Jessica Smith is your average 18 year old teenager; following in the footsteps of her late dad, she travels to Australia to become a lifeguard at the famous Bondi Beach. Follow Jessica's journey as she navigates love and adventure with the boys in b...
Jessica leaned over and grabbed her phone from her charger; swiping her alarm clock away, she got out of bed and went to her adjoining bathroom to get ready for the day. As she looked in the mirror in front of her, she realized today was an important day: today, she would be flying across the world to Sydney, Australia to pursue her dream of becoming a Bondi lifeguard. She looked across the room to where her suitcase and backpack had already been packed for the last couple of days. Walking to her window and opening the drapes, she squinted as the sun shone its' bright rays on her face. Grabbing an elastic to wrap her hair up, she went downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed some eggs and milk from the fridge to prepare breakfast.
"Good morning sweetie! Are you ready for your big flight?" her mom's voice sounded through the big airy kitchen. "Yeah I guess so! I've been ready for this day ever since I graduated high school! I can't wait to meet all the lifeguards there; I've actually been messaging uncle Hoppo and he's given me great tips on how to survive the long flight." As Jessica was mixing the scrambled eggs, her little twin brothers Jackson and Albert came flying down the stairs. "Give it to me Jackson it's mine!" "No, it's mine!" "Ok that's enough! It's only 7:30 on a Saturday morning and you boys are already fighting over a toy; give that toy to me and go clean up your rooms and get ready for the day! We need to leave in an hour to bring Jess to the airport and she can't miss her flight so let's go!" Jessica was glad her mom was taking the reins and handling the boys; it was usually Jess's responsibility to help the boys get ready, but because she was booked for a 10:30 a.m. flight, she had to get all her important documents together and prepare herself for the airport. After the boys had settled down and eaten some breakfast, they went upstairs to help Jessica carry all her belongings to the car. After her mom grabbed a thermos of coffee to go, they all buckled up and were on their way to the airport.
"Are you sure you have everything? You do know I can't just bring it next door!" "Haha very funny Mom. I have my passport and boarding ticket in my purse, my backpack and suitcase in the back and I also packed my phone and earphones and all that stuff in my purse." Albert and Jackson were watching a movie on the mini screen in the van, so this was the perfect time for me to close my eyes and think about all the adventures to come. When we got to the unloading zone by the airport, I jumped out of the car and got my stuff from the trunk. Albert and Jackson fell asleep, so I gave them a quick kiss on the forehead and shut the door. "Now remember Jess! Your dad and I raised you to be respectful of others around you, and to not be mean-" "Mom! I know! I'm 18, not 8 anymore." "I know honey, but it's hard on a mom to see her teenage daughter travel across the world to pursue her biggest dream." Smiling, I gave her a big hug and promised to let her know when I was on the airplane.
Flight 487 bound for Sydney, Australia is boarding. Please make your way to the gate and have your boarding pass prepared.
As I heard the announcement over the PA system, I stood up and grabbed my purse and made sure I had my passport and boarding pass ready to go. As I gave my ticket to the attendant and she returned it to me, I made my way through the connecting tunnel to the airplane. While inside the plane, I was greeted by a friendly flight attendant who guided me to my seat. After putting my carry-on luggage in the compartment overhead, I sat by the window and got all buckled up while pulling out my phone. I sent a text to my mom letting her know I made it on the plane and that all went well. Within minutes, she sent me a big heart emoji and wished me a safe and happy trip.
5 hours into the 12 hour flight
It was now 3:30 p.m. American time and 7:30 a.m. Australian time. Sitting back and looking out the window, I wondered what would all be awaiting me in Australia. Turning on the airplane's Wi-Fi on my phone, I looked down and saw that I got a text message from uncle Hoppo: "Hey Jess! I just wanted to wish you a safe flight and we'll see you at the airport in a few hours!" Smiling, I decided to check my social media and post a picture on my Instagram story:
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This is my view for the next 7 hours <3 Ready for you Australia! #BondiRescue #BondiLifegaurd
I then put my phone down and plugged in my MP3 to listen to some tunes; looking out the window, I felt my eyes starting to get droopy and before I knew it, I was zonked out.
3 hours later
After falling asleep and waking up, I felt refreshed again. Checking the time, it was now 6:30 p.m. American time and 10:30 a.m. Australian time. After checking how many hours we had left, I decided to use the restroom; thankfully, there was no one in the seat beside me so I only had to bug one person by the aisle to let me get through. Closing the door in the bathroom, I did my thing and went back to my seat. Knowing that it would be daytime when I arrive in Australia, I decided to watch a movie to keep me awake. When the flight attendant came walking down, I asked her if I could please have a snack and a drink; she came back a few minutes later with assorted nuts and chips and a Coke can. Thanking her, I turned to the little screen and started watching The Greatest Showman. I got so caught up in the singing scenes, I may have bopped along to them; thankfully, the person sitting in my aisle of chairs was an older gentleman and he didn't mind.
Fast forward to a couple movies and snacks later
Attention passengers; we are now making our final descent into Sydney. We ask that you please return to your seats, put your tray back to its' proper place and have your seatbelt on.
Glancing out the window, I had the most beautiful sight in front of me: I saw the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour as well as the famous bridge that crosses over the gorgeous water. Because this was a once in a life-time opportunity, I took a picture and posted it to my social media:
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Almost there! Ready for my craziness @lifeguardhoppo?! #Bondi #Sydney
