Happy December everyone,
Life has continued to provide me many challenges in the past month relating to my plans for 2024 – but we have great news in the end!
First up in November, I completed one of two of my required Social Work placements. I am so happy to have completed my first 500 hours with an organisation called Community Living Association. I learned a lot from all my co-workers and supervisors, and I was sad to leave. Happy because I got to work full-time again and earn some money. But sad because it was a great work environment and I felt like the work really suited me. To finish off the placement, I drew everyone printing them on cards, and we shared pink donuts celebrating the time I spent on the youth team.
The biggest news from November though is that I am confirmed to go on exchange in Winter 2024 a Grand Rapids State University. I have been busting my ass trying to fit an exchange into my university program. Due to Covid and exchange being put on hiatus, this was a bit of a challenge. But the teams at UniSC and GVSU have pulled through right at the end of the month and I am now so elated to say I will be living and studying in the US from January to May of next year. I am so excited to travel again. Being enrolled in a five-year degree has felt constricting and I’m glad to say that I am melding travel and study together not once but twice next year. In the second half of the year, I am planning to finish my second place in South India (fingers crossed). Back to Michigan, I stoked to be back in North America for a few big things next year. 1. I get to finally meet the eggs I donated back in 2019; 2. I get to meet my best friend's newborn daughter; 3. I get to do a mega road trip which includes Colorado (for Southpark), Wyoming (for Yellowstone), Denver (to visit a friend) and Lousiana (Britney’s hometown), and 4. Having the experience of studying at an American institution including living on campus. I am psyched.
Other highlights in November were that I drew up some very wicked Christmas cards for my closest friends and families (will post after the Christmas season is over), I hung out with some very wonderful friends, new and old, at shows across Brisbane, karaoke with a bunch of singers and receiving compliments like “you should do this professionally”, and that I am back working fulltime in childcare (which I love).
Finally, the movies I watched this month were The Marvels (they connected the X-Men universe - yay), the rest of the Indiana Jones movies, and I am up to date with Always Sunny in Philadephia and have started New Girl.
Merry Christmas everyone and thanks for reading my blog. The next post I write will be posted from my layover in Taiwan!!!
May xx