Hi everyone,

It's Thursday evening. I don't quite know what to write. All I can think of is how awesome my time in Australia is going to be. I'm leaving this Sunday. Yes, it's actually happening. I barely even realise it myself. It just feels so unreal. It feels like I'm living in this parallel universe, where every dream feels like reality. But what is reality? I only know that this very moment does not feel like reality. At all.

It's been over a year. My parents and I have been trying to make this happen for over a year now. It's not "only 5 more months" anymore. It's only 4 days away. And it couldn't feel more unrealistic. I'll probably wake up in a few hours and realise it was all just some strange, but amazing dream. But hey, guess what? It's not a dream. I've got the plane tickets to prove it.

To be totally honest, it's not all rainbows and butterflies. I've cried, I've screamed and I've been extremely close to throwing it all away. Because why would I want to leave behind such a great brother, amazing parents, and wonderful friends? It's not easy, but I need to do this. It's my dream. I feel like there's so much more in this world. I don't want to be stuck in the same place all my life. That's what it feels like now. I'm stuck. Don't get me wrong, I've got a great life. I just want to experience something completely different. Different family, different town, different school and different friends. And it's going to be amazing.

Sure, there are times when I'm not sure whether I'm doing the right thing. What if my friends don't longer like me when I get back? Am I throwing everything away by leaving? Cause there are some people I just can't afford losing. And I worry about that. I worry about it a lot. But why? Why would I waste my precious time and energy by worrying about things I can't control? It doesn't make any sense. Yet I still do it.

A friend once told me "Worries are for later." Probably the best advice I've ever been told. He's absolutely right. I admire his seemingly carefree lifestyle. The thing is, though, it's not carefree. He's got worries on his own. He just simply refuses to let those worries get him down. If I worry about something, I'll think about it for the next 4 years. This is why I want to leave so badly. I want to become a different person. A better person. And I will make that happen. Watch me.

All in all, this is one of the best decisions I've ever made. A lot can happen in 6 months and I'm gonna make them count. There will be laughs, there will be tears. There will be grey clouds, but also lots and lots of sunshine.

So long,

Laura