May 15- June 12: Wherever You Go, There You Are

Well, it is the end of my 12th day in Australia! Yes, folks, I am finally here.  Unfortunately it has also been weeks since my last post.  There have been so many events and moments packed into these past few weeks that I hardly know where to start as far as small changes and lessons learned.  Australia is not how I imagined it.  Outside my window are lush hills with tropical trees and flowers, just like in Guatemala, and in the city are Parliament buildings, clock towers, and cathedrals, just like in England.  And so rather than feeling like a whole new country to me, this place feels strangely familiar.  My friends' family have been welcoming and I am already feeling quite at home with them.  There are many days of change and discovery ahead, but first I would like to discuss the biggest lesson I've learned so far:  Wherever You Go, There You Are.
Or in other words, you can start with a whole new army of shampoos, body sprays, face washes, even clothes and accessories.  You can start a new day, a new week, a new month.  You can travel to the other side of the world, live in a place where no one knows you, and you are surrounded by new things.  And yet, you are still You.  Every time I embark on a new phase of life, I have so many hopes for making changes in my life, and this newest adventure was no different.  However, I quickly discovered that I would have the same struggles here as at home, or anywhere.  To make real and lasting changes, they must come from a place deep within.  They must start as a spark within us and be fanned with enthusiasm and persistence.
And so, here I am, still me, liking to stay up late and sleep in, inconsistent and flighty, just in another country.  I wanted to become another person while I was here, but what I should have focused on was being a better version of myself.