Two months have flown by. I realize I’ve been slacking with updates home and it’s tough to keep up with answering emails to people I care about. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m geographically distant, there is a 14 hour time difference or if it’s just the fact I’m still finding my day to day schedule. It feel likes freshman year of college. I have lots of free time when I don’t need it and no free time when I really could use it.
It sounds cheesy, but living here still feels like a gift every day. Despite my fear of actually being in the ocean, I’m learning to love it. I listen to the sounds of the waves at night from my bed as I fall asleep. In the morning I bring extra shoes for work just so I can walk across the sand in my flip flops on my way to the bus stop. The ocean looks different every morning too. Maybe it will be less impressive once I’ve been here awhile but I still find myself mesmerized watching the waves.
I’m meeting a lot of new people. It’s fun but can be exhausting. Making new friends feels a bit like dating. You worry what the other person thinks about you. You try to be yourself but don’t really feel like yourself when you’re hanging out with people who don’t know you.
I love going exploring around the city and finding excuses to go new places. I live on the northern beaches and everyone jokes about it being far away (it’s not that far). I guess there is a stereotype of people who live in Manly never having a reason to leave Manly. I’m still enthusiastic about going to the city for events and meeting up with people. There is so much in the city I want to see and areas in Manly I haven’t even seen yet.
I just wanted my family and friends at home to know that I think of them often, even if they haven’t heard from me lately.
What’s new with you?
Hannah DeMilta 
So glad you’re enjoying your time down there! But of course we miss you. The foliage around here is beginning to peak with fall colors. The valley is stunning.
You have a birthday coming up! How are you going to celebrate? Need your address!
Hannah, we only met briefly at Travel Tribe at the end of August, and after reading this post I wish I could have been reading earlier (must catch up now). I found myself nodding along with several things you said thinking “Hannah read my mind.”
Though I missed the last two TT’s, I hope we can meet soon!
Hi Heather — thank you so much. I definitely hope to meet soon. Let’s grab coffee or drinks before then if you’re free!
I am so glad you are doing well, Manly is so beautiful. Can’t wait to hear more updates!