2017, what a year it’s been. I can’t believe it’s only 6 weeks until Christmas. The summer season coinciding with the holidays still throws me. (To put it in context, it’s nearly Thanksgiving back home and I’m thinking about going surfing this weekend.)
Living here has recently become somewhat of a more long-term exercise for the near future (I bought a house last month, with the best man I know). Whoops?! It was a whirlwind there for a while, but I’m now 30 and officially a homeowner, so here’s to checking something of that nature off some sort of arbitrary list.
Living here continues to be surreally wonderful. I’m amazed at how fantastic I still find Brisbane. I keep expecting it to go stale, but it just won’t. The little things, like salsa dancing in the casino square on Friday nights. The big things, like my 20-minute bike ride to work (on days when I’m motivated), and the bus stop ACROSS THE STREET from my house (on days when I’m not). Also: surfing, and the dolphins that we saw on the beach we camped on just a few weeks ago. I cannot emphasise enough how grateful I am to live here.
On that front, I also became a dual citizen this year! Australian/American, double passports here we come. Goodbye to over 5 years worth of paperwork, thousands of dollars of fees, and countless anxiety-ridden calls to Immigration.
2017 has been the year that’s tricked me into thinking nothing was happening when it all actually was.
More has happened of course, with extremely exciting plans on the horizon. (Christmas in Ireland, a few precious days with my sisters and Dad in SF…), but for now I’m still trying to catch up with processing just how much good can happen in a short space of time, when you just create space for it.
Life Upside Down 
It’s great to hear you found stability here in Brissie Eva!
Reading your post is a little throwback through the three years I have already spent here and gives a little bit more hope for the ones yet to come since I’m sort of undergoing the same path.
Australia truly is an amazing country overall.
And the more time I spend here the more I feel it could become my home.
All the best for your adventure and keep sharing with us the incredible stories down under has to offer.