MY PARENTS CAME TO TOWN!

While it may seem silly that my parents came to visit me only about 2 weeks before I'd be coming back to California after being 9 months apart, it ended up being absolute perfect timing and a perfect trip! Not only did they arrive for perfect Queensland weather (after the short humid heat wave yet before the nonstop rain), but it was nice that I could spend nearly every waking moment with them and not have to worry about juggling schoolwork at the same time. 


The Calloways "do" Brisbane:

My parents' first day in Brisbane happened to be Thanksgiving Day back home. We walked around the river at South Bank and had an al fresco Greek lunch... not your traditional Thanksgiving meal, but it'll be a memorable one!

CityCat on the Brisbane River

We hiked up to Mt. Coot-tha lookout

The view from the top, with Brisbane city in the background... luckily we beat the storm just in time!

My uni!

Kangaroo Point Lookout...where we encountered a HUGE carpet snake, that seemed not to surprise anyone but our trio of Americans.

The snake on the left... AHHHH!

Kristal and Kelli at Kangaroo Point! 

My parents and my city!

Botanical Gardens

Christmas in Australia!

The best part of my parents coming to visit in November (aside from the fact that by coming at the very end of my year abroad, they took home an entire extra suitcase of clothes and books for me!!!) was that we were able to go on trips to the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Island with my Rotary host counselors, Brian and Cheryl. (This hilariously fun trip to Fraser Island deserves its own entire entry so see next blog post...)

Me and my real (above) and Aussie (below) parents, bushwalking around beautiful Noosa National Park at the Sunshine Coast. 

I need a hat like theirs.

Noosa National Park

My good looking parents at Noosa Headlands!

Lastly, my parents' timing with their visit was even more perfect because they were able to attend my "goodbye presentation" to my host Rotary club, Pine Rivers Daybreak. The fact I got choked up during the last PowerPoint slide really took me off guard, but I hope my parents, the Springers, and every Rotarian in the room was able to perceive my utmost gratitude for everything they've done for me over the past year and beyond! What an amazing, unpredictable, and fulfilling year this has been. I'm so happy I was able to share some of it with the two most important people in my life.