Final Dinner + PostSecret

This finally feels like the end.

Last night, everyone in the program got together for a final group dinner at Doytao Thai restaurant in Newtown. When we walked in, we were given a Post-It that I don't even remember writing that listed my 3 goals for my time in Australia, as of the day after my arrival. Mine read:

1. Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge

2. Go to the Great Barrier Reef

3. Try and learn to surf

....and, I was 1 for 3. But I'm not upset about it - the wonderful thing about bucket lists is that you can change them whenever you feel like it. I've had an ongoing list since the end of middle school, and the first thing on it is "Swim with dolphins". Would I still do it if I had the opportunity to do so (for fairly cheap)? Yeah, I think so. But it's certainly not a my-whole-life-is-a-failure-unless-I-swim-with-dolphins kind of thing, so it's probably  not bucket list worthy anymore. Back to Australia...the point is, what I thought I wanted to get out of this trip changed as time went on. I didn't climb the bridge, but I walked across it, took the train over it every day, and was continually awed by the views it provided, and that's good enough for me. I didn't learn to surf, but let's be real, the chances of me successfully surfing are basically non-existent. I struggle with basic walking - riding waves is not for me.

We had delicious food [I'm really going to miss Thai], and had great conversations. We also got a big poster-like thing filled with pictures of us throughout our trip, so many memories there.

After dinner, Julie, Amber, Abby and I had tickets for PostSecret! I have been obsessed with Frank Warren and PostSecret since I was in middle school, and going to one of his events was still a very legitimate bucket list item. We heard all about how and why he started PostSecret, saw secrets that had been banned from his book (and many others), heard his crazy stories, and listened to strangers share their own secrets. It's not something I can explain super well, especially if you're not super familiar with PostSecret, but just trust me when I say it was a really cool experience and I'm glad I got to go.

I have about 45 minutes left in my last day at work, and then I literally have zero obligations standing between me and my flight home (other than a lot of packing). We'll all go out as a group one more time tonight, and tomorrow a group of us are planning a nice final dinner. Julie and Tim fly out for New Zealand at 10 a.m. on Saturday - so Friday will be a quiet one. Saturday will be a day of packing (and misery)...and then it'll be time to fly out.

Three more days until I get to see this out my airplane window (albeit covered in snow):

Can't wait - see you all soon! :)