Well if you guys didn't know already, I'm no longer in the fabulous land of Oz. But I figured maybe a few of you still check this out of desperation so I decided to give a quick little (pictured! yayy!) update about my time home so far.

Mostly, I have just slept. And not on purpose! I first thought it was just jet-lag because of the sudden change of seasons and the fact that when I left Oz it was dark at 6 and I get here and it's light until after 8:30. But actually I still feel comatose, so I'm not quite sure what that deal is. "Maybe it's bc you drink too many Red Bulls," says my Dad. Thanks Dad.

No but it's been nice to relax, as if that's not all I was doing while I was there haha. My sister graduated THS and looked completely gorgeous doing it. :) We had a crazy family party for her afterward which was nuts bc my family is all nuts, but fun too I suppose. Andra actually spent most of her time down at her friend Rebecca's to escape the insanity. Lol. One of the highlights was playing like a mad woman with my little cousin Ryan, shown on the left here in this picture with my nephew Justin who had this mask on all day thinking he was Batman.. I'm surprised it's not on him now, haha. But really, it's so weird to think that I remember my highschool graduation so clearly and that these last three years of college have been largely a blur, almost as if they didn't even happen. Or maybe it just extra feels like that because I've been hanging out with a lot of my old school friends lately. Who really knows. But I'm real excited for the upcoming semester. I feel like this will be the year that sticks with me the most throughout my life.

In other news, we had the fourth of July in Albany, which was a little bit disastrous. Well no, it was fine, just that we started out on the top of this Albany garage bc my sister's friend was there, but it was hard to see anything and my Dad really wanted a kebab. So the two of us decided to try to make it up to the plaza where the huge crowd always is. I knew we were in for trouble when, in the car, we're driving with our backs to the fireworks.. I was like "Dad, they're over theeeere! Turn down this side street!" Nope, we pass out. "Ok, turn down this one!" Nope, pass that one too. Oops. Finally we turn around and park at the Greyhound terminal and hike our way up, after other various setbacks including getting lost in the building of the Plaza. we make it there riiiight after the finale. Good. But at least I got a few really amazing pictures from the night: And at least Dad got his kebab.

And so now onto LATVIANS!! WOOOOT! Every weekend has been spent up at my Latvian camp. First we had Jani, which is the summer solstice pagan festival, which includes lots of special cheese, beer, jumping over fires, and flower wreaths. Aaaand with that brief mention, I am all written out. I'm sure you hear me talk enough about Latvian camp that you don't really need the details anyways. I hope you all have a nice summer, who knows when or even if I may update again.

Peace love and jelly beans, Austra