Part 9: Hard Yakka

If you've ever wanted to find out what happens in a week here, it goes something like this. It starts on Monday at 7am and it requires at least 3 layers of clothes at all times, a Melbourne winter will never be cold again. There is school of course, where it is a really nice place to just sit back and relax, talk to some great people and (understanding or not understanding) not do a single bit of work. Most days have at least a 2 hour break between classes, so traditional french meals and cafes play a vital role in the week. As well as the game "time's up", a favorite over here.
A week over here consists of gatherings and actually enjoying the alcohol you drink and having a great time with the people you are spending it with. A week over here doesn't consist of coming across anyone like Alex Glinski, then you realise that you start to miss him, and everyone, and as soon as you get that thought, it remains in the back of your head and is the hardest thing to get out of your head. As soon as you think of home, you get distracted by it and you imagine it, or remember it, and you lose focus of the conversation around you. You are lost. And then you sleep, and you dream. You dream of home and everything is real, you dream of hugging people and smells and the wind and it feels real...kinda scary but yeah.
A week here consists of incredible highs and incredible lows. Paris in the snow is magical and you could pull up a chair and just look at it all night, it is like nothing else. Everytime you are occupied with something it is amazing, it is a great experience, fun, and enjoyable. Though as soon as you lose that grip on what you are doing, you immediately think of home, you think of people and how much you miss them and it feels like torture. 
A week here demands the best of you, the strongest of you and the boldest of you, and when you overcome it, you love it. Then there are 6 more weeks and 6 more challenges to go through.
It is Hard Yakka.

Favorite photo of Belgium.