Ali's New Postcard from Australia!

When you look at a map of the world, it is hard to imagine just how many places there actually are. Just think, in one country, in one region, one city, one street, there are a thousand things to see and experience. In Australia, there are so many places I have never heard of, as I'm sure there are in America, but I have never bothered to look for them at home. We all know it is simply impossible to see everything, but have you ever thought about how hard it is to even know these places exist?

A few weekends ago, three friends and I traveled to Fraser Island, the biggest sand island in the world. There are no roads on the island and it is only traversable by 4x4 wd vehicles! The island is absolutely breathtaking: sand dunes, ocean, volcanic rock, and rainforest all in the same vista. We spent our days there traveling to the island's famous lakes and eating lunch on the cliffs overlooking the 75 mile beach. It was easily the greatest weekend trip I have ever taken.

Since the last postcard I sent, I have also begun my part-time internship at Harper's Bazaar Australia magazine. I work in the advertising department and it is truly incredible. My manager is only 22 and she was a finalist on Australia's Next Top Model the TV show! Combined with my three university courses, this internship is such a wonderful opportunity to experience the local working culture. One of my goals in traveling abroad was to completely immerse myself in Australian life, not just to visit the Opera House and pat koalas in my spare time.

I haven't had any great epiphanies since I've been down under, but being here is a daily reminder of just how big this world really is. There are places, like Fraser Island, that I never even knew existed and now I could never imagine going through life without seeing them. There is a wondering eye in all of us, and I have just begun to turn mine outwards into all that is unknown.

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