Family Tree

So two fellow Horned Frogs (actually pledges brothers of mine) came with me to Sydney. That has been awesome having guys with me while I explore this new world, making it a little less daunting. The most important lesson I learned last summer was “It’s all about the people,” and having those two people with me has been awesome.

But the puck does not stop there. The IES Abroad program has about 50 (I just made that number up, don’t fact-check me) students here at the University of Sydney from the states. In my shortlist of favorite things in Sydney, the friends I have made here, especially Bobby, Brian, and Rupert, make the top three. The rest of the top 3 is the Circular Quay area and Kingston Public, but those are stories for another time. The focus here is people.

I’m sure your wondering where the title Family Tree came from and how that possibly relates to the friends I have here. Well, I won’t tell you where it came from; I’ll leave that as a mystery, for a while at least. But I can at least tell you how that title has any merit.

When people think of a family tree, they think of sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, sweet aunts and crazy uncles, estranged cousins, and those loose cannon grandpas and sweet ole grandmas. That’s all fine and dandy, but that’s not what I think of when I think of a family tree. To me, family is everyone I encounter. When I think of my family tree I think of my brother, my uncles, my childhood friend Ian, my fellow Frogs, my Beta brothers, coworkers, friends, and other people I’ve had the pleasure of encountering in my life. Last night I met someone who loves baseball and now he’s in my family tree. Family is every connection and encounter.

I just talked with my brother on the phone and I loved the fact I can connect with him still while I’m here. But I’m also glad I have a family of Adam and Ryan and Bobby and Brian and Rupert and everyone else I’ve met here in Sydney. Leaving my TCU family for Sydney was not easy. But meeting my new family of IES Abroad students and Sydneyites? Sydneyonians? Sydneys? has reminded me how big my family tree actually is.

Now I’m not trying to say we’re all one collective spirit that ebbs and flows together. No, not at all; I’m saying that as long as I approach new situations with a people-centered mindset, I’m gonna meet a lot of new brothers and sisters I never knew existed. The friends I’ve met here are family. I would drop everything in an instant if they needed my help. And I know they would do the same for me.

One of my goals for going abroad was to experience the loving nature of people and gain a better understanding of my family tree. That goal has definitely been checked off and I’m not even half-way done. I have a few more goals and I’m excited to see how Sydney manages to check them off for me.