almost there!

ok.. so we're all in the LAX airport, checked in, gone thru security.. and waiting for our plane which was delayed.. we're supposed to start boarding in an hour, and then leave at 1am.. so... let's keep our fingers crossed and hope it all works out! :D

this is a great bunch of people. :) i'm really glad i'm here.. i've just past the point of being excited LONG ago.. and i passed the point of panicking a week ago or so as well.. so now i'm just kinda.. comeon.. let's go already haha.. i've been working towards this for 7 months now.. about anyways.. and this is like the first step to following my dreams.. "you can have both roots and wings..." and i'm going to chase after my dreams, and soar on the wings that God has given me.. i'm glad my wings aren't stuck to me with wax tho, cuz otherwise i might end up like Icharus ;)

oh, and i didn't get my phone unblocked like i had planned (darn it!) so... we'll see what happens with the phone... Xp i don't know when i'll get online again, so shoot me an email (see previous post for address)

so long mates!

slight change in plans..

so.. as soon as i posted my last blog entry, i got a call from SkyMiles, saying my flight had been cancelled.. BUT they already booked me for another flight, getting me to LAX only half an hour later than before.. so HERE is my final flight plan for getting to LAX:

19 July

12:37pm - DFW to SLC arriving at 2:21pm

3:06pm - SLC to LAX arriving at 4:00pm

while i'm in Sydney, i'll be staying at the Flo Harris Lodge, and it's "a student housing facility that hosts around fifty college students from tertiary institutions across Sydney. Flo Harris offers billiard and ping-pong tables, a music practice room, a patio with outdoor seating, and a spacious yard. Lewisham is close to the city and to Leichhardt, a charming suburb that serves as the Italian district of Sydney. Lewisham is roughly a 45 minute bus ride from Wesley Institute."

I'll actually be staying in the Morton House which adjoins to the FHL, and the Morton House is built in the Victorian style, Mariah (my roommate and I) will have a large room on the 2nd(i'm guessing) floor, and we have a balcony ^_^ we will also have INTERNET, (unlike the other 31 ASC students... but i won't be on that much. and i have to pay for the internet myself.. so.. don't expect me to be online all that much

you CAN expect to see updates on both twitter (http://twitter.com/Sis2Penn) which will automatically update on FB as well.. so check out my profile page, tweet me, w/e..

Also, the best email to reach me at would be my letu email address: MelMiller@letu.edu.

FHL Address:

11 The Boulevarde

Lewisham NSW 2049

Mailing Addresses:

For Regular mail...

Melody Miller ASC – Wesley Institute

P.O. Box 534

Drummoyne, NSW 1470

AUSTRALIA

For Packages...

Melody Miller ASC – Wesley Institute

5 Mary Street

Drummoyne, NSW 2047

AUSTRALIA

I love you guys! wish me luck XD

Finally...

today is finally the day... after almost 7 months of thinking and planning and getting ready to go to Australia, i'm finally going today. well.. technically this evening, and since the flight is scheduled to leave at 11:50pm, we might as well say in the first hours of tomorrow Xp but who cares really...

i suppose some of you will be curious as to what my schedule is, so i'm going to tell you.

19 July

9:35pm - DFW to ATL arriving at 12:44pm

1:50pm - ATL to LAX arriving at 3:25pm

after arriving in LAX, i will get my bags from luggage claim, and hang out until 8:45, when i will go to the food court and meet the rest of the group.. or as they gather.. some of them, i'm meeting up with while we're stuck at the airport Xp others are getting together and LEAVING said airport and then coming back at 8:45 (the lucky stiffs...) then at some point we will all proceed together to check-in and security and etc etc etc.. all that fun jazz that i have done my ENTIRE life.. only now with a package group, mostly of people who've never traveled internationally before.. won't this be fun... (meh, i'll make the most of it :) i've got a deck of cards and music ;))

19 July

11:50pm - LAX to Sydney arrvinging around 7:25am (Wednesday, 21 July)

i do not have ANY more details of this flight.. so just pray pray pray pray pray!!

well, it is now almost 6:30, and time for me head to the airport! :D my brother Steven is driving me, and we're MAKING SURE that i'm there ON-TIME so i don't miss my flight like on Spring break Xp

Wish you all the best!! and wish me luck haha..

Praise God!

Good news!! My check came in the mail today! :D I has monies!!! XDXDXDXDXD

AND my lens came in too!!! ^o^ happy day!!!!

oh, and I actually had a LOT of fun shopping!!! which RARELY happens Xp i spent a lot of money, but i don't go shopping very often.. so stuff either doesn't get worn or gets overworn, and i need new clothes.. needless to say..l. i about increased my wardrobe but a third... and not even half of what i bought is going with me to Australia..

oh well!! :D i had lots of fun today, and got a lot done. :) and that's all that matters ^_^

HELP!!!!

in SERIOUS need of prayer guys!

