CARE PACKAGE

Last year I had the absolute delight to live with an amazing girl from the United States. We'll call her Care Bear. Care Bear is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was so interested in learning about Australian culture. It was a pleasure to share my lifestyle and experiences of Australia with her.

Unfortunately, as most exchange students do, she had to return to her home. The far north of the United States. To say I miss her is an understatement. I miss her every Wednesday morning after a night out at our local uni bar, when we would gather and discuss the night before. I miss her dry sarcasm, her hugs, because after all she was my care bear.

It's been 18 months since I've seen Care Bear and it's beginning to become a bit annoying. Sometimes you just want a chat, or a hug. But unfortunately the Pacific Ocean and 15,000 kms sepreate us now. I'm not quite sure when I'll see her again, but I'm hoping sometime in the next 18 months I can save up enough to head over to her half of the world.

In the meantime I put together a Care package to send her. Inside I included Australian goodies such as Milo and Tim-Tams, an Australia fag mug for her to enjoy the Milo in - also she can use the Tim-Tams to create a Tim-Tam slam,- there's also a few post cards, an Australia flag wristband, and a little vial of sand from "down under".

I stumbled across a cute card that I also decided would be a good fit, as all I want to do is give her a huge hug. I wrote a two page letter and stuck it inside the card, along with about a hand full of tiny little star confetti.

It will probably take weeks for her to receive, lets be honest, it's Australia post. But I'm so excited for her to receive it. I felt almost instantly better after wrapping it all up and writing her address on the box.

Long distance friends suck, but at least I have a holiday destination for the future.