Waiting Takes Patience

About three years ago I had the opportunity to take on a second Australian Exchange Student for two weeks just after the winter holidays. I was Junior and I was going to meet a girl of my same age and she was going to stay with me for a couple of weeks along with several other students from her school in Mackay, Queensland in Australia. I hadn't ever had the chance to really talk to her before she got to Portland, just a simple letter that was sent with the information telling me the basics about herself, Kadence New, loves the Beatles, good books, music and so many other things that we had in common. Well, the day came when I finally got to go with my parents and pick her up from the bus that dropped everyone off. My dad and I made a sign that said: Welcome Kadence, with lots of fun things on it and bright colors. She ran off the bus and was practically freezing when she gave me a hug. I knew that we'd be pretty much inseparable! Kadence and I did so many fun things during the two weeks she was here, she met my boyfriend, we watched movies, went shopping, went to church, ate pizza, showed her Wal-Mart, Forever 21 and even went to Winter Formal together! I had an insane amount of fun while she was here in Oregon and when it was time for her to go back to Australia I didn't realize how much I'd miss her. We became fast Facebook friends and soon we were chatting over FB chat and exchanging wall posts and messages and became even closer than we were while she was here.
I finally got a skype and I told Kadence that she had to get one too and that we would be able to video chat, mind you this was a year after we first met, and soon we were skyping all the time! I got to learn even more about Australia, talk to Kadence about what universities she was looking at and what she wanted to study. I met Kadence's mum over skype, toured her house, her dorm room, met her friends and laughed constantly about words and customs that Americans differentiate from Australians. To this day, almost three years from when we first met, we still talk all the time. I am so sad that I cannot simply text her everyday, especially when it's one of those moments that only Kadence would understand and make me feel better. I have so much love for one of my best friends who lives on the other side of the world. Kadence plans on studying abroad here at the University of Oregon and I plan on studying abroad at James Cook University (where she goes to school.) Kadence is going to be an AMAZING radio broadcaster one day and I know she'll excel in whatever she does. I only hope that we can spend more time together in the near future and that I can come wade in the water of the beautiful beaches of Australia.

                                                                    
                                                                   ^That was then^

              
                                                                        ^This is now^