Summering in OZ Land

I spent most of last summer in the exact same place that I spend most of my days (and nights) throughout the fall, winter and spring: The Harvard Crimson. It was a last minute decision, after having spent months applying, accepting, preparing, getting random virus shots, booking tickets and reading Lonely Planet to go spend a summer in Beijing. I compromised it in my mind with the fact that I would still get to go to Shanghai for a couple of weeks in August, and that I had already been to Beijing. This was also the summer of Beijing Olympic Games. To this day I don't quite get what was going through my mind then, especially because I am still going to be walking 20 minutes a day, everyday to take Chinese- something I could have been done with, had I gone to Beijing as planned. Well, at the time it didn't seem like a bad idea, in fact, it seemed like the only idea. I just couldn't get enough Crimson time.
So OK, no regrets- my parents said I could go anywhere, and of all the places to go I chose Cambridge, MA, which I guess wouldn't even be called "going", more like "staying".
Well, this time around my parents absolutely wanted me to spend the summer in my new home in Canberra, Australia, even if it meant living in Sydney and spending just the weekends at home. I understand- if I pursue a serious internship next year, who knows if I will live at home again(!). And it is Australia after all, the land down under, the place where I can cuddle koalas and hop in a kangaroo pouch.

So here I am, spending quality time with my family, taking it easy and leaving all the taking care of to my parents. It's fun, it's safe, it's orderly, and best of all it's home.

I guess I could have spent that last summer in China and rocked out with the Olympians, or even in Mongolia and rocked out with my friends and family. (Summer in Boston was amazing though, just looking back the opportunity cost was perhaps too high) This summer I could have been with the other 90% of college interns in NYC or sweating it out in Shanghai but I chose home. Unconventional as my summers have been, I am going to make sure to take advantage of every minute.

I will detail my so far sweet and mellow summer. Enjoy.

-Tana