Marlowe Padilla
June 21, 2015
Dear Australia,
I am not the same man who stepped off of that plane almost five months ago, for you see I am changed. I am changed because I am grateful of my opportunity; to have had this adventure of a lifetime and to see what the world is like through a different continent. I am changed because I am humbled, to have witnessed the greatness of nature and the wonders it has provided us. But most importantly, I am changed because of you Australia, and I will forever be changed for the better. I am grateful, I am humbled, and I am in awe of everything you have shown me.
From Bondi to Coogee, Melbourne to Cairns, and Sydney to Auckland, I have seen the beauty of distance and the uniqueness of each city and place I have touched. I came here wondering if I would find a piece of myself through my travels, yet at the culmination of this trip I have realized that I have left pieces of myself in the places I have loved the most.
I entered this country with a sense of maturity but am leaving with an incredible sense of independence and an increased sense of self-awareness: I am confident that my life is heading in the right direction. I am so thankful for the challenges I have encountered while studying abroad, for I know that I am capable of the uncertainties that life can throw. But above all, I am so grateful for this desire of travel that has grown within me since I have lived here. I am looking at the next several years of my life as an opportunity to explore. There are more pieces of myself that I am looking to discover.
Thank you Australia, for giving me memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for giving my new found friends and I, a place to let our imagination and creativity run wild. Thank you for your amazing culture, and for allowing me to call this place home. I hope to return to this country with my children one day to show them all of the wonders you have shown me.
I am not the same man who stepped off that plane almost five months ago, for you see I am forever changed. You will always be a part of my life OZ.
Until next time Australia...Cheers!
Marlowe
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Marlowe Padilla
<p>Hi everyone! My name is Marlowe Padilla, and I am a Junior Cinema & Photography Major with minors in Art, Integrated Marketing Communications, and Writing from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. When i'm not in class, you can find me exploring nature through various hiking trails, editing numerous amounts of photographs, or enjoying my coffee after my daily runs. While in Sydney, I am hoping to build connections and find a home within the people and places that surround me. With the start of this new adventure in my life, I am excited to see all the incredible opportunities that Sydney will have to offer. </p>
Home University:
Ithaca College
Major:
Photography