My check was supposed to come in Thursday, but it didn't. and it hasn't come in today either! :( i'm getting really worried, guys. please please please please pray for the mail to cooperate, since i'm also waiting on at least two more packages before Monday, and i leave dfw airport for lax at 9:35am. so i REALLY need those packages and my check to get here!

My grandma said she could lend me $400 for shopping on Saturday for the stuff i need to get (ie, professional ensemble for Parliament and Embassy days, hiking boots, and a few nefarious other things). But i won't be able to pay anyone back before i leave if that check doesn't come in. :(

help me Jesus...

4 days to go...

Hey! it's been a while, eh? sorry about that... so. uhm... ya.. this is going to be a problem-solution entry.. and i'll probably be leaving stuff out.. ya... here goes! and in no sensible order.. basically whatever i think of first gets put down...

Problem: Visa was VERY slow in getting processed and emailed to me.

Solution: after a VERY long time waiting, I received my Visa on 30 June(ish)...

Problem: Need new battery for laptop

Solution: bought one, but sent to wrong address. (d'oh! *facepalm*)

Solution2: email the people ASAP. should get the battery tomorrow or Friday (PLEASE GOD!)

Problem: running out of MaryKay face cleaner, low on cash, and mail timing.

Solution: called Claire's "replacement" consultant. got on a new system of face cleansers, mailed monday, arrived today, i STILL got the 20% discount, and she's charging me on Friday

Problem: $16 in my bank account...

Solution: MKSAPS come in tomorrow :) i go to the bank, deposit my check, open a savings account with said check, and alert to international use in Oz

Problem: need new phone

Solution: got upgrade. i now have a red Pantech Reveal. still getting used to the QWERTY keyboard.. grr....

Problem: lots of medical bills..

Solution: IMB might pay for all those medical checks i got because i had to get them for SCHOOL (PLEASE GOD!)

Problem: no friends and very little family on my birthday #sadpandaface

Solution: my brother Steven spent the ENTIRE day with me, and made sure i felt EXTRA special and loved, and it was a WONDERFUL day! ^o^ i love my brother!

Problem: lost nose ring down drain >.< #sadface

Solution: bough three new ones with birthday money ^_^ (had a piece of broomstraw in the hole in the meantime...)

Problem: last time i had my eyes checked was last summer.. and they had gotten worse then

Solution: got my eyes checked Tuesday. didn't get worse, but didn't get better either. Still, no change is good :) means i only had to pay for ONE pair of new lenses for my glasses, and then order contacts >.< #expensive!

Problem: my grandma has been paying for everything...

Solution: pay her back eventually...

Problem: owe LOTS of people money...

Solution: pay them back eventually.. (and somehow have some left to live on in Oz? maybe, maybe not... Proposed Solution: get a job!)

Problem: i need hiking boots, and a professional outfit.. and some other things that are not going on a blog :p

Solution: shopping with Miss Cindy on Saturday!

Problem: need another lens for the camera that Andrew Stewart is lending me...

Solution: Walle has one! and he's sending it down! and i'm praying it gets here before Sunday!!!

Problem: not sleeping well

Solution: still working on it

Problem: having panic attacks

Solution: Matthew 11:28. "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Compliments of Jimmy Stewart).

Problem: was EXTREMELY stressed out before about visa

Solution: encouragement from Andrew "Just remember God loves you, you're a beautiful young woman who won't be visa-less or single much longer God willing as long as you're patient."

Problem: still needed to unpack my room from COLLEGE

Solution: i unpacked. .... mostly.. still got a few things to straighten out.. like what's cluttering the top of my desk..

Problem: needed to order two more books for a couple classes i'll be taking in Oz..

Solution: ordered one via amazon, have the other waiting for me in Oz already, and i pay AU$7 when i get there.

Problem: still waiting on the first book, which i ordered 8 July

Solution: PRAYER!!!!

Problem: missing friends :( getting cabin fever.

Solution: go swing dancing with Steven, Nanda, and Christina! it was lots of fun :) also, i think i'm meeting up with Andrew Beirnes and friends tomorrow after dental appt.

Problem: my next scheduled dental appt was for sept... i'll be missing that by two months when i get back

Solution: called monday and made an appt for tomorrow at noon.

uhm.... i think that's most of it, if not all of it... oh! one more..

Problem: DIDN'T HAVE COFFEE TODAY!!!! :(

Solution: go to bed within the hour, wake up at 9, shower, drink LOTS of STRONG coffee, and read my Bible ^_^ sounds like a plan to me!

G'night mates!

figured i may as well and try to start with the Aussie accent haha.. oh ya! in case you didn't already know, i have a twitter now (http://twitter.com/Sis2Penn) and it will upload directly to facebook. and i will have my phone with my in Oz, and it will be working but with a different number on an Aussie sim.