you

Heaps- a lot, really (That's heaps good; He earned heaps of money.)

Jackaroo- male ranch hand or cattle station manager

Jillaroo- female ranch hand or cattle station manager

Jumper- sweater

Kindie- kindergarten

Knickers- panties, underwear

Lift- elevator

Lollies- candy, sweets

Maccas- McDonald's

Mate- a friend, pal

Mozzie- mosquito

Nappy- diaper

No worries- no problem, I've got it

Op shop- opportunity shop (charity, thrift or secondhand store)

Pav- pavlova (a creamy dessert)

Petrol- gasoline, fuel

Pom, pommie- an Englishman

Postie- postman, mailman

Pram- stroller

Rello, rellie- relative

Rocket- arugula 

Salvos- Salvation Army

Seppo- an American (slang derogatory term derived from septic tank which rhymes with yank)

Shout- a turn or round (I bought the last round of drinks, so it's your shout.)

Singlet- cami, tank top

Sultanas- raisins

Tea time- supper, dinner

Ta- thanks

Thongs- flip-flops

Tomato sauce- ketchup

Trackies- tracksuit

Tradies- tradesmen, trade laborers

Uni- university

Wettie- wetsuit

What's on?- What's happening or playing? (in term of events, movies, & entertainment)

Zebra crossing- crosswalk
Yank- an American

2013: A New Chapter in the Book

Another year has snuck up on me. What happened to 2012? Oh that's right, I spent it in constant transition--from the frenzied pace of university life--always surrounded by young people, parties, exams and schedules--to the long days of summer back in my sleepy hometown. I spent it driving back and forth from Fort Worth to Dallas three times a week. And then I hopped around cities all summer long from Fort Worth to Sealy to San Antonio to Charleston to Corpus Christi to Austin to Houston to San Francisco to Auckland to where I am now--Sydney, Australia. 2012 was like one of those amazing rollercoaster rides where you queue up for hours and then as soon as you're all buckled in and take off, it ends in a flash.

Last year was full of surprises, confusion, disappointment, accomplishment and change. Upon graduation, I wasn't ready to jump into a lifelong career. I didn't want anything to do with growing up. I simply desired to travel the world, sleep in tents under the stars, drink coffee with new friends and write down all my stories. Living in Sydney has changed my attitude about growing up. Maybe I just needed some time in a beautiful place--to get a little lost, in order to find myself. In Australia, they call this going on walkabout. Though I still don't know exactly what I want to do, I know who I want to be. And I know that in order for me to become the person I want to be, I need to be back in my home country. At least for right now.

I've got a really good feeling about 2013. This year I resolve to:

• volunteer more
• spend less & save more
• take more photos & videos
• write more handwritten letters
• begin my pursuit of the American dream

Happy New Year! Wishing you a 2013 filled with joy, laughter & adventure.