The Journey!

Hello you! I hope everybody quarantine is going well and that you are all doing safe and well. I thought for today's blog; I could talk about how I, a small-town girl from NZ, got to travel to the big sunny Brisbane. All in the space of one year. It all started in the summer of 2018, where I got the news I was able to attend the NZ singing school held in April. Which meant I would travel to Napier for two weeks in early January to partake in intensive workshops and masterclasses. At this school I was able to partake in so many different opportunities, like performing solos for audiences, working in a small ensemble to later performed, work with some of the greatest vocal coaches, and learn more about the industry I was about to go into. The experience as a bit of a blur, it all happened so fast. One day I was nervous and just got to the school and the next I was performing at the last concert with everyone. All in all, the experience was something I will never forget, and I made a lot of close friends. However, during that last concert, something happened that would change my life for the better. We were told that after everyone had finished performing at the concert, there would specific prizes handed out honoured students—scholarships and fantastic opportunities alike. So there I was sitting on the ground not knowing what was going to happen. Who was going to get chosen? What would it be? One by one, some of my friends got accepted, and pride couldn't describe how immensely exultant I was of them. At this point, I thought I wasn't going to get a prize; after all, I am a small-town girl from a place nobody knows. It was usually the case for me. I thought that it just meant I had to work harder. the next announcement came over the speakers "The half paid scholarship fro BAMT is awarded to Eleanor grieve." Suddenly I was getting grabbed and shaken by the shoulders. Stunned, I started looking around, and everyone is smiling at me. I could believe it, no, I was dreaming. I had to be. There was no way! Somehow I managed to drag my shaky legs underneath me to stand and walk over to shake the hand that gave me my future. The woman was Laine, one of the teachers I grew to admire and honour through the school duration. She gave me a big hug and said: "you have a path now." Those words shook me to my core, to the point where I was fighting back the tears and had to pry myself off this amazing woman. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have let go. As I walked back to my spot, still trying to comprehend what had happened to hear from somewhere within the audience, my mother. I can hear her chanting over and over again '" oh my god. OH my god!" My mind was saying the same thing. I was able to claim my scholarship for the year 2020, which meant I had a year to prepare for my big move to Australia. There was so much to do accommodation, bank accounts, citizenship, school completion, enrolling in my university, passports, rent, and school payments. The list looked so long, and unfortunately, it grew in the next following months. Arranging trips to check out the school and interviews regarding my move took up a lot of my time! 2019 was a hectic year in getting me all ready to move to my new home while also completing school. But as the year went on, we started making the list shorter. And shorter and shorter. And suddenly i landed in the month December, Christmas time and a couple of weeks from my move. Packing started to happen, and a lot of arguments. Yet I had never felt more ready to take on this new challenge. Then came to the move, January 10th. It was hectic, but the move-in was smooth. I got to meet my new roommates and got set in pretty quickly. I would have more detailed coverage of my move on another of my blogs if you wanted to check that out! All in all, my journey to where i am now has been insane and unimaginable. I have such accommodating and generous teachers, including Laine (who I mentioned earlier!). Who took me under her wing and made me feel encouraged to take this next step.

Now? Who knows where the future may lead me.