Cheers to 2009

It's been nearly 7 months since I last updated & I am sorry for that. I had all the intentions in the world to finish and update my blog before now but, life got in the way.
I just wanted to reflect on my life during this past year.
2009 was by far my best year EVER! It was a year of a lot of firsts, a lot of lasts, and a lot of weird, funny, sad, exciting, heartbreaking, and life-changing events. 2009 will go down in the books as one of the best years ever, for me, and I am sad to see it come to a close.
God has truly blessed me & I am eager to see what He has in store for me in 2010!!

Some things I will never forget that took place in 2009:
AIFS AUSTRALIA SPRING '09!!
(including but not excluded to):
a 10 day trip to Fiji!
skydiving
scuba diving
learning to surf
a trip to the outback
trips all over Oz
feeding kangaroos, koalas, bats, & other furry creatures
meeting and getting to know some of the most amazing people ever
creating life long friendships..

I turned 21!
I saw a ton of shows but Coldplay & Metric topped the charts.
I got my tonsils removed.
I moved back to Portland (where I would meet more amazing, life long friends)..


That was my 2009 on fast forward.
This blog does NOT do my past year justice.
I hope you all had a fabulous 2009 & that you will be blessed in 2010!
Happy New Year to you all & all my love!
xo
dustialynn

last night

so, tonight is my final night in the wonderful city of sydney.
what a bittersweet feeling.
it is extremely hard to explain how i'm really feeling but, it has put me in a trance all day. i feel like this is the end of it all but then i think of home & i get so excited to see everyone back at home.
this has been an unbelievably amazing adventure and i'm so blessed & thankful.
i don't suppose you would be able to understand the feelings i'm feeling unless you have just spent 5months in Australia after wanting to live there for abt 13 years. i don't suppose you would understand unless you were in Australia with 60 of the most amazing, crazy, honest, annoying, fabulously funny, geniune, goofy, ridiculous people ever from all over the US. i don't suppose you would understand unless you spent 5months in Australia during the first half of the year 2009 experiencing the world through young, eager eyes.
i skydived.
i scuba dived.
i hiked over 30 kilometers in rainforests, cannons, mountains..
i learned to surf.
i slept in a swag under the stars in 2 degree weather.
i drove on the "wrong" side of the road.
i turned 21.
i saw an AFL game.
i saw a rugby union game.
i saw a dugong.
i spent an endless amount of hours talking to my roommates.
i spent an endless amoung of hours talking with my AIFSers.
i visited 4 out of the 7 states in oz.
i will be back.

over and out from the wonderful land of oz.
xoxo
dustialynn.

rest in peace king of pop

i know some of you could care less about michael jackson's passing but, i am extremely heart broken.
lest we forgot:
johnny cash
elvis
john lennon
bob marley
tupac
biggie smalls
kurt cobain
and any others i have forgotten right now :(

rest in peace the king of pop.
only four more days in oz.
sad day of my life..

p.s. sorry to farrah & ed mcmahon, may have not been the most opportune time to die..

xox
dustialynn

I'M DONE!!

wow, i can't believe it..
another year of college all said and done.
i'm so excited for it to be over but also really sad because that means australia is almost a mere memory..

anyway,
i've tried to update for the past 2 days & it hasn't been working but, here i am now.
i still have to post abt melbourne, don't worry, i will..
and, i'm off to the OUTBACK, with kelly, on saturday!! i'm really excited.

for now, i'm off to woolworths with my wonderful, amazing friend vanessa.

update update update pt. 2

today i went to paddy's market with camy & jami.
i bought souvenirs. for everyone. i spent a good amount of money.
i also took my biology 108 final. i'm not really too keen on how i did but, i'm done.
i only have 17 days left in oz. it's cold. i'm a bit sick.
i want a good book to read. or two. or three. i don't want to study.
farewell dinner tmrw.

until next time
xox
dustialynn

update update update.

i only have 19 days left!!!
eeekkkk! so crazy. so many emotions. bittersweet.


but, in the meantime..
my camera broke.
my ipod broke.
i'm almost broke.

but, i'm still in oz.

until next time.
xoxox
dustialynn

p.s. per yesterday, i have decided "dustialynn" will be my "stage name."
i have been using it as my signature for everything i write (emails, blogs, usernames, etc.) for a while so i decided i have been "making a name for myself" ..
i like it.

queensland!

svena - germany
amber - england (yorkshire)
josh - australia (brisbane)
peter - australia (surfer's paradise)
rowan - australia (surfer's paradise)
kate - australia (sunshine coast)
kyle - australia (sunshine coast)
mitch - australia (mooloolabah)
stacy - canada (vancouver)
emmi - new zealand (auckland)
kevin - united kingdom (kent)
dave - canada (vancouver)
glen - new zealand (auckland)


gold coast: thursday to friday
sunshine coast: friday to saturday
brisbane: saturday to sunday

fun in the sun weekend!