My Aussie Christmas! :)

My Christmas this year I was away from home, family and friends back in the states. But none of that bothered me from having an amazing time with some awesome family and friends here in my new home. <3
There is about around 20 people staying here at the Gardiner's house. Some brought their caravans and then the rest are just bunking wherever there is room. Christmas eve was pretty hot out, the temps were about in the 80s, we got the slipnslide out and all the kids went on that and that was a blast. Afterwards, we hit the pool. More family was still arriving till late, and Tony came home from his cancer treatment Christmas eve which surprised everyone. Was a good surprise for all though. He had been gone for five weeks. So all the family was together again. <3
Christmas eve night we went for a swim like around midnight and after that everyone was just up talking, Aunty Chrisy made a ginger bread house. There are three fridges completely FULL of food! So much food. So no one went  hungry thats for sure. Then Christmas day everyone woke up early, like around eight and it was present time! I have never seen so many presents under one tree. Santa Clause comes to Australia too! In case you all didn't know that. Haha. Beer, milk, rum balls, and cookies were left out for Santa. Then we left out a carrot, for the reindeers which chewed it up and spit it out all over the floor in the morning.
Everyone made a big circle around the lounge room for present time, and one at a time we would open ours. I got way more than I asked for, I got a pandora charm bracelet with six charms, and then lip glosses, nail polishes, stuffed kangaroo, body wash, hair products, cd, chocolate, and an Aussie calendar. Opening presents was a good time. :)
Then afterwards after all the paper was cleaned up and everyone was done playing with their new toys and that, morning tea was had under the trees in the front yard. This was when we skyped my mom and Mark and introduced the whole Gardiner family to them. For morning tea there was like crackers, fruit, chocolate covered strawberries, dips and chips, and then champagne and apple juice.
After morning tea we kind of just sat around and talked and listened to music and the women were in the kitched getting ready for Christmas lunch. We had Christmas lunch at about 4pm, it was all cold foods. Like shrimp, cold meats, potato salad, veggies, beat root salad, normal salad, and then just a fruit punch for a drink.
Christmas lunch was very good, definately different from what I am used to. Something I will always remember though.
After lunch it was just a time for relaxing really. Some went in the pool, I went for a swim right before lunch. And after I went and crashed in my room. After my nap, then everyone was still in the pool so I went in again and that was so much fun.
Afterwards, everyone was just so tired so we just all layed in the lounge room and watched a comedian on tv, was a good laugh. Well that was pretty much my Aussie Christmas! :) Was absolutely wonderful! I hope to be back some day to celebrate it again. <3
Last night Ive started the packing process, I got pretty sad while I was taking pictures off my walls and emptying my cupards.. I just cant believe how fast six months went by. Will be so hard to leave. But it definately isnt a "Goodbye" it is simply a "See you later!". Over the past six months I have gathered so much stuff! I dont know how I am going to get it home. :O Lots of clothes, and beauty products. Two more days here, it is so scary to think about. Before I know it it will be time for me to come back to America..
On Wednesday at 2:30pm I am taking a bus from Dubbo to Maitland, six hour bus ride by myself. And my counselor will pick me up, to live with her and her family in Newcastle for three weeks.
My birthday is coming up soon too! Just 15 more days! Till I'm sweet sixteen! :) Yay.

This morning I showed everyone here the family calander, and they absolutely loved it. The January section was dedicated to me and Australia. A big smile was on my face when I saw that, it was cute. :)

Well today I think it is just a lazy day, all the famiy is still here, there is still tons of food to be eaten, and also Stevie is over cause this might be the last time I'll see her for a while.

So anyways, that was the update on life! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS everyone! Thanks for reading. Love you all, will post photos soon. :)

Much love: Bailee Jo
Xoxo

My Farewell Night

Soul Sistas. Love These Girls.

Sydney, Australia 2011

Mi Aussie Familia

Year Ten, Class of 2011. Friends for life. :)

Year Ten Formal Dinner. A Night To Remember. :)

Life is good, enjoy every week, day, minute, moment... :)

Time has been going by so fast! This week has been gone in a blink of an eye. It's a bit scary to think that it has been half a year of me on the other side of the world. It by far has been the best six months of my life. The friends, memories, laughs, bonds made were life changing and I will never forget them. <3
Tuesday I had my farewell dinner at the Chinese place down the main street. :) It was a good night, about 20 people were there. Definately going to miss them. My experiance here has been that special due to the friendships I have made. :)
If I were to look back on myself six months ago I wouldnt be able to recognize me, I've changed that much. And a change for the better I reckon.

So anyways Tuesday was great, was so good to spend time with all my friends. Then I had Stevie, Kaitlyn and Emily over to stay the night. We thought the ghost was back in my room haunting us, haha so we ran into Cam's room and slept there cause we were all that scared. Was sorta funny though. Then Wednesday it was a girls day in Dubbo. Was a good time, lots of laughs. :)
We were going through the car wash and I declared a competition of who could keep their window down the longest without chickening out and rolling it up against Stevie. Haha the water was coming towards us and Stevie went out right away and rolled hers up, but then mine was halfway up and Vikki accidentially locked it on me, as soon as she did I just freaked cause the water was getting so close to my window that was halfway down, then I just screamed in terror. I guess the look on my face was priceless cause everyone in the car had tears rolling down their eyes from laughing so much. :P
Hahaha. Was a good day. Then came home and packed and was going to head out to Emily's to go rooing, but then it really started to storm bad and it was too wet to go out so I just went over to hers anyways to stay the night. Was a good night too, many more laughs. :) Man I am going to miss all these people. <3
And then got back today, family have started to come over to celebrate Chrissie. We have the slipnslide all set up with lots of soap to go with that, the pools all clean and ready to go, I helped with the ice cream cakes and the next few days will be family filled fun. :) This sure is going to be a Christmas I wont forget. <3
Life is so good, just everything seems to be going perfect at the moment. Don't want it to end. But hey, all good things come to an end at some point, right?
Well anyways that's all I have to write about now. I wish you all the best holiday season, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! :)
Best wishes, Bailee Jo :)
Xoxox
Love you all, and missing you all during this holiday season, your all in my thoughts. <3

Sydney weekend.

Well last weekend we went to Sydney to visit family and that. Was pretty fun, we got to go shopping at Penrith. The mall was huge! Almost as big as mall of america! I didnt buy that much though, trying to save up my money. One of the day we went to Sydney downtown and got photos with the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We watched this one light show that light up a whole cathedral, it was so amazing! The ride home was really long but we came home on Tuesday. Then I had two daays of school left, today was my last day ever as a Gilgandra High School student. Bit sad, its crazy how fast time has flown. Feels like it was just yesterday when it was my first day of school and I walked through those doors and everyone was crowding me staring like I was some sort of alien. Haha.
Only two weeks left here so Im trying hard to squeeze in everything I can! Then next week sometime Ill have my bitter sweet sixteen/farewell party. All we are doing is going out for Chinese and having some girlfriends over afterwards.
The 28th I leave for Newcastle to live there for a month with my counselor and one week with my Canadian friend Claire. Then the 21st of January I will be moving on the Nelson Bay. No more school now untill February, were on summer vacation! Woohooo! :)
Well going to a party tomorrow night, hanging with friends tomorrow arvo, and hopefully the same for Saturday and Sunday. Spend a few days with Stevie next week. Christmas here with all the family. Then soon Ill be off. Have had such an amazing time here!
Thats all I have for now. Will write soon. Love and miss you all! But dont want to think of coming home.
Plans to stay in Australia forever..
1.) Win the lottery!
2.) Accidentally set fire to my passport. ;)
3. Marry an Aussie! ;)

One of those should do itttt! <3

Love you all. Bye, Xoxo
- Bailee Jo

Golf Fishing.

Rotary Weekend at Tocal.

This past weekend I traveled about five hours east to Tocal, a town close to the coast for a required Rotary weekend together to prep the outbounds and hang out with the inbounds.
We left on Friday, I rode with a Rotarian and another exchange student from Poland. We left around three and got there about nine at night. We stayed at some motel thing, and Karoline had a pretty quite night, we shared the same room. Was'nt the same without Annick, but she will be back in January. :)
Then we had to wake up super early and head over to the Tocal Ag college, where the Rotary weekend was held.
We had quite a bit of seat time, where we would just talk and brief the outbounds going out. Then we had a game of cricket with the rest of the inbounds, I ended up being pretty good at it. Most likely from all my years of softball. It was actually alot of fun. Afterwards we got to head down to the pool and we had a game of water polo. The pool was really nice with a great view of mountains in the background. Saturday night instead of a bush dance this time we had a trivia night with everyone and won lollies and prizes. Then we stayed up till about five in the morning just hanging out and talking. I was so exhausted when I  woke up, I could barely function. Haha.
Sunday morning we had chapel at eight, then we had more seat time and played some space game, then there was a speaker and lunch and then hit the road again.
I was a really good weekend with all the students, I love hanging out with them, were like a big Rotary family. :)
The ride home went by very quick because I slept five hours. Got back to Dubbo around six, drove home to Gil, unpacked, swam some laps, and then went off to bed after watching a little bit of shark week.
This week Ill still be in year eleven, and on Thursday we will have our year ten dinner and get all dressed up, then we leave for Sydney shortly after. Then just one more week of school after this one, and holiday break! Wooo hooo!
For holiday break I am just going to be hanging out with friends, Christmas with the Gardiners, then soon after head over to Newcastle and live with my couselor for a while, come back to Gil for my birthday by bus, then back to the coast to live with an exchange student from Canada, and shortly after moving to Nelson Bay to start my second half of my exchange. :) Busy busy! But it's good to keep busy.
Well thats about all I have to write about, having a good time still. :)
Leave your addresses, or email them to me, Im writing Christmas cards and hopefully will get them sent off soon!
Love you all. Thanks for reading. :)
I'll write next week after we go to Sydney to tell all about it.
Xoxo