At the University of Western Australia there is a week of study before finals even begin and, coming from Willamette, this felt like an eternity.  Lets be realistic here, I wasn’t going to be productive during this time, so I flew across the country to Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, with a few international friends and an Australian friend.  We explored the city and went on the scenic great ocean road.  Whilst on the coastal drive we were passing through a grove of eucalyptus when suddenly I spotted them: wild koalas!  While I was beyond excited the first time I saw some Aussie wildlife in zoos, nothing compared to stumbling upon them unexpectedly on my various adventures.   I, of course, made my friend stop the car immediately, so that we could admire their awesomeness.

What’s the point here?  Well, for starters, I am pro at spotting cute, fuzzy animals and secondly, that one should take every opportunity presented in life that will add to ones happiness.  I did this often while abroad and from it learned a great deal about myself and saw some pretty amazing things.  The only times I ever regretted while in Australia were instances when I decided I couldn’t do something do to time or stress.  To not doing something that will add joy to your life is never the right choice.  Oh, and my exams?  No worries, they went just fine.