I only have two months left of my study abroad experience in Perth, Australia. I know that these last weeks are going to fly by, so the goal is to live it up as much as possible. However, I can't deny how much I've been missing home. It creeps up on me all the time, anything from craving Leo's Coney Island, the urge to go for a long drive, or just desperately wanting to snuggle my dog. The small cultural differences are building up; combine that with school stress and mental health issues and I think you can see what I'm getting at - study abroad is hard! Luckily I have great friends, boxed wine and Netflix to get me through the rougher days. Also, I have my writing, which has been pretty cathartic. Here's a poem that I wrote recently. I hope you all enjoy it.

"Eulogy for the Suburbs"

here lies

the cul-de-sac’s

princess, purple lace

panties, candy-flavored

lips, triple D’s atop her

margaritaville heart with con

-cealer covered wrists singing

daddy’s folk songs, driving a

mini van & sucking peach pits

underneath the quilt she made

at girl scout camp; for the funeral

auntie made her famous cheesecake