The Candidness of a Child

If anyone knows how to pull my heart strings in just the right way, it is my Hopie.

She has been in California for almost a year now and we miss each other terribly. Thankfully, it has been decided that they will be moving back in 2012. However, it is undecided as to whether Hope is staying here until then, or if she is going to go back to California and move when the rest of her family does. Yesterday, Hope and I were hanging out at my house when we began talking about when she is moving back from California. This turned into talking about me leaving for Australia. Below is how the conversation played out.

Hope: When will I see you again after today?
Me: This coming Tuesday. Remember?
Hope: Oh yeah. What about after that?
Me: I don't know baby girl. I leave for New York on Friday and then I just have a few days after I get back to get packed up and ready for school and student teaching to start. When do you go back to California?
Hope: I don't know. Either on the 15th or I am staying here until mommy moves back in July... July... Isn't that close to when you leave for Australia? When do you leave for Australia?
Me: I will be leaving in June.
Hope: That's not far from now... How long will you be there?
Me: Either 6 months, which would put me back here by Christmas, or a year, which would put me back here the next June.
(silence)
Hope: What if you don't come back?
Me: What do you mean? Of course I'm coming back. All of my friends and family are here.
Hope: What if you get on that plane and die on the way?
Me: Well you know, I've actually thought about that. That is a natural fear that many people have about flying. Plane crashes are pretty rare though. Think about it, my dad has been flying for many many years and he's never been in a plane crash.
Hope: You better tell me if you die on the way.
Me: I can't do that if I'm dead.
Hope: Make sure someone else knows to tell me.
Me: I will make sure to do that. But you don't have to worry about that happening. I'm trusting God to protect me and if he wants to take me to heaven, well, I'll be there waiting for everyone I love... What made you think about all this?
Hope: It's what I think about before I get on the plane to California by myself.
Me: Like I said, that is a natural fear of flying. A lot of people think about that. But just remember that plane crashes are rare and the pilots and flight attendants have a lot of training for situations like that. And most importantly if you get scared or worried, just pray that God will protect you. He's listening. 
(silence)
Hope: Why are you going to Australia?
Me: That's where my job will be. 
Hope: Do you have to go?
Me: No, I don't have to go.
Hope: But you want to?
Me: Yeah, a big part of me really wants to go. But another part of me will be sad that I won't get to see my family and friends, and you of course.

There was a slight pause and then Hope quickly changed the subject to something else... Either she had all of her questions answered or it had just become too much for her to continue thinking about. Either way, it breaks my heart. I keep thinking, well maybe I just won't go, but then I realize the big part of me that really wants to go would never forgive me.

She left me and went to California, which was hard in its own way, but now I'm leaving her, which is a whole new kind of hard and I think we are both beginning to realize that... At least while she was in California I saw her every other month or so, but this will be a solid 6 months - 1 year. To ease some of the heartbreak, I've come up with a few exciting ways to make sure that Hopie is included in my trip 100% and I can't wait to tell her about them. 1) We will definitely be Skyping, which may be difficult with the time difference, but we can make it happen. 2) I will take with me some kind of small stuffed animal of hers or one we buy together and take pictures of it along the way (on the plane, on the bridge, near a kangaroo, at the beach, etc) and e-mail them to her. 3) I will be sending her postcards along the way as well.

I've been down playing how much I will miss my family and friends, but Hope brought the issue right up front and made me think about it honestly. I can't express in words how much I will miss everyone (even my Munkie), only my tears as I write this could express that. If I don't do this now though, then I'll never do it... and I need to. I need an adventure - an adventure that is mine. I need to explore the world, not just the east coast of the US. I need to figure out how to not want to be at home every second of every day. I need to be in a situation where I have to fully rely on God. Parts of this journey will be hard, but other parts of it will be so amazing that it makes up for the hard parts. While I am going to miss my family and friends, one of the people/things I will miss the most is:

Passport Application

Today was the first step in the general direction of leaving for Australia - applying for my passport. As I got ready this morning my stomach was turning from excitement and nervousness. I was excited to be getting this much closer to following my dream, but nervous because of the many questions and worries I have about making this journey. It was fairly expensive, but it will last for 9 1/2 years, so it's worth it, and if I break up the expenses it won't seem so drastic. The passport will also allow me to go see Niagra Falls in Canada if I go to NY with my roommate to see our other roommate's home town during New Years. Also, if I go to NY that will be the first time I fly without a family member (and possibly by myself). I'm enjoying the gradual steps that I am taking to get used to the idea that I will actually be leaving. I think it will make the process and change much easier instead of dealing with all the excitement and nervousness about all the elements all at once when the time finally arrives. I was told my passport should arrive by December 3rd, which I am extremely excited about. I can't wait to finally hold the passport book in my hands (and then put it in a very safe place, that I can remember, until it's time to use it)!!!

The woman that handled my application gave me some helpful tips on how to make sure that if I lose my passport (fingers crossed that I won't) that I can make it back home in a timely manner.
1) Make 3 copies of the main passport page (name, picture, etc).
2) Leave one copy with your parents (spouse, significant other, etc) so they can mail it to the necessary department.
3) While at the airport keep the book and one copy on your person and the other copy in a checked bag.
4) Once the destination is reached - keep the book in a safe and unknown place in your room, keep one copy folded up in your wallet, and keep the other copy in a suitcase that won't be used while there.

 

 This is the photo taken and used for my passport.

Being so excited and nervous at the same time is hard for me to understand as I keep jumping back and forth between feelings, but I'm glad I'm getting to work through some of this early. I think this is a natural reaction. Overall though, I'm excited!!! =D

A Kink Already

So as you guys know I was planning on staying in Australia for 6 months - 1 year depending on the wants/needs of the family. But finding a family that only wants a nanny/aupair for 6 months is very rare, which is why I've been saying I'll be there for a year.

Well, I have been e-mailing with the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship because they handle the information about visas. They have told me that I will need a work and holiday visa. This visa would allow me to stay in Australia for 1 year, but only work for the same employer for 6 months. This means I would either have to leave Australia after the first 6 months or find another family for the last 6 months. In my situation, there is no visa available that would allow me to work for the same employer for over 6 months.

I am a little worried because and I just don't want this to put a huge kink in my dream and plans. So from here, what do I do?
1) Look to see if there are actually families willing to take a nanny/aupair for 6 months.
2) Try to get in contact with an Australian family who has had (or has) an aupair and see if there is a way they usually get around this.
3) Start saving, because these visas are not cheap.
4) Pray that God continues to have His hand on this journey and will direct me to the right families and to talk to the right people.

Every Story Has a Beginning, Middle, and End

Although I won't be leaving for Australia until about June 2012, I believe it is important to begin by blogging about the whole process of this journey.

The beginning process includes gathering information from other aupairs, the Australian and US embassies, and families that have had aupairs. I will also be looking at families on the site/agency to get an idea of what I am looking for. Until I subscribe to the site/agency I will be building my profile so that it is complete and ready to go when the time comes. The next steps will be to subscribe to the agency, apply for a passport and visa, and begin contacting families. Once the family and I find each other we will begin making arrangements for my arrival. I will stay with them from 6 months - 1 year, which the family will decide. Once my time with the family is complete I will return to the US and continue to blog for a few weeks. I have heard that when you leave the country for an extended period of time and then return, there can be some confusing/mixed feelings.  It will be hard to see that time here did not stand still while I was away. Also, I'm sure I will be overjoyed to be back in the states with my family and friends, but I will also be missing my Australian family.

That's a short summary of the journey I am embarking on and I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I know I will!!!

What's In A Name?

As some of you know, I went back and forth between names for this blog. I asked several people their opinion and tried out several different names. The name reads - Dream Journey to Oz. I chose this one over all the others for several different reasons.

1. It was one of the shorter names.
2. It has a nice ring to it.
3. It has been a dream of mine to go to Australia since I was 10.
4. This experience is going to be a journey for me not only physically, but spiritually and mentally as well.
5. Oz is an Australian nickname for Australia. Australians pronounce "Aus" with a hard 'z' sound (as they do when saying "Aussie"), so they write it phonetically. The nickname is also used to refer to the mythical land of Oz mentioned in Frank L. Baum's books. Australia's Emerald City of Oz is Sydney (the main focus of my trip over there) because of the emerald-green water in the harbor.
6. Once I came up with it I kept going back to it through my decision process.