Here we go......

First of all I would like to thank all of you for your patience with me as my blogging lagged a little (ok stopped) by the last few weeks of my student teaching one experience. I promise that will not happen as I set to embark on my Australian adventure. 

It was a tearful parting with all of my friends as I drove away from Seward for the last time (as a student at least). It was hard leaving all of those people I love behind. But as the days pass it means the dawn of student teaching 2 approaches. The last few days have been full of laundry, errands, seeing family and friends, walks with the dog, and packing! I think I have finally fit the next 11 weeks into one checked bag, one small carry-on duffle, and a backpack. It took a lot of organizing, stacking, reconsidering, and thinking how stupid it was to be spending so much time deciding what shirts to bring! When I get there, I will have what I have and I probably will not look back. I will go over my last minute checklist in the morning before I load my bags in the car. 

I received an e-mail this evening from my cooperating teacher and he sent me the schedule that I will have for teaching when I finally get to Kingaroy. I think that made the whole teaching part of this trip a little bit more of a reality. There have been a few times where I have to remind myself that the main reason I am going down there is to teach.....not just hang out and travel. My schedule looks almost as busy as my first 8 weeks, but it looks like my days will have a little more variation; I am excited to see what it will actually be like when I get down there and the schedule is deciphered a little bit for me:) 

I have been overwhelmed with prayers and support and all of them are so greatly appreciated. I am going to ask for forgiveness now if I do not keep in as good of touch as I should while I am down under, but I will do my very best. 

My plane leaves St. Louis tomorrow, March 13th at 3:20pm. I arrive in Atlanta around 6 and then take off for Sydney at 7:15pm. I will land in Sydney on the morning of Thursday March 15th and then hop on one more short flight up to Brisbane, which will be my destination for a few days until I am taken up to Kingaroy. It will be a whirlwind of travelling, but hopefully it will mean a lot of sleep, and some reading:) 

My main forms of communication while I am there will probably be Skype, facebook, e-mail, and this blog. My Skype ID is mgpauluhn if you are interested. I would love to chat with anyone who wants to. Hope all is well for everyone reading. Blessings.