Amy O' Connor

After 6 months - I have finally returned to home sweet home!

49 weeks ago | me too! | Reply

Amy O' Connor
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  • Female, 24, Luv 252
  • from The Great Land of Oz!
  • Profile views: 28,996
  • Member since: April 2008
  • Last active: 40 weeks ago
  • www.bebo.com/AmyOConnorAU

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Andre Tardiff
Cara Cioni
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HQ

THE END…

Sadly, the time has come to close the Gap Year chapter. The highs, the lows, the laughter, the tears, the experience of a lifetime - you all made it possible & I thank each and every one of you for your support. To the team at HQ, I have never met such an incredibly hard working, lovely bunch. I will miss you.
So here's to GY2!

THE BEGINNING...

What an amazing opportunity - I am about to embark on the trip of a lifetime!

My name is Amy O'Connor, I'm 23, I live in Western Australia, & up until a couple of hours ago I was practicing as a solicitor - how my life is about to change!

I'm finally going to see the world, immerse myself in all that the world has to offer and I just can't wait! So now I have just 11 days to pack up my life before I jet off around the world - so I better get packing
Music
Gotye, Regina Spektor, Kate Miller-Hiedke, Cold War Kids, Kings of Leon, Pixies, the Killers, Muse, Bloc Party, Jose Gonzalez, Architecture in Helsinki, Radiohead, Damien Rice, the Cure, Joanna Newsom, Faker, Spoon, Kate Nash, Sarah Blasko, Angus and Julia Stone, Cut Copy
Films
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, City of God, Donny Darko, Fight Club, The Labyrinth, Children of Men, Closer
Sports
Dancing (if you could call it a sport)
Happiest When
I'm in the sun!
Me in three words
Vivacious, ambitious, fun

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    The Gap Year - Amy and Dave's Highlights

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    • The Western Mystique meets the Cuban Reality

      Think of Cuba and you think of Fidel Castro, Revolution, Communism, Missile Crisis, US Embargo…

      No commercialism, no luxury products, no broadband internet – all in support of a sustainable, moneyless system. However, there seems to be one fatal flaw in Fidels great vision. Greed - the basic human instinct to want more and to want what one does not have. As tourists fly in by the handful, with their designer clothes and bursting wallets, the Cuban people want a slice of the cake, making the pursuit of Materialism more desperate and damaging than in the Democratic world.

      On an average wage of 12 cuc per month, people are forced to cheat the system to survive and with the hotel bag boy making 4 times the amount of a Doctor, the tourist is the obvious target to cheat. Every hour you are tricked, cheated, ripped off. I do not blame the people, I blame the system – but the ability to rely on the kindness of strangers is noticeably absent and sorely missed.

      One must question – does Fidel realize the reality. Has he been sheltered by surrounding himself with Yes men? Is he so caught up in his perfect vision that the line between the dream and the reality has become distorted, even invisible? All questions with an unattainable answer.

      It seems that even love is lost in the system.

      I met a woman - a Doctor who fell in love with and married an American man in Cuba. Work as an Engineer dried up for her husband and they were left with no choice but for him to move back to the United States to financially support them - without her. As a Doctor, she is legally required to stay in Cuba for 5 years post graduation. The system has punished her for going into a noble profession, for abiding by the system. Out of protest she now refuses to work. The result - both her knowledge and her love have gone to waste.

      I met a man - young, good looking but on an almost impossible plight to find love. He explained that in a society where 70% of the women are protitutes, relationships are driven by the pocket rather than the heart. To him the love that we share freely in the western world is an urban myth.

      Despite the tales of woe, the way continues to be the way as a product of fear. Out of the 2 million people that live in Havana, 500,000 are Police – Police that will lock you away for so much as speaking out against the government, against the regime, the regime that feeds off the fear of the people. So the absence of independence and freedom continues to stifle free will.

      Its worth noting that the world on the surface is far less grim. Classic 1950 American cars, mustachioed cigar smokers, horse and carriages and incredible colonial architecture – a run down empire of its previous Spanish Rule. Cuba is certainly not without its many charms.

      And there appears to be some small signs of change. 1 year prior, Cubans could not stay in hotels, bathe in foreigner designated beaches, access internet outside of educational or professional purposes or even have a mobile phone contract in their own name (some cheating the system by get foreigners to sign up for them). These restrictions have now been lifted. Today the gentleman with whom I am doing my home stay was able to get a mobile phone contract for the first time in his long life. However, I am convinced that this freedom gained represents nothing more than a token gesture to appease the people.

      Cuba has inspired me to write again. The culture shock, a different place, a different world. Not a place that I would like to live in, but there is something magnetic about Cuba, perhaps it is its mystique, the plethora of questions left unanswered. It has been the perfect travelers final destination.

      0 Comments 365 days

    • No pressure, no cry...

      Jamaica is the 4th largest island in the Caribbean, has the 7th largest harbour in the world and has more churches per sqaure kilometre than any other country.

      Interesting facts aside, the city centre of New Kingston was not as expected. So many people yet a great deal of space (a little like Australia in this respect). Houses, through small and slightly more delapidated than Brazillian houses, are surrounded with comfortable amounts of space for children to play in and families to grow their own produce. Though very polluted and run down, it´s British origins mean that in a lot of ways it was very commercial, being able to buy little luxuries like Bounty chocolate bars and Ribena that I can get back home.

      On the familiar side, the beach front was exactly how I had romanticised Jamaica to be like. Dreaded Rustafarians, chilling in little makeshift bars along the beach, eating seafood, smoking and bouncing to Reggae tunes in the warm Caribbean sea. The people of Jamaica have a great lifestyle - relaxed, happy, free.

      0 Comments 368 days

    • I was sailing in the Caribbean

      On a sail boat in the crystal blue water of the Caribbean, wind in my hair, sun glowing on my face, in the distance clear blue skies meet soft green mountains in a picture so perfect you would swear it was a painting...

      Sailing away to my very own Caribbean island to laze on for the day - my perfect paradise.

      Sitting on the shore as the waves lapped by my feet, reflecting on the journey almost 6 months on and it still feels surreal. The places I have seen, the opportunities I have been given, the wonderful friends that I have made and the sense of belonging I have got from being a part of the Gap Year family have made this past 6 months the most fulfilling time in my life. I couldn't ask for anything more in my life.

      Thanks to Herbal Essences for providing me with my paradise moment! http://www.bebo.com/herbalessences

      0 Comments 371 days

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    • Sophie
      Sophie

      Hey Amy,
      I LOVED LOVED LOVED watching you on Gap Year!
      Bet you miss it?
      I cant even imagine how amazing it must have been!
      Im a London girl myself, what did you think of London?

      Sophie xoxo

      47 weeks ago
    • Justine
      Justine

      Australia are playing against Wales in the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff

      its rugby

      49 weeks ago
    • Ellie Scarff
      luv Ellie Scarff

      YAY Amy! Almost home time,!
      Hope you are living it up in London!

      Can't wait to see you soon. Will try my hardest to come to the park on Sunday :D

      I am sure your family is dying to have you back! when do you fly into Perth?

      x

      49 weeks ago
    • Carlos Dutra
      luv Carlos Dutra

      hiiii darling
      so long time no see.. how u doing????
      it's been about 7 weeks since u were here,,,
      u rock.... miss ya heaps...
      kisses and hugzzzz

      49 weeks ago
    • James John Irvine
      James John Irvine

      hello amy! how has your travels been since we last spoke? where have you been to?

      haven't made it to antarctica yet, our propellor has had an oil leak so we're in drydock at "grand canaria" for repairs its a nice place, its about 31'C through the day, haven't had much time ashore as we're busy in the engineroom as always

      if you want more detials on where we're at go to and what the company is about go to http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/

      to look at where we're at go to http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/images/w... and look for "ernest shackleton" (name of the ship)

      speak soon

      best regards

      James

      49 weeks ago
    • Justine
      Justine

      My fiance and i may be going to open our own business sometime..we just trying to save money first hehe...Do you have MSN? shall i give you mine?

      49 weeks ago
    • Lucinda Plowman
      luv Lucinda Plowman

      Hey Hon,

      It must be a struggle to readjust - especially after that last week where you all got to bond finally! But it must be amazing knowing that you've seen all these cool places all over the world, and you've made some awesome friends along the way! So will you be planning a trip to NZ, the UK, USA, Canada or Ireland first?

      You're mum's so sweet, the poor lady must have felt a bit lost without her baby girl to keep her compnay :) I watched some of the highlight videos, aww so cute!

      Enjoy your last few days and have a good flight home!

      xox

      49 weeks ago
    • Justine
      Justine

      I loved your GY highlights and guess what?

      49 weeks ago
    • Justine
      Justine

      I bet you cant wait to see your family again eh?

      50 weeks ago
    • Lucinda Plowman
      luv Lucinda Plowman

      Hey Aims,

      Congratulations on doing so well in the Gap Year Finale! And what an exciting way to finish off!

      Are you looking forward to coming back to little old Perth? Cottesloe beach, picnics, outdoor films, drinking in the sun... Although, there's not much sun around at the moment, forecasting rain for the weekend, boo!! Where's summer gone?

      Lx

      50 weeks ago
    • Lucinda Plowman
      luv Lucinda Plowman

      Hi Aims,

      I had a lovely birthday. I got incredibly spoilt, including people from work surprising me with flowers and food, delicious lunch with Liz and her two kids, (Mtilda's and going out for dinner and catching up with some people I haven't seen for a while! A really nice day.

      Looks like you kids had a fun and slightly drunken time in London! Where are you roadtripping to? It's a shame the terrible six couldn't have spent more time together, you must have been pretty close after having that experience. But now you'll have a couch to sleep on in at least five different countries :)

      Where are you going with your friends from Brazil?

      x

      50 weeks ago
    • Tara Barnes
      luv Tara Barnes

      HEYYY lady!
      Great to see you Saturday! How was the rest of your night? Let me know when your farewell drinks are on? or when your free for another catch up!

      xoxoxox

      50 weeks ago
    • Tommy McL
      luv Tommy McL

      You look stunning Amy :D

      50 weeks ago
    • Adam O'Connor
      luv Adam O'Connor

      Hey Big sis

      How is every thing going hope your having a blast with all the crew only only 11 more days yay!!

      Love you much Adam

      51 weeks ago
    • Lucinda Plowman
      luv Lucinda Plowman

      Hey Aims,

      How's London treating you? Still having a fab time with the gap year crew?

      Where are you off to after you finish?

      Take care, xox

      51 weeks ago
    • Helen Burchell

      hello!! how are you? sad that your gap year is coming to an end?! looks like you've had great fun since Rio..can't wait to hear all the stories in bournemouth next weekend!!

      you still out and about in Clapham later?! me and lauren are heading up there, so let me know where you guys are going to be!

      hopefully see you later!
      xxxx

      51 weeks ago
    • Carlos Dutra
      luv Carlos Dutra

      niceeeeee videooo!!

      51 weeks ago
    • Raquel Pittro
      Raquel Pittro

      Hey Missy,
      I hear you are back on the 28th? YAY
      Take care and see you soon xxx
      Ps. Hope all goes well in London.

      51 weeks ago
    • Hava Nind
      luv Hava Nind

      Hey Hunni, i cant wait until you come back big party boooyyyaaaahhhhhh. Not long to go :) im excited

      51 weeks ago
    • Lucinda Plowman
      luv Lucinda Plowman

      Thanks very much! Having a bit of a quiet one this year, just a birthday dinner and drinks as opposed to the more traditional birthday festival :) And my parents are in town next week, so having a picnic with family then.

      Congratulations on the end of your gap journey. How exciting! Hope you all have an awesome time together in London and are getting along! Any hot gap year gossip yet? :D

      Saw the new challenge vid. 9/10, pretty damn good!

      xox

      51 weeks ago