Everything is exciting with a countdown!

So the countdown has started until my new adventure begins.

9 days and I will be in an empire state of mind. Jetting off to the city which doesn't sleep, a concrete jungle home of the Knicks and Yankees, iconic TV shows and a statue dedicated to freedom and liberty. The list could go on forever...

New York has always been in my heart. I have been lucky enough to have been there 4 times already and have fallen in love with the city more each time. A little piece of my heart seems to be left behind every time I depart. For this new adventure I'm about to embark on I'm not entirely sure how long I will be away from the Australian shore for but am excited by the prospect of going wherever the wind takes me.

A lot of people have asked me aren't I scared that I haven't put a plan in place or that I'm leaving familiarity, my friends and family for such a long time. It's comforting to know they have so much concern for me but I'm so excited about the unknown which seems so horrid and foreign to most people who I talk to. I've had threats from friends saying they aren't letting me leave for longer than 2 months or that they plan to hide my passport so that I can't go anywhere. Some of my home friends will actually happen to be in New York for Christmas and New Years so the period where I probably would get homesick will be spent with my little unofficial family anyway.

From having lived in New York previously and working at a summer camp I'm so excited and looking forward to seeing people who I haven't seen for at least a couple of years. I plan to go upstate and see Camp all covered in snow which is such a contrast to the rolling green hills I am so familiar with. (pictured here on the right)

Another friend in New Jersey mentioned that they had their first lot of light snow and it's dropped to zero celsius already. I'll probably look like the Michelin Man from wearing so many layers especially when coming from the beginnings of an Australian Summer to being thrown right into a North American Winter. In for a bit of body shock I think!

I've been promised by a friend that he will help me build my very first snow man so will be sure to put up pictures. I'm thinking that I may put a little Australian touch on it (possibly a cork hat, some boardies and thongs) in honour of the beautiful Australian Summer I'm missing out on! I will be sure to blog about it and put up pictures of our dashing snow man!