What a difference a year makes?

That’s the biggest understatement of my 2010.

More so than any other year of my life, this one has been the most changing and unexpected.

I came to Australia in a drought and leave it in floods. I arrived with one friend on the continent and depart with heaps all over. All I wanted to see last January was a koala, now I won’t settle for anything less than a cassowary. I expected to head directly out west and spend most of my year there, but found my heart in tropical Queensland.

My wardrobe to consisted of J. Crew, Old Navy and Anthropology. My wardrobe from contains Cotton On, Witchery and Country Road. I didn’t know of another Bobbi this time last year. Now I know three, one of which is one of my greatest friends-that’s going to be confusing. I came thinking I KNEW good coffee, but leave Melbourne realizing I had NO IDEA!

I thought I’d meet and make friends with tons of Aussies, but the majority of mine came from the UK. A year ago the thought of Manchester, England wouldn’t have even crossed my mind, now I’ve adopted a family of “Mancs.”

I arrived single, selfish and uninterested in anything other than business and travel and leave committed, in love and counting the days till I see him again.

It’s definitely been a year of surprises, but best of my life thus far.

I’ve thought of how I would write this post a million times throughout my trip. The first draft explained it as just a nice, impacting visit filled with a few good people and great photos. The next was written as just a one year anniversary, rather than a good bye. The following was a letter to the government, begging them to let me stay just a little bit long. But the last, this one, is a huge thank you and can’t wait to see you again.

This year and this country has made me a happier person.

Through a lot of great times and even some bad, I can honestly say that I love this country for better or worse. It’s home to some of the most beautiful places on earth. The culture changes over and over from top to bottom. The only thing its people are serious about is being proud of their homeland, and sport. They never miss an opportunity to celebrate life and they’ll take the piss out of just about anyone, including themselves.

It’s just a care free and easy place to live- and I got a whole year here.

Those who have followed me through this trip know what I’ve taken from it. But besides a few comments, I’m not sure what they’ve taken. So on my last day here, I’ll say what I hope it is.

Possibility.

I spent a lot of my last year in college on the computer, trying to figure out what to do next. After 22 years of following what in America people are just suppose to do, I finally had a chance to make my own decision. I wanted so badly to travel, but was scared and lost hope quite a few times. Whether because of money, work or circumstance, I didn’t think it was possible for me at that moment.

I followed “the American dream” a bit more and landed a sweet job. I was happy, but it wasn’t what I wanted. So I revisited my dream, this time with determination. It started with putting a bit money aside, continued with a passport application and finished with a plane ticket.

I’ve received so many emails from people saying they wish they could do what I’m doing. My response will always be, “You can.” It may not always be easy, but anything is possible.

Maybe travel isn’t your passion. That’s fine. Follow whatever makes you happy. But for those with who dream of life abroad like I did, stop reading about it and do it. Stop Googling to make sure it’s okay and just see for yourself. Stop limiting yourself to one place and realize the possibilities available to you all over the world.

Never have I felt as many possibilities as I did during this past year in this country.

For that, thanks Australia. You’ve made more opportunities possible for this little American than you’ll ever know.