“I’ve been around the world a couple of time or maybe more,
I’ve seen the sights and had delights on every foreign shore,
And when my mates all ask me the place that I adore,
I tell them right away
Give me a home among the gum trees
With lots of plum trees
A sheep or two and a kangaroo
a clothes line out the back
a Veranda out the front
And an old rocking chair”
If I tried to count the amount of times we belted out this Aussie song, the number that I’d come up with would probably be close to the 30’s within the past week. Every time we sung it I can honestly attest that it became more and more true. We’ve seen wolf spiders the size of our hands, snakes thrown around by locals, and we melted along with our candy, but I have never been so stunned by the beauty of the land and the people within it. I gotta say that the peak of the trip hit us on our last night all together. Sitting in a circle on some random plot of grass, pure positivity erupted from the mouth of each and every person.
Our final meeting included some of our favorite stories, compliments to our leaders and chaperones, and the rustic pathways ending ritual. I smiled for 2 hours straight due to the nice things that everyone had to say about each other, and I couldn’t help but notice everyone’s glowing face. Radiance rippled through our group as each person was given a friendship bracelet and a reason as to why we deserved it. Explanations ranged from good jokes to unwavering support. Every person got the chance to feel special, and I find that to be a collectively rare but important synergy of personalities.
Reflecting on this trip now, although it’s not over yet, brings gratitude rushing in, in waves. I wouldn’t change anything about this trip: not the people, not the places, not the heat nor the bugs. I remember saying to the group last night that I didn’t know Mrs. Jim and I didn’t know Mrs. D, but I did know Braithwaite and I felt completely skeptical of this trip. This adventure has not only brought me into deeper relationships but a deeper appreciation for how big yet tiny our world is.
As a teenager I’d like to think that I know pretty much everything I need to know, and I’m sure there are many others out there who think the same, but the most important lesson I received on this adventure was that learning takes lifetimes and therefore no one is ever finished with their education. This is my inspiration to continue breathing in the language of the world, and I can’t wait to see what else I must learn.